trial as first line? - 1268303

colmor
Posts:8

Hi,

My husband may be able to go on a trial as first line treatment for adenocarcinoma stage iv. Would be adi peg with cisplatin and pemetrexed. I think they call it adjunctive?

It seems they have trialed with methlisioma and maybe sclc. But im not sure. I just dont know if he should go on a trial first line? A few cohorts already been through. I suppose ut does include regular chemo. Im just not sure its normal to do trials first line? Sorry im a bit new to this. Anyway they have a test to do first. Plus some surgery for bone met.

Any thoughts...not sure why his team seem to be putting him forward for trials mainly. Although they say if he doesnt go on it he will start on normal chemo. He thinks they want to see the back of him because he apparently 'asks too many questions'. Ha..

Cheers
Cat xx

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catdander
Posts:

Hi colmor,

I hope you and your husband are alright and that his hip is being managed. I'm going to dig around for more info on trial basics we do have tons of info on trials. A good starting point is Dr. Ramalingam's series on the subject of clinical trials,
http://cancergrace.org/cancer-101/2013/01/06/clin-trials-ramalingam-pt-…
http://cancergrace.org/cancer-101/2013/01/18/how-are-clin-trials-develo…
http://cancergrace.org/cancer-101/2013/01/27/ramalingam-clin-trials-pt-…
http://cancergrace.org/cancer-101/2013/02/02/qa-with-ram-on-clin-trials/

A clinical trial is a very reasonable 1st line treatment choice. In fact many promising trials are open to first line only.

As for the questions, I'd think any reasonable oncologist would welcome a well informed patient and caregiver. One important thing to keep in mind is to know the basics going in so the onc knows you've done a bit of homework on the subject. It's impossible to give a cancer 101 - 201 lesson in an appointment. Save specific questions aimed toward your husband's situation for the onc. It's a lot to take in at first but with hope and luck you're both be around for a long time to learn.

One of my favorite posts. http://cancergrace.org/lung/2010/04/16/introduction-to-first-line-thera…

Here's to a long long journey,
Janine

colmor
Posts: 8

Thanks for these links. It's hard to get up to date with all the intricacies of this disease. Of course especially when being stunned and shell shocked. We were both pretty traumatized and not functioning very well for a good few weeks. Not sure i am even now. I feel permanently upset and headachey.

Im starting reading the info you have given the links to. I didn't know anything about cancer. Despite my father having melanoma for years, ten years plus. He wont let us go to appointments with him and refuses to talk about it. So, im completely new to it,

My husband did want an immunotherapy trial, but another one come up. He likes the hospital and team but its chemo based and he'd rather immunotherapy. I think adi-peg is quite a new drug, early stages. It will be given with cisplatin and alimta. I just want him to start on a good treatment for him.

Thanks for the information. Blimey, your husband has been through a lot. Still rocking though...is that a german shepherd and malamute in picture? We have a malamute and husky and rough collie...

Thanks again

Cat xx

catdander
Posts:

Hi Cat xx, You and your husband are quite naturally shell shocked. I think we all have that. I hope once you become more familiar with nsclc and its treatment some of the whirl wind effect will fade but there is still a new normal that will prevail.

We have tons of info here, use our search engine and the live keys to find your way around; and ask when you can't find it. There's so much excellent info on the site but it gets difficult to find.

Is this the study your husband is think about, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02029690?term=adi-peg&cond=nsclc…
He'll get the standard treatment plus the new agent and the trial is only open to first line treatment. If he doesn't do well on it, if the drugs are too difficult to handle he will be taken off the trial and can try another treatment (tx).
The immunotherapies will be available either as an approved tx or trial. The reason I like Dr Weiss' post pasted in the previous post is the first pp or 2 tells the story of stage IV nsclc. It's a slow long marathon not a sprint to the end.

The dogs are german shepherd and the other a husky. I've had animals in my life all along and I've never seen 2 that were as bonded as these. The husky didn't pay us much attention for the first year she lived with us but fixated on the shepherd dog before joining closely with us humans. We lost both of them within a week last summer at 15 and 13 years old and it still is so very painful. Darn dogs.

Keep us posted,
Janine