FDA Issues Alert on Genentech's Avastin

Melanie781
Melanie781 Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
The FDA issued an alert about Genentech's cancer drug Avastin, saying the drug has been tied to the development of anemia in several patients, Dow Jones reports. Several patients who took Avastin in combination with the cancer drug Sutent reported microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, which is characterized by a loss of red blood cells, according to an alert posted on the FDA's Web site. (Dow Jones)

Comments

  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #2
    That's scary! I think that's one of the drugs my onc offered me. It seems that we're left with two options: 1. We die of untreated metastatic cancer, or 2. We die of the treatments to cure our cancer. Surviving both may be hit or miss. I know someone who died as a result of his cancer treatments. He kept getting different primaries that were treatable, but alas, the treatments are what killed him. My biggest concern is quality of life, which my cancer treatments are threatening. What's the use of beating cancer if you have to live the rest of your life with unbearable pain and debilatation?

    But that's just my two cents.
    Many hugs,
    Krista
  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    #3
    I have good friend who is on Avastin along with 5FU and ebuterix for rectal cancer. She just finished her last round of avastin and her doctor (I was with her) said she had a red blood cell count that anyone would envy. Being alive is inherently dangerous, I think you just have to assess the risk/reward - it is different for everyone.

    Pam
  • dash4
    dash4 Member Posts: 303 Member
    #4
    My husband was on avastin for 8 months in 04 and 05. He did not experience the problems you are referring to.
    Mary Kay
  • krystiesq
    krystiesq Member Posts: 240 Member
    #5
    My mother is on folfox + avastin now and she has not had any anemia or low rbc. However, her onc put her on a high blood pressure med, said it was a side effect of avastin.
  • cjf2006
    cjf2006 Member Posts: 83
    #6
    I have been on Avastin since Dex 2006. I get nosebleeds. My rbc is slightly low, just under the normal range. I know it carries risks, but with stage 4 and multiple mets,I had to trust my dr that she knew what I needed to survive.
  • apache4
    apache4 Member Posts: 272 Member
    #7
    cjf2006 said:

    I have been on Avastin since Dex 2006. I get nosebleeds. My rbc is slightly low, just under the normal range. I know it carries risks, but with stage 4 and multiple mets,I had to trust my dr that she knew what I needed to survive.

    Speaking of nosebleeds...I was getting them too on a daily basis. Well, Mon. morning at 4, all heck broke loose with so much blood that it was a terrible mess and took two hours to control Tuesday I woke at 2 with same thing, took an hour, then at 7, another hour. When all broke loose even worse twice more I called Moffitt and went in. They packed my nostril. I was supposed to go back tomorrow to have it taken out, but this morning woke choking on something I could not get out of my throat. An astute friend suggested it might me the packing. It was so it is unpacked now and doing OK. Onc said no more Avastin for me. The last time I was on it I got a huge (about a foot long and 6 inches wide) black bruise on my calf. It is true that it does different things to different people.
  • harryh
    harryh Member Posts: 1
    #8
    Avastin was one of the drugs I was on last year as part of a "chemo cocktail" that included Folfox, Eloxatin, etc. I experienced frequent nosebleeds and bruised very easily. The experience taught me to question my oncololist more closely about he possible side effects of the chemo drugs and their possible interactions (I get the feeling there is not yet a great deal known about the latter).
  • winediva
    winediva Member Posts: 26
    #9
    I'm on Avastin right now in combo with folfox 5FU, oxiplatin, and lukovorin. My doc has had much success with Avastin in late stage colon cancer patients. I haven't had any avastin side effects yet, except for a very occasional morning nosebleed that stops very quickly. Might even just be all the air conditioning I'm in as well. As we all seem to agree, every body handles drugs differently. My nurse suggested sleeping with a humidifier in my bedroom for a while to try and alliviate the nosebleed problems. I'll let you all know if it works.
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #10
    When I had a recurrence in 2006, after having surgery, the chemo regimen became CPT-11, 5FU, leucovorin and Avastin. In fact, I have been on Avastin non-stop ever since. When my chemotherapy rounds complete, i go in for avastin every 3 weeks. I manage the nosebleeds with saline spray and the blood pressure increase isn't so bad I need medication. I believe it is what has kept me above ground thus far and hope it will keep me thus for a lot longer! I agree, though, it's a delicate balance between the cancer and the toxicity of the chemicals we take to treat it!

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