schmeggs
![]()
Posts:4
I am getting ready to start Tarceva and am told that I will be given antibiotics and a steroid cream to be used on a continuing basis throughout treatment to prevent skin infections and rashes. Given that the Tarceva doesn't suppress the immune system, it seems to me that taking long term antibiotics and steroid creams would suppress my immune system by killing off any beneficial bacterial flora and give way to yeast infections, etc. Please advise. Thank you!
Forums
Reply # - July 9, 2016, 09:20 AM
Hi schmeggs,
Hi schmeggs,
I think it is reasonable to be cautious about the long term use of antibiotics. Some patients who take Tarceva do not experience significant skin issues, so until you start it you won't know what you'll need to treat. I would think waiting until you see if side effect symptoms appear might be a good idea.
When my wife was taking Tarceva, she was lucky enough to have the advice of Dr. Mario Lacouture, a GRACE contributor who is often acknowledged as the foremost expert on these cancer treatment-related side effects. He prescribed Bactrim for a defined period such as 10 days, which helped clear up the rash, and other remedies for nail problems and infections. The Bactrim would keep the rash at bay for a while, then flare up again. Dr. Lacouture ended up giving her a prescription with refills, and told her to fill it when necessary. Going on and off Bactrim worked pretty well for her.
Dr. Lacouture has been kind enough to record a podcast for GRACE on these issues, and you can access it, as well as the Q and A session which followed it, by following these links:
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://cancergrace.org/cancer-treatments/w…
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://cancergrace.org/cancer-treatments/f…
Dr. Lacouture now practices at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, so if you're any where near New York City, you might want to see him if you develop treatment-related skin issues.
Good luck with Tarceva.
JimC
Forum moderator