Advise on ERBITUX CHIMOTHERAPY !!!!

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vilma80
vilma80 Member Posts: 22
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
mY DEAR HUSBAND HAD HIS CANCER CAME BACK ON 2/20/09.COLON CANCER.OUR ONCOLOGIST IS SUGGESTING ERBITUX TREATMENT FOR A LITTLE TIME. HAS ANYONW USED THIS TREATMENT AND WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS ON THIS CHIMO....DO YOU LOOSE YOUR HAIR,DO YOU FEEL SICK?
PLEASE IF ANYONE OUT THERE CAN HELP US....AS WE ARE SCHEDULE TO RECVD TREATMENT NEXT WEEK....

GOD BLESS.
VILMA

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  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #2
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    Erbitux
    Erbitux is only for a specific type tumor. I was evaluated for a trial through the Mayo Clinic and not a candidate.

    Side effects include severe acne but hair loss or acne don't matter if this can help cure your hubby!

    Lisa42 took this for a while until they tested her tumor and found she also has the same mutation as me and it would never work for her. Testing took almost two weeks for them to categorize my tumor.
  • vilma80
    vilma80 Member Posts: 22
    #3
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    dianetavegia said:

    Erbitux
    Erbitux is only for a specific type tumor. I was evaluated for a trial through the Mayo Clinic and not a candidate.

    Side effects include severe acne but hair loss or acne don't matter if this can help cure your hubby!

    Lisa42 took this for a while until they tested her tumor and found she also has the same mutation as me and it would never work for her. Testing took almost two weeks for them to categorize my tumor.

    Erbitux

    Thanks Diane,I really appriciated.
    They did his mutation on the blood and that came normal,no mutation found.
    So our oncologist decide that chimo for Elvis. It was nice to know if it will be or not hair loos, as he is very stresful,and very worried,HEyy who cares any treatment that will help my love it will be OK.I do want to prepare him for any side effects.

    God bless.
    Vilma.
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    #4
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    Erbitux Side Effects
    Vilma,

    I was on Erbitux last fall. The only real side effect I had from it is a severe acne like rash. It is different from acne in that it creates very dry skin instead of oily. It sounds really weird, but what worked best for my was Head & Shoulders Shampoo. I used it as a facial wash and a body wash. I used a prescription lotion for my face and Aquaphor for everywhere else, and sometimes my face too. It is manegable for most people, but irritating. I didn't even have acne as a teenager so it really bugged me, but not as bad as it could be.

    HTH

    Kimby
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #5
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    Erbitux side effects
    Hi Vilma,

    Diane already mentioned to you that I took Erbitux for a while until they kras tested me and found out I have the mutation, so it wouldn't work for me. They didn't do that ahead of time, however (as they now know to do for everyone), so I was on the Erbitux for seven weeks before going off of it. I experienced a horrible acne rash- worse than any acne imagineable- on face, scalp, neck, chest, and in ears. It was even painful to put my head down on the pillow. After a few days of these symptoms (which took about a week to first show up), I was put on both a topical and oral antibiotic, which did make it go away.
    I've now read that if the patient starts taking the oral antibiotic before even starting the Erbitux, then they're not as likely to even get the symptoms. Believe me, it's worth it to start taking the antibiotics right away, if possible. Not everyone gets the side effects that severely, but it's my opinion that it's better to take the preventative antibiotics, just in case.
    As far as losing hair, no it doesn't seem to cause any hair loss- it didn't in me & I haven't heard of it causing hair loss for anyone else either (I'm sure someone will let you know if they have, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't). Watch out, also, for dry cracked skin- especially on the hands and feet, but could be everywhere. Just have a good moisturizing lotion (scent free) on hand. I found that Aveeno lotion works very well. I tried a couple of others that irritated my skin & Aveeno didn't, plus it moisturized very well.

    Best wishes to your husband while on this!

    Lisa
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #6
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    Erbitux
    Hi Vilma.
    I'm sorry your husband had his cancer come back. I have been dealing with stage IV colon cancer for over 5 years, for about 3 of those I have been on Erbitux. It has worked to reduce tumor in in my lungs. The side effects range from a rash, which isn't too bad if you also take minocyclin with it to thinning of the hair, but as others may have said, it's no big deal when compared to cancer. It is often give with CPT11 which goes by another name too but I prefer the names I can pronounce and that caused some bad cramping with me (others too I think) I wish you all the best of luck.
    It has worked for me.
    -phil
  • Madre
    Madre Member Posts: 123
    #7
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    PhillieG said:

    Erbitux
    Hi Vilma.
    I'm sorry your husband had his cancer come back. I have been dealing with stage IV colon cancer for over 5 years, for about 3 of those I have been on Erbitux. It has worked to reduce tumor in in my lungs. The side effects range from a rash, which isn't too bad if you also take minocyclin with it to thinning of the hair, but as others may have said, it's no big deal when compared to cancer. It is often give with CPT11 which goes by another name too but I prefer the names I can pronounce and that caused some bad cramping with me (others too I think) I wish you all the best of luck.
    It has worked for me.
    -phil

    I was part of a study that
    I was part of a study that used erbitux along with folfox 5FU. I lready had my tumor removed and I only could handle the erbitux for 2 rounds. I had a HORRIBLE acne rash. Little white pimples all over my face, head, chest, along with like a sunburn. Imagine chicken pox, poison ivey and a sunburn all at the same time. For me the pimples on my face would break open and bleed, and I couldn't brush my hair or lay on my pillow without pain. Then I got lip sores. Told them I had to do chemo but this stuff was optional and I opted NO. But if that was my only choice for a cure I would have stuck it out. I did have antibiotics and lotion. I found cream vaseline worked best. Greasy but kept the itching down. Good luck and I am sorry your husband and you even have to go through this.
  • vilma80
    vilma80 Member Posts: 22
    #8
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    Madre said:

    I was part of a study that
    I was part of a study that used erbitux along with folfox 5FU. I lready had my tumor removed and I only could handle the erbitux for 2 rounds. I had a HORRIBLE acne rash. Little white pimples all over my face, head, chest, along with like a sunburn. Imagine chicken pox, poison ivey and a sunburn all at the same time. For me the pimples on my face would break open and bleed, and I couldn't brush my hair or lay on my pillow without pain. Then I got lip sores. Told them I had to do chemo but this stuff was optional and I opted NO. But if that was my only choice for a cure I would have stuck it out. I did have antibiotics and lotion. I found cream vaseline worked best. Greasy but kept the itching down. Good luck and I am sorry your husband and you even have to go through this.

    Thanks all!
    Thanks to all of you for replaying back to me!
    I will notify our doctor on the antibiotics! As im very conscern on his treatment,please if anyone knows anyhting as far as signet cell carsinoma,on colon and stomach.Doctor said that the chimo is going to help him for a little while,dont kow what will happend later....God i cant stop cying and worring around....what will happend to my love one that is only 28 years old.;(

    Thanks to all and have a bless day!
    V.
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    #9
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    kras test
    My husband was put on that drug when he had a reacurrance of colon cancer did that chemo for 6 months but that kras test was never done before the drug and he was postive for the kras mutation so that chemo would not work for him ( to bad dr didn;t know this) He did have cracked fingers rash all over his back hair thinning .

    michelle

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