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Post-Iressa options?

supportive1
supportive1 CSN Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
My spouse, a Stage IV NSCLC survivor, just received her quarterly scans that suggest that Iressa treatment, now just past the one year mark, is no longer effective. Two oncos have recommended switching to Tarceva, possibly in conjuction w/ Avastin. Has anyone heard of or expereinced a successful response following such an Iressa-to-Tarceva switch? Like many of you, we're looking for a few rays of hope out there. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.
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  • bill2survive
    bill2survive CSN Member Posts: 2
    #2
    My doc told me that tarceva was more effective than Irresa for smokers.I dont know if your wife smoked but I did and I am also stage IV Tried to get tarceva but still trying first line. I hope for the vey best for you and yours
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  • supportive1
    supportive1 CSN Member Posts: 2
    #3
    bill2survive said:

    My doc told me that tarceva was more effective than Irresa for smokers.I dont know if your wife smoked but I did and I am also stage IV Tried to get tarceva but still trying first line. I hope for the vey best for you and yours

    Thanks for the advice, Bill. She is a non-smoker, and fit the profile of many who respond well to Iressa, which was effective for ~one year. Found some research that showed combined Tarceva/Avastin can be more effective than either therapy alone. For the moment, that may be our best hope. Hang in there and don't be afraid to seek second/third/or fourth opinion. Each LC patient is different and may respond well to a particular treatment where others didn't.
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  • Msalley
    Msalley CSN Member Posts: 5
    #4
    supportive1 said:

    Thanks for the advice, Bill. She is a non-smoker, and fit the profile of many who respond well to Iressa, which was effective for ~one year. Found some research that showed combined Tarceva/Avastin can be more effective than either therapy alone. For the moment, that may be our best hope. Hang in there and don't be afraid to seek second/third/or fourth opinion. Each LC patient is different and may respond well to a particular treatment where others didn't.

    I know there is a physician in Chicago that is becoming very well known at Northwestern hospital that specializes in the treatment of these rashes. He leads the research and the special clinic there called the SERIES clinic that treats these reactions....

    Call or e mail him asap
    His contact information is below:

    Mario E Lacouture, MD
    Department of Dermatology
    Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Northwestern University
    645 North Michigan Suite 520
    Chicago, Illinois 60611
    Phone : 312-695-8106
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