Thursday, February 17, 2011 Pamela L asks

Q: Stage 4 Mets to bone and liver AC Chemo next week..... any drugs left after this?

After 7 months Xeloda is no longer working. Mets to bone and liver. I have been battling Stage 4 for almost 4 years now. Next week I start AC Chemo. Any experience with this someone can share? What is availble after AC...anything? A little down today....always helps to hear from others that have oir are going through this. Thank you for your help.

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Answers (3)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

2/17/11 2:32pm

Pamela, hopefully one of our other stage 4 survivors will chime in here; it's great when you can connect with someone experiencing the same thing as you. I'm not stage 4, but from what I've heard, oncologists will continue to try new combinations of drugs in an attempt to halt cancer's progress. Have you spoken to your oncologist about what comes next, if the AC doesn't help?

You might also try getting a second opinion at a Comprehensive Cancer Center, since these "best of the best" centers always have a research component, where the "bench to bedside" approach - getting the very newest treatments to patients as quickly as possible – is a big part of their goal. I wish you all the best - PJH

Phyllis Johnson, Health Guide

2/17/11 8:15pm

Of course, only your oncologist can say what drugs are right for you, but there are still plenty of chemo drugs to go. Some I see Stage IV people taking besides Xeloda and AC are Gemzar, Navelbine, and Abraxane. Are you also taking a bone strengthener like Aredia or Zometa for the bone mets? If not, you might want to ask the doctor if one would be appropriate for you.

Side effects vary considerably for any chemo, but you will probably have a bad taste in your mouth from the Cytoxan part of AC. Sucking on hard candy and rinsing out your mouth frequently with a mild salt water solution can help with that. Some people get nauseated on AC, so take your anti-nausea meds before you start feeling sick. I had four AC treatments and had nausea with two of them, and was OK on the other two, so there is no predicting! The worst part of AC for me was fatigue.

Four years is a long time to be treatment for Stage IV disease. I can understand why you are feeling tired and down. I hope the AC works well for you.

jenny

6/ 7/11 12:17am

MY DAUGHTER IS STAGE 4 BREAST CA AND FOR HER LIVER METS SHE HAD AN INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY, NEW TYPE OF TX WHERE THESE LITTLE TINY BITS OF RADIOACTIVE THINGS ARE INSERTED INTO THE LIVER. IT'S CALLED SELECTIVE INTERNAL RADIATION THERAPY USING MICROSPHERES. THE CO IS SIRTEX MEICAL IN WILMINTON MASS. MY DAU HAD 2 TX AND HER LIVER IS NOW CANCER FREE. QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. HER TX WERE AT WAUKESHA MEMORIAL IN WAUKESHA WI. BUT NOW SHE HAS BONE METS..ON WITH THE BATTLE!! GOOD LUCK!

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

6/ 7/11 5:37am

Jenny, I'm so happy that your daughter's treatment took care of the cancer in her liver - that's really great news. Bone mets are generally a lot more responsive to treatment, so hopefully she'll get good results there, too. On with the battle, indeed! Thanks for sharing here, and good luck to you both - PJH

Phyllis Johnson, Health Guide

6/ 7/11 10:11am

Thanks for this information. I am sure it will help someone else with problems similar to your daughter's.

Q: Stage 4 Mets to bone and liver AC Chemo next week..... any drugs left after this?

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