Avastin

My wife got diagnosed with ovarian cancer stage 3C at the age of 29 years – 4 years back. After surgery, removal of tumor, colostomy done and 12 cycles of chemo with paclitaxel and carboplatin for first 7 chemo and remaining 5 paclitaxel with cisplatin was done.

Last chemo was done in march 2015.

Regular checkup was on and CA 125 adn CT scan was normal.

Last month CA went to 41.5 and CT scan was showing a collection of 3 cm x 3 cm. Doctors decided to do surgery and remove the collection but they closed after opening and didn’t performed any surgery as disease was spread over abdomen and they were not able to take the collection out it out.

After 20 days of surgery, CA reached 52.5 and first cycle of chemo done now with paclitaxel and cisplatin, Doctor here asking me to decide for avastin.

 

Can any one suggest the results of Avastin ?

Comments

  • LorettaMarshall
    LorettaMarshall Member Posts: 662 Member
    Danny-C separate ltr 4 U re Avastin-Advantages & Disadvantages

    Danny – Have worked a good part of my day on these articles from my WORD file which I have collected relative to AVASTIN (Bevacizumab).  Please see my reply on a separate topic line here:  https://csn.cancer.org/node/311458

    As you will see, it is probably the most detailed letter I’ve sent in a long time on one drug.  But others may want to write their remarks here.  However, so far no one has answered you here, although I’m sure there are people on this link that have taken the drug.  But as for me, I think the disadvantages outweigh any potential advantages, and I personally will not take it—ever.  You will be interested in reading “Guitardiva’s” remarks which I’ve included in my letter.  I feel so sorry for her, but she is not the first person that has written “never again” for Avastin.  I included one report about Avastin being withdrawn for Breast Cancer patients plus several reports for trials that were disappointing for Ovarian Cancer patients.  So far it appears that for the majority of persons in the trials, it did NOT meet the objectives.  But you can read it for yourself.  I often get excited when I think there is something new for “us” battling this monster in the here and now, but so far the “traditional” chemo cocktails are still being prescribed.  Immunotherapy is exciting to read about but so far, nothing has been approved by the FDA “for the masses.” 

    I do hope you will consider getting another opinion before just “going along” with what one medical team recommends.  That is especially after I read the report that came out in April of this year from the Mayo Clinic.  Relatively few first opinions are totally the right ones.  I’ve included that reference as well.  If there’s one thing we need, it’s “peace of mind” that we’ve exhausted all our possibilities and sought advice from more than one medical team.  I do hope that this new finding of the 3cm X 3cm collection (did you mean mass?) will be correctly identified as to what it represents before just deciding to “try Avastin” next!

    I trust some of the info I’ve provided you will help you to make the right decision.  But always remember that we don’t “prescribe”, we just “describe” what we ourselves have experienced. 

    Sincere best wishes for you and your wife,

    Loretta

    (Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer Stage IV) DX Nov. 2012- Neoadjuvant chemo then Cytoreductive Surgery in July 2013- (Four subsequent adjuvant treatments since then)

  • dannythakur
    dannythakur Member Posts: 18

    Danny-C separate ltr 4 U re Avastin-Advantages & Disadvantages

    Danny – Have worked a good part of my day on these articles from my WORD file which I have collected relative to AVASTIN (Bevacizumab).  Please see my reply on a separate topic line here:  https://csn.cancer.org/node/311458

    As you will see, it is probably the most detailed letter I’ve sent in a long time on one drug.  But others may want to write their remarks here.  However, so far no one has answered you here, although I’m sure there are people on this link that have taken the drug.  But as for me, I think the disadvantages outweigh any potential advantages, and I personally will not take it—ever.  You will be interested in reading “Guitardiva’s” remarks which I’ve included in my letter.  I feel so sorry for her, but she is not the first person that has written “never again” for Avastin.  I included one report about Avastin being withdrawn for Breast Cancer patients plus several reports for trials that were disappointing for Ovarian Cancer patients.  So far it appears that for the majority of persons in the trials, it did NOT meet the objectives.  But you can read it for yourself.  I often get excited when I think there is something new for “us” battling this monster in the here and now, but so far the “traditional” chemo cocktails are still being prescribed.  Immunotherapy is exciting to read about but so far, nothing has been approved by the FDA “for the masses.” 

    I do hope you will consider getting another opinion before just “going along” with what one medical team recommends.  That is especially after I read the report that came out in April of this year from the Mayo Clinic.  Relatively few first opinions are totally the right ones.  I’ve included that reference as well.  If there’s one thing we need, it’s “peace of mind” that we’ve exhausted all our possibilities and sought advice from more than one medical team.  I do hope that this new finding of the 3cm X 3cm collection (did you mean mass?) will be correctly identified as to what it represents before just deciding to “try Avastin” next!

    I trust some of the info I’ve provided you will help you to make the right decision.  But always remember that we don’t “prescribe”, we just “describe” what we ourselves have experienced. 

    Sincere best wishes for you and your wife,

    Loretta

    (Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer Stage IV) DX Nov. 2012- Neoadjuvant chemo then Cytoreductive Surgery in July 2013- (Four subsequent adjuvant treatments since then)

    thanks a lot for this useful

    thanks a lot for this useful information.