Gemzar and avastin

carol1945
carol1945 Member Posts: 7
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
My last ct scan on 7/21/08 showed several small tumors after being off chemo for 8 months. my ca was 300. My onc wants to do carbo/gemzar. I was previously on carbo/taxol and taxotere. allergic to taxol. He also wants me to be in the trial for avastin. Has anyone been on gemzar or in the avastin trial? I would appreciate any input. I am really nervous about going on chemo again----thank God i am still on depression meds......Thanks everyone.

Comments

  • ladyjogger31
    ladyjogger31 Member Posts: 289
    #2
    Hi Carol, I am on a clinical trial of Avastin. Also, finished my 6th treatment of cabo/taxo yesterday. My ca-125 after my 5th chemo was 95. I statred off at 7,222 after surgery. Today I question my doctor about going off the avastin trial because I didn't think I was getting it. He advised me to stay on it so he can watch my ca-125 and if it starts to climb they will dicontinue it and put me back on chemo. They say the avastin shrinks the tumors. Good luck !! Hugs and Prayers.
    Terry
  • kris43
    kris43 Member Posts: 275
    #3
    Carol - I'm so sorry to hear your news. I was eligible for the Avastin trial as well, but after much thought and discussion with my son we decided against it. I did not want to be doing stuff for a year with all the follow up and the way we ended up going was considered a first line treatment and if I went with Avastin I could not go back and try the IV/IP chemo that we chose. Of course, that was my first round after initial diagnosis. I've heard good and bad on the Avastin. Do some research on Google - I know they say it stops the blood supply to the tumors, but as far as helping with the actual cancer - I think that is why there is a trial. To see if it will be of benefit to women with ovarian cancer.

    I will keep you close in my thoughts. Let us know how you are doing and what you decide. Take good care. Kris
  • Lauracec
    Lauracec Member Posts: 101
    #4
    ladyjogger31 said:

    Hi Carol, I am on a clinical trial of Avastin. Also, finished my 6th treatment of cabo/taxo yesterday. My ca-125 after my 5th chemo was 95. I statred off at 7,222 after surgery. Today I question my doctor about going off the avastin trial because I didn't think I was getting it. He advised me to stay on it so he can watch my ca-125 and if it starts to climb they will dicontinue it and put me back on chemo. They say the avastin shrinks the tumors. Good luck !! Hugs and Prayers.
    Terry

    I'm new here. I am going for my 3rd chemo on monday of carbo/taxol and avastin or placebo. so I am on the same trial it sounds like terry is on. hopefully it will work. I have stage 3c and a peice of tumor still under my liver after the big surgery. I have been reading this all for the last few days and it is very encourageing. Laura
  • lizper
    lizper Member Posts: 199
    #5
    Hi Carol, My Mom had Genoxal and Avastin for 4 treatments but was still having pain so Dr. decided to change medication and now is on Caelyx. Hopefully it will work for you.God bless, Liz
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #6
    Carol,
    I was on Gemzar for 5 cycles. I found it really easy at first to tolerate,and it did bring my numbers down. I had to stop it after 5 cycles as I started to have really bad side effects from the gemzar ans steriods. Avastin is a good drug,but has it's own set of side effects. For the most part,most ladies say it's easy to tolerate. Good luck~~~Joanne
  • LondaDraper
    LondaDraper Member Posts: 9
    #7
    GEMZAR
    I've just started GEMZAR. Two doses make up one round...so prepare to be in the infusion chair weekly with a week off. Two on, one off. I don't know anything about the other drug you speak of, and I apologize. I guess I can look forward to it?

    Anyway, I'm taking the GEMZAR with Cisplatin, but not entirely sure at this exact moment. Initially, the orders were GEMZAR with Carbo, but since I had a reaction to the Carbo; the Dr. wants to discuss introducing Cisplatin with the Gemzar. Gemzar is a non-metalic chemo, so you may not lose your hair. I haven't yet!!! I'm exhausted however, and suffer from an upset stomach constantly, but we know how well the anti-nausea meds work!!!! The exhaustion isn't anything I can quite describe, as it's new to me. I can honestly fall asleep in a chair sitting up now...in a bar with loud music and people standing/chatting/yelling and demanding drinks from the bartender! It lasts for a few days, and just about the time I get my next dose...the exhaustion rears it's ugly head again.

    At my last infusion appointment, I sat next to a man...and quite funny he was, that is living with pancreatic cancer. He's been receiving GEMZAR for two years. He made the comment that the worse side affect of the drug is the exhaustion as well.

    I hope I helped a little.

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