chemo, yes or no-Part II

Bev
Glad you've got it all lined up. The chemo nurse will probably give you a list of known side effects for each drug. My side effects were mostly for the Adryomicin. The Cytoxin and Taxol were not bad. I had 12 weekly taxol treatments and did develop some muscle aches in my legs but none of the neuropathy or joint pain!!
Best of luck on Monday.

Hi Bev and welcome to the "club". Sorry to hear you have to join us.

I have recently come across this piece of news and so if I were you I would ask your onc what they think about it. I will insert the whole copy so everyone can read it without linking to it. But will also supply a link for those who want to look further into it.
I'll attach it below. I am wondering why they are not using any anthracyclines (adriamycin/epirubicin) as these are quite effective. Perhaps in place of the cytoxin??

I had stage 11B breast cancer in 3/6 nodes. They gave me Fluouracil (5-FU), epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (cytoxin) x3 and taxotere (cousin of taxol) x3. Personally, I didn't do well on any of them and particularly the taxotere which lit my bones on fire, but I know many women who do quite fine on it.

The best of luck to you and we'll keep our fingers crossed

Link: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85301.php
Chemotherapy Treatment Taxol Ineffective In Treating HER-2 Negative Breast Cancer, NEJM Study Says
Main Category: Breast Cancer News
Article Date: 12 Oct 2007 - 7:00 PDT

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The chemotherapy treatment paclitaxel, sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb under the brand name Taxol, is ineffective at treating HER-2 negative breast cancer, the most common form of the disease, according to a study published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the AP/Google.com reports.

Daniel Hayes of the University of Michigan and colleagues analyzed a study conducted in the 1990s that involved more than 3,000 women whose breast cancer had spread to the lymph nodes but not widely throughout the body (Marchione, AP/Google.com, 10/10). Half of the participants in the original study received four courses of the chemotherapy drugs adriamycin and cytoxan, and half received four courses of the adriamycin-cytoxan combination along with four courses of Taxol, which is standard protocol among many oncologists (AFP/Yahoo! News, 10/10).

The researchers then conducted genetic tests on the original tumor tissue of 1,322 of the women (Fox, Reuters, 10/10). Women who had overactive HER-2 positive tumors, about 15% to 20% of all breast cancer patients, benefited the most from treatment with Taxol, the study found (Ackerman, Houston Chronicle, 10/11). The study was funded by NIH and a breast cancer foundation, and several researchers have ties to BMS (AP/Google.com, 10/10).
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The researchers did not recommend changes in protocol for breast cancer treatment and added that further studies are needed to confirm the finding (Houston Chronicle, 10/11). "We want to make sure these data are correct before withholding [Taxol] from some patients," Hayes said, adding, "On the other hand, we don't want to keep a therapy that doesn't work." Julie Gralow, a cancer specialist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said that many doctors will be reluctant to forgo treatment with Taxol until the study's findings are confirmed because of concern that some patients might file a lawsuit if their cancer returns and chemotherapy was not offered (AP/Google.com, 10/10).

Don Berry, biostatistics chief at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, said that the "most important question in invasive breast cancer is who does and doesn't need chemotherapy?" Berry said, "We're good at adding therapies to a patient's regimen, but not as confident subtracting them. This study suggests we'll be able to limit therapies to those who'll truly benefit from them, and other patients can be spared their side effects without loss of benefit."

Related Editorial
Ann Moore of the Weill Cornell Medical College in an NEJM editorial that accompanied the study writes that the "one-size-fits-all" approach to breast cancer treatment is coming to an end. "Oncologists have a responsibility to their patients to be aware of this report," Moore writes (Houston Chronicle, 10/11).

The study is available online.

KathiM said:

Adriamycin, the #3 of the 1-2-3 punch for we stage II'ers, is fondly called the 'red devil' because, even tho it is a lifesaver, it it usually the one that has the most negative effects....Since you are not 'doing' that one...

By far, Taxol was the easiest for me. BUT, I was infused VERY, VERY slowly (took 4-5 hours) to avoid any possible reaction. Also, with all of it, I INSISTED upon pre-hydration AND post-hydration thru the IV. Also drank 4 quarts of water the day before, day of, day after infusion...1.5 years later....STILL no neuropathy (did have some Taxol Tingles during treatment).

Hugs, Kathi

Taxol did a number on my feet, still, but it works!