What chemo drugs

dianetavegia
dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Hello all, A friend has just been dx'd with lung cancer and will be meeting with her onc about radiation and chemo this week. I completed chemo for colon cancer mid August and understand each disease has different types of chemo.

What are the most common chemo drugs used alongside rads for lung cancer? I'd like to be able to help my friend understand and be prepared for side effects. I found knowing what to expect from FOLFOX (Oxaliplatin i.e. severe neuropathy) helped me so much and took away a lot of fear.

Thanks in advance and wishing you all well.

Diane

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    chemo
    Diane, I did not have radiation for the lung episode, but did have a lobectomy followed by chemotherapy that consisted of carboplatin and taxol. Among the addditives were decadron and benadryl for reasons you are probably familiar with (nausea control and anxiety-reduction/sleep assistance).

    I was advised by friends on this site that carbo and taxol would knock me for a loop, but I had no significant adverse effects from this combination, nothing remotely like what I experienced with cisplatin (for a previous head/neck cancer). My biggest problem had to do with low white blood cell count and low platelet count, the former which was alleviated by Neupogen while the latter was dealt with via patience.

    Best wishes to your friend.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #3
    soccerfreaks said:

    chemo
    Diane, I did not have radiation for the lung episode, but did have a lobectomy followed by chemotherapy that consisted of carboplatin and taxol. Among the addditives were decadron and benadryl for reasons you are probably familiar with (nausea control and anxiety-reduction/sleep assistance).

    I was advised by friends on this site that carbo and taxol would knock me for a loop, but I had no significant adverse effects from this combination, nothing remotely like what I experienced with cisplatin (for a previous head/neck cancer). My biggest problem had to do with low white blood cell count and low platelet count, the former which was alleviated by Neupogen while the latter was dealt with via patience.

    Best wishes to your friend.

    Take care,

    Joe

    Joe
    Cisplatin has many of the same side effects as the Oxi I was given. Yes, I'm quite aware of the Decadron and Benadryl. In fact, to reduce reaction to the Oxi, my last 5 tx's included Ativan which worked alongside the Benadryl to stop a rash and some tightness in my chest.

    I've not heard of carboplatin and taxol.

    My friend had a PET scan which showed no spread. During aborted surgery, the doctor found 4 lymph nodes that were cancerous and said rads and chemo first. That was quite a surprise.

    Thanks! I'll look those up now.

    Diane
  • tropicgirl2780
    tropicgirl2780 Member Posts: 9
    #4
    Clinical Trials
    Hello! I am 29 and have Stage 3B non-resectable NSCLC. I am taking part in a clinical trial at UNC that combines carboplatin, avastin and pemetrexed. I have little to no side effects other than about the third and fourth days after being sick. I also haven't experienced any hair loss and my blood counts are still well within the normal range! I am doing A LOT of homeopathic things also to combat so if you are interested in passing that info onto your friend let me know. Good luck to you and to them.
  • CCAOG
    CCAOG Member Posts: 31
    #5
    chemo
    Hi Diane, Heck I went on vacation (fishing in the Keys and caught a lot of Mahi Mahi too)in the middle of my treatments. I got 6 weeks of rad with carbo and taxol like Joe. When the rad was over DR. doubled the dousage of chemo. The Benedril put me to sleep thru the administration of the chemo. I had some nausea, ( never actually got sick though) lost every dang hair on my body, and in the double dousage of chemo was extremely tired. In the Keys I was known as the Hairless Fisherman, wrote a song bout it, like to hear it, here it goes. Ya gotta put a little coooountry twwannng to it.
    lost my eyebrows in the keys
    help me find them would you please
    mask and snorkle made me sneeze
    never brought me to my knees

    Well I didn't get any farther than that (fell asleep in the middle of the song lol)
    I made it though, went into remission. Then I started running my Churches Food Pantry and got involved with the Relay for Life. I gained a lot thru giving. Changed my life. Will pray for your friend as I do for all the others here.
    Jeff

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