chebird
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Posts:104
Hello again.
My husband is due to start carboplatin with Abraxane as early as next week as a replacement for Tarceva. As I have said, the oncologist is sure he has cancer in his spinal fluid, but the only treatment being offered is the carbo/Abrax combo. Everything I have read leads me to believe that this won't be able to prevent full-blown lepto or even do anything at all for the cancer in the spinal fluid.
Since we will be traveling for a second opinion later in the week, my question is: How tolerable is this chemo combo in most people? If it is likely to make him sick the first week, I would rather delay treatment than not go for the 2nd opinion.
Blessings and thanks,
Holly
Forums
Reply # - May 29, 2013, 08:09 PM
Reply To: Carbo with Abraxane
Hi Holly,
As you've read, there really aren't good options for treating LMC if that's what your husband has. So any systemic therapy is likely to be as good as another.
As far as tolerability, abraxane is generally more tolerable than the essentially identical taxol. The difference between the two is actually that abraxane does not have the coating used in taxol, and that coating is what causes the majority of taxol's side effects. When my wife had abraxane, she had very little in the way of side effects. As far as carbo, probably the most important question is whether your husband has had much or any platinum in the past, as platinum agents are especially tough on bone marrow, which can be a problem after repeated use.
As Dr. West has said, comparing cisplatin and carbo:
"On average, cisplatin can be considerably harder, but there is a wide range in how patients tolerate it. I have some patients who do perfectly well and are barely bothered at all by it, but a much higher proportion than with carboplatin have problems with nausea/vomiting, malaise, and the "platinum blues". There is also a risk of kidney damage, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy (damage primarily to sensory nerves affecting feet and hands), and all of these can be permanent but often improve or resolve after treatment. They are also associated with longitudinal administration, so a fixed number of cycles, like 3-4 after surgery, isn't as much of a risk as someone on cisplatin for longer.
"These side effects can also be seen with carboplatin, although carboplatin typically has much less of a risk for these side effects compared with cisplatin. It tends to have more of an issue with (transiently) lowering blood counts than cisplatin, and with many repeated administrations over time...can lead to a hypersensitivity reaction when it's given later." - http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php/topic,4388.msg26172.html#msg261…
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - May 29, 2013, 09:25 PM
Reply To: Carbo with Abraxane
I've been using this regimen for about 6-8 months and have found it to be among the most tolerable doublets I might consider for someone. It's also a weekly regimen, which means that you can make adjustments/hold treatment week to week if needed.
-Dr. West
Reply # - May 30, 2013, 06:48 AM
Reply To: Carbo with Abraxane
Thanks Jim and Dr. West,
He did have a lower-dose carbo/taxol when he was receiving radiation. But that was in the fall of 2011. Thank you so much for your info.
Holly