6th chemo

Lauracec
Lauracec Member Posts: 101
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I had my sixth chemo today. they had a heck of a time finding veins so they finally went to the crook of my arm and it worked. i've been on carbo /taxol/and avastin or plaebo every three weeks. my ca 125 was down to 7 and went to 9 hopefully that isn't anything I get a ct scan on the 24th and if the 5 cm tumor on my liver arteries is gone or shrunk or just the same than I will continue on with the avastin trial. if it grew we wil do something else but I'm praying that it's gone. and I can do some normal life now. well in about three or 4 weeks anyhow when my white cell count comes back. I look at this site everyday and pray for all of you. it is so comfort
ing to know there are others out there makeing it through. Laura

Comments

  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #2
    Avastin trial
    Hi Laura, congrats on finishing your 6th chemo! If you are on the avastin trial that I have been following, I believe you have 2 more carbo/taxol cycles to go with the placebo or avastin included. Is that right?

    This is an exciting trial, as it is Phase III and so many women are participating. The info they are able to receive from the results will affect a large group of the OVCA sisters. My favorite doc is co-chairing (or whatever the term is) and I am very keen to know the outcome.

    Keep us posted as to your progress, and take good care.

    Kathleen

    PS Why don't you have a port?
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #3
    Congrats
    I'm glad your done with your 6th chemo..did you say it was the last one?? I'll keep you in prayer that your scan comes back clear!!~~~Joanne
  • Lauracec
    Lauracec Member Posts: 101
    #4
    kayandok said:

    Avastin trial
    Hi Laura, congrats on finishing your 6th chemo! If you are on the avastin trial that I have been following, I believe you have 2 more carbo/taxol cycles to go with the placebo or avastin included. Is that right?

    This is an exciting trial, as it is Phase III and so many women are participating. The info they are able to receive from the results will affect a large group of the OVCA sisters. My favorite doc is co-chairing (or whatever the term is) and I am very keen to know the outcome.

    Keep us posted as to your progress, and take good care.

    Kathleen

    PS Why don't you have a port?

    on the trial I am on it only
    on the trial I am on it only comes with 6 carbo/taxol I havn't heard of one that comes with 8 and i don't have a port be cause the avastin can cause problems with that. i could get a pic line I guess though but since I am only going to have 30 in infusions instead of all day I'm just going to have them use the crook of my arm. Laura
  • Lauracec
    Lauracec Member Posts: 101
    #5
    floridajo said:

    Congrats
    I'm glad your done with your 6th chemo..did you say it was the last one?? I'll keep you in prayer that your scan comes back clear!!~~~Joanne

    avastin /placebo
    I think I have about 16 avastin/placebo every three weeks now but it won,t lower my blood counts and it is only a thirty minute infusion and the constipation after chemo won't be a problem either so it sounds easy to me. I know it can cause real high blood pressure and headaches but my blood pressure is on the low side always and I think if I was going to have problems with the avastin I would have already. because they started me on that part of the study with the second round of chemo and what i got then is what I will still be getting. hopefully it the avastin but it's a blind study so it could be a placebo. Laura
  • Lauracec
    Lauracec Member Posts: 101
    #6
    kayandok said:

    Avastin trial
    Hi Laura, congrats on finishing your 6th chemo! If you are on the avastin trial that I have been following, I believe you have 2 more carbo/taxol cycles to go with the placebo or avastin included. Is that right?

    This is an exciting trial, as it is Phase III and so many women are participating. The info they are able to receive from the results will affect a large group of the OVCA sisters. My favorite doc is co-chairing (or whatever the term is) and I am very keen to know the outcome.

    Keep us posted as to your progress, and take good care.

    Kathleen

    PS Why don't you have a port?

    Kathleen
    can you tell me where I can find out about this? be cause the tumor left inside me was 5 cm and they like to do 8 carbo/taxol treatments with that big of one but they said I couldn,t do the study than and all the docs pushed for the study becasuse my cancer is undifferiated with clear cell qualitys and the avastin has done real well with the clear cell. I get the results of my ct scan on the morning im suppose to get the avastin/placebo alone. my husband and I have decided if it shrunk all the way or hasn't shrunk at all but is still stable we will stay on the trial but if it has shrunk alot we will probably drop the trial and take two more carbo/taxol. I'm just praying it shrunk all the way. Laura
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #7
    Lauracec said:

    Kathleen
    can you tell me where I can find out about this? be cause the tumor left inside me was 5 cm and they like to do 8 carbo/taxol treatments with that big of one but they said I couldn,t do the study than and all the docs pushed for the study becasuse my cancer is undifferiated with clear cell qualitys and the avastin has done real well with the clear cell. I get the results of my ct scan on the morning im suppose to get the avastin/placebo alone. my husband and I have decided if it shrunk all the way or hasn't shrunk at all but is still stable we will stay on the trial but if it has shrunk alot we will probably drop the trial and take two more carbo/taxol. I'm just praying it shrunk all the way. Laura

    Trial
    Hi Laura, I just re-read the details of the trial and it looks like it is a bit complicated. In some cases, you can get the 8 cycles.... I am sending along the website anyway. Maybe this is not the one you are on?

    I personally had 8 cycles of carbo/taxol after a total debulking and am NED at the moment. I think if your body can handle it, then it is a good thing, to mop up the microscopic cells and maybe in your case continue to shrink what not resectable. I think the conventional thinking is that 6 is the way to go, though. It is your body and you have to be your own advocate.

    Take care,
    Kathleen

    http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/ft-GOG-0213
  • terrypaci
    terrypaci Member Posts: 15
    #8
    Lauracec said:

    avastin /placebo
    I think I have about 16 avastin/placebo every three weeks now but it won,t lower my blood counts and it is only a thirty minute infusion and the constipation after chemo won't be a problem either so it sounds easy to me. I know it can cause real high blood pressure and headaches but my blood pressure is on the low side always and I think if I was going to have problems with the avastin I would have already. because they started me on that part of the study with the second round of chemo and what i got then is what I will still be getting. hopefully it the avastin but it's a blind study so it could be a placebo. Laura

    avastin
    Hi laura,

    i am also on the avastin part of the treatment now, and i was also going to get port put in my Dr. said no because the avastin can cause severe bleeding and if i got the pict line in i would have to come back to the hospital every week to get it drained and cleaned i am letting them do the iv every 3 weeks instead i am giving them 2 chances to hit a vein so far they have done it with one hit, i have small veins as well and i stay hydrated as best i can but with all the blood work that has been done in the past few months our veins need to have a lot more rest in order for them to get back to normal, i have noticed that i have been brusing more easily now doesn't matter what i do or gently hit i get a bruise.
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #9
    liver
    I started with three 2.5 cm tumors in my liver and after 4 carbo/taxol they shrunk to 1 cm. Then I had radio frequency ablation on them and that burned out the rest of them in the liver at the same time that I had the major debulking surgery on the rest of my abdomen. Then I took 5 more carbo/taxol. I'm betting that the chemo shrunk your tumor in the liver if it is the same as mine. Waiting for the good news. Saundra
  • Lauracec
    Lauracec Member Posts: 101
    #10
    saundra said:

    liver
    I started with three 2.5 cm tumors in my liver and after 4 carbo/taxol they shrunk to 1 cm. Then I had radio frequency ablation on them and that burned out the rest of them in the liver at the same time that I had the major debulking surgery on the rest of my abdomen. Then I took 5 more carbo/taxol. I'm betting that the chemo shrunk your tumor in the liver if it is the same as mine. Waiting for the good news. Saundra

    thankyou for encouragement
    Saundra
    Have you had your ct scan yet? and if so how was it?
    Laura
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #11
    CT scan
    Yes, I had it the 8th. Will get the results Wed. when I see the gyn/onc. and also a physical. I have been to the Gulf coast to walk the beaches inbetween. Beautiful weather and time of the year. Came home with a huge bladder infection though...It is the first infection I have had since diagnosis through all the chemo.
    Saundra
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #12
    saundra said:

    CT scan
    Yes, I had it the 8th. Will get the results Wed. when I see the gyn/onc. and also a physical. I have been to the Gulf coast to walk the beaches inbetween. Beautiful weather and time of the year. Came home with a huge bladder infection though...It is the first infection I have had since diagnosis through all the chemo.
    Saundra

    waiting with you
    Hi Saundra, thanks for the email and I am waiting with you to hear your results. Love Ya Bonnie
  • terrypaci
    terrypaci Member Posts: 15
    #13
    6th treatment
    Hi Laura,
    As long as your CA 125 stays between 0.0 & 35 that is the normal range if it goes way above that then the Dr will be more concerned. I am now on the Avastin only and my first treatment with just that was last week so far so good, i just have some nausea but nothing major as of yet i did read about the avastin on the website that i found and some of the side affects can start either after the first treatment up to a year after your done. if you do a yahoo search you will be able to read more about it.

Discussion Boards