Erbitux / Vectibix 0% effective??

Monicaemilia said:

I have had a few doctors and nurses tell me that if you have a rash or acne it is a good sign that the Erbitux is working. But from what you are saying, that cannot be true. Right? Monica

I have been told that if you don't break out, then you almost certainly won't respond to the EGFR inhibitor.

I don't believe the converse of this is true, that if you break out badly, it is working.....

I had horrendous acne with just a half dose of Vectibix (panitumumab). My face had about 100 white heads and it hurt just laying my face on a pillow.

Yet, it didn't appear to be effective at all for me.

I understand that it does help some people though.

kerry said:

My doctor at MD Anderson had my tumor samples tested before putting me on Erbitux or Vectibix and found that I also fall in the 43% of people it does not effect. Thank goodness he tested before subjecting me to the side effects.

I also responded well to 5FU and Avastin, however, due to developing a couple of blood clots the last time I was on Avastin, the doctor is hesitant to put me back on it.

So I'm stuck with Oxaliplatin + Xeloda for the time being.

Thank goodness for all the new drugs we have and the new ones coming down the pipeline. Rumors tell me there will be another drug announced in the near future. Hooray....

Kerry

Are you sure we are talking about the same test?

My oncologist said that before he gave me Vectibix, he ran a test on my tumor tissue to determine if it expressed a protein called an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)

The FDA notes that approximately 70% of all colorectal carcinomas have positive findings for EGFR.

This KRAS mutation is a separate test that I understand insurance won't even pay for at this time.

If your doctor did do the KRAS test, when did he do this?

What new drugs have you heard are coming down the pipeline? I'm ready for a new one.

I'm sorry you are stuck on oxaliplatin now. I have taken the oxaliplatin and it's pretty toxic.

Thanks,
Tony

oneagleswings said:

sorry to disagree but my husband progressed rapidly on avastin and got an extra 6 months of life with progression free status on erbitux..wish we in Canada had the luxury of getting vectibex...
Bev

That's interesting. I know one guy who responded well on the erbitux like your husband did. The three (including myself) in our colon cancer support group that have been stage 4 for 5-7 years (if I make another month it will be 5 years) have responded well to Avastin and not Erbitux....but that is just a small group of three.

Please understand that I didn't mean that Erbitux and Vectibix was 0% effective for everyone....just the 43% with the KRAS mutation. I feel certain that your husband doesn't have the KRAS mutation.

I understand that there are 7 known "pathways" for colon cancer to get new blood supplies for growth.....The VEGF (Avastin) and the EGFR (erbitux/vectibix) each block one pathway...So that leaves 5 other pathways untouched so the cancer eventually finds a way around the current drugs....

This stuff is no wimpy Lance Armstrong testicular cancer that can actually be CURED with cancer drugs.

Sorry you can't get Vectibix in Canada....All the literature on the Avastin says that it works for only about 11 months...but I have been on it for about 2.5 years, getting off once in a while due to low platelets. It seems to be losing it's effectiveness, but it still appears to be helping slow it down.

I haven't read a lot on this site for a while. Is your husband still on Erbitux? It may still be effective to some extent if it worked that well for 6 months.

I am currently using ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TM) that chelates copper from the body and thus limits how much blood vessel growth is available for the cancer (in theory). In addition, I take 65 grams of vitamin C intravenously once or twice each week.

Not sure how much each helps, but I'm trying SOMETHING and plan to go down swinging.

If you are interested in learning more about the TM, I can refer you to a good, concise web site...I have taken this stuff for about 2.5 years and there is no apparent side effects and it doesn't make you feel bad at all.

The conventional FDA approved poisons don't seem to be helping much anymore.

alta29 said:

I asked my onco yesterday..he told me that before the insurance Co. did make it mandatory to makes these test for erbitux...now they don't because it was proved that it wasn't 100 % acurrate ( Like cea's).They did not test me and I am currently on it.....I just hope is true that the more severe the better, cause I have the rash in my ears !!

My oncologist said that before he gave me Vectibix, he ran a test on my tumor tissue to determine if it expressed a protein called an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)

The FDA notes that approximately 70% of all colorectal carcinomas have positive findings for EGFR.

This KRAS mutation is a separate test that I understand insurance won't even pay for at this time. Since there is a 43% chance that this drug is totally useless to you (if your cancer has the KRAS mutation) I would get the KRAS test to make sure I wasn't losing valuable time and experiencing all the acne for nothing.

I would bet that your oncologist isn't even aware of the KRAS test since this is new info. You might want to get him to read his August 1, 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology concerning the paper by Dr. Jose Baselga. He may dismiss this, but I don't take NO for an answer. I made it clear to my oncologists early on that I am the doctor and they are just consultants.....
With all due respect to doctors, I have yet to meet one that is as interested in my case as I am.

I believe the test can be ran on your colon cancer tissue for about $300-$350.

If you are among the 57% that don't have the KRAS mutation, then the erbitix will probably work well for you.