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MsC1210

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    FDA approves anti-nausea patch for chemo patients

    in CLINICAL TRIALS

    Posted

    FDA approves anti-nausea patch for chemo patients 9/15/2008 5:15:00 PM

    Associated Press/AP Online

    WASHINGTON - Cancer patients will soon be able to use a medication patch to ease the debilitating nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy.

    The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it has approved the first anti-nausea patch for chemotherapy patients, intended to provide relief for up to five days. The patch, called Sancuso, is worn on the arm and delivers a widely used anti-nausea medicine, known as granisetron, through the skin. It is expected to be available by the end of the year.

    "It will be another way that we can address nausea and vomiting, coming from a route that we haven't had before," said nurse practitioner Barbara Rogers, who specializes in cancer treatment. "The patch is a nice option."

    Rogers, who works at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, is also a consultant to ProStrakan, the Scottish company that developed the patch.

    About a million people undergo chemotherapy every year and as many as 70 percent develop nausea. If the problem occurs at the hospital, it can be dealt with immediately. But many patients suffer from nausea after being sent home. Anti-nausea pills are available, but some cancer patients have difficulty swallowing.

    "The main benefit will be for people who have difficulty taking oral medications," Rogers said. But other patients could also benefit, she added, since a single patch is designed to maintain a steady level of the anti-nausea medicine in the body for several days. These days, medical professionals treating cancer patients are trying to eliminate nausea as a side effect of chemotherapy, believing that will help the patients maintain physical strength and emotional energy.

    Melvin Hren, 59, a retired elementary school teacher from New Philadelphia, Ohio, said the patch helped him battle a rare cancer of the thymus gland, now in remission.

    "I couldn't leave the house for very much because of the fact that I was so sick," Hren said. "As a result of the patch, I was able to leave the house and be with the family. I was able to enjoy life a little bit. Without it, life would have been a lot more difficult."

    Hren took part in a clinical trial in which the patch was shown to be just as effective as anti-nausea pills. A spokeswoman for the company said no information on pricing is available.

    Sancuso's main side effect is constipation. In some cases the drug can mask a bowel obstruction, which is a dangerous condition requiring prompt treatment.

    Good bye to Dad

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Shrimp

    I am so very sorry to read this. Please accept my deepest condolences

    Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family and we will continue to be here for you.

    Warmly,

    Christine

    back again

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hello Lori and welcome back

    So sorry to hear about this set back but glad you've come and joined us

    I can't really add to what you have been offered here already but wanted to suggest that you tell the doctor about how severe the nausea/vomiting issues are. There are a wide range of anti nausea medications available that can be prescribed. I would be very careful in taking ANYTHING supplemental as there is no way of knowing from individual to individual what kind, if any, effect they can have on your treatments. You're best bet is to discuss with your own doctors about what you consider adding and let them be your guide. In my own experience, it is best to err on the side of caution.

    As far as your signature/profile, click on Profile at the top of the page and fill in the information fields. No rush on doing that but it is very helpful for us to see what treatments you have had, are currently having etc in order to offer you the best advice.

    Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing.

    Warmly

    Christine

    New to site and lotsa questions!

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hello Kersherb and welcome

    I am so sorry you had need to find a site like this but very glad you've joined us.

    I have some advice, I hope it helps a bit.

    First of all, Hospice was an absolute God send for us. They were so wonderful in helping us through those last days. They will be there to guide you all through the process and will explain what is happening, etc. (At least that was our experience. I know not all Hospice services are the same quality, I hope you will have the same type we did though)

    I have shared this piece on here before and maybe it will be helpful for you with your children....This is more geared toward a hospital type event but perhaps it will be at least a guideline.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Q&A: Helping Children of adult Cancer Patients

    From CancerWise, June, 2005

    Should a child visit a parent with cancer in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)? How do you explain the disease and treatment in a way that he or she can understand?

    One person who regularly answers these questions is Martha Aschenbrenner, pediatric outreach manager at The Children’s Cancer Hospital at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

    For years, Aschenbrenner directed the M. D. Anderson Child Life Program that provides emotional support to pediatric cancer patients. Now she runs a new program that supports the healthy children of adult cancer patients. Below, Aschenbrenner discusses her role and offers tips to family members on helping children cope.

    How can family help children of adult cancer patients?

    Be honest with kids in an age-appropriate manner. This means you will give more information to older kids, but for younger kids it will be shorter bits of information and in a more concrete manner.

    Tell children:

    The name of the disease

    Treatment basics

    What physical changes might happen

    How their routine might change

    What they want to know about death

    How do you handle questions from children about death?

    Don’t be surprised if children ask if their parent is going to die (this is normal). Don’t answer that question with any absolutes. Generally, it is best to tell kids, ‘We hope not. That is why we came to the hospital. The doctors and nurses are providing the best treatment and medicine.’

    But never promise children that their parent will not die. This is a good opportunity, if they ask about death, to bring up the topic that all living things die, including people.

    Sometimes when parents are worried about how much information to give their children, I ask if they would rather their kids get their questions answered from the Internet or from them?

    If a child does not ask questions, is he or she OK?

    If a child isn’t asking questions, it doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t want information. Sometimes it helps to sit down with children and say something like ‘You know, if my dad was in the hospital, I think I might wonder about ______. I was wondering if you have thought about that?’ There are times that kids are either afraid to ask questions, or they don’t know what questions to ask. And then sometimes, they really don’t have any questions! So just remind them that any question is OK, and no topic is off limits.

    How do you help younger children understand and cope?

    With younger children, age 2 to 5, play or books work great. By playing with kids you build a very special relationship with them. Sometimes through play we can visit with kids and find out what they understand or misunderstand about the disease. We can see how they might be feeling.

    Child life specialists and psychologists alike use play as a way to converse with kids about what is going on. Reading stories gives younger children an opportunity to talk about the illness while relating it to the character in the story… very safe for them.

    For older children, ages 7 and up, I encourage regular family meetings to discuss the latest doctor visits or any new information. I also recommend keeping a notebook someplace central, so kids can write questions or concerns they think of when parents aren’t around, or that they aren’t quite comfortable voicing yet. It gives them a safe place to communicate their concerns.

    Should a child be allowed to visit the ICU? At what age?

    Children younger than 5 are restricted from the ICU because they cannot understand what they will see. Otherwise, it is good for children to have an opportunity to see their parent, especially if the parent may not recover. I prepare children for what they will see in the ICU with the actual equipment. Patients are often sedated and I tell them their parent will look like they are sleeping, but might be able to hear them, so they can tell the parent about their day. I also reassure kids that they can leave the ICU at any time.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    There is a wonderful book, "Wha's Heaven" by Maria Shriver that a good friend of mine used with her grandchildren when her own father died. She was very impressed and said it was a great help.

    And finally, please keep posting here and let us know how we can help. There is always someone here who will lend an ear or send hugs..

    Warmly

    Christine

    Friend Diagnosed with Osteosarcoma,relaspe, now lung cancer

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Nicloe

    Hello and welcome. I am so very sorry you and Dustin had need to find a site like this but I am so glad you've joined us.

    I cannot give you much information about trials etc but I can tell you I have been in your shoes. It was my best friend's diagnosis that brought me to this site a couple of years ago now.

    You can get some good information in the New Treatments/Clinical Trials forum. Have a look through those posts. Also please read the Good News and Survivors forums. There are lots of great stories to be found in those, as well.

    I am sure that there will be someone here that can help you out with clinical trial information details. In the meantime please know that we are here for you and we will continue to be here for you and Dustin. Just let us know what you need and we will do our best to help you.

    Warmly,

    Christine

    Fatigue & B12

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    I'm not sure if this is helpful or not but it does pertain to fatigue and B12.

    When I was pregnant with my last baby, I was so tired all the time and in a lot of pain. My OB started me on B12 shots in hopes of relieving at least the fatigue aspect and it definitely improved things for me.

    Granted this was not cancer related nor was it chemo related but I thought it might be worth sharing.

    Christine

    Since today is the Anniversary

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    I was getting ready to start the days lessons with my daughter. I was home schooling her at the time. Some lesson that day turned out to be. We watched the news coverage for days on end.

    I was also on the volunteer fire dept at that time and had a whole different set of fears to deal with as our dept was on stand by to help with reilief efforts.

    Still so hard to think about, even 7 years later.

    God bless the victims and the families. God bless us all..

    Christine

    Moving on to Tarceva

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    Lisa

    The cruise sounds WONDERFUL!! So glad you and your hubby were able to do that.

    Good luck with the Tarceva. Many members here have had excellent results with it. I am sure you will hear from them shortly.

    Keep us posted.

    Christine

    .....NED......

    in HOPE

    Posted

    Ken

    CONGRATULATIONS on the NED news!! I am so very happy for you!!!!!!!

    Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers with the impending hurricane. I hope you will not have to evacuate but please be safe!!

    Warmly

    Christine

    Introducing myself

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hi Grimie and welcome.

    I am sorry you had need to find a site such as this but so glad you have joined us!

    Please, when you are up to it and ready, let us know more about you and your treatments, etc. It is very easy to fill in your signature/profile and by doing that it will give the folks here more information in order to offer you better advice.

    In the meantime, please know that we are here for you and will do our best to offer you as much support as we can.

    Warmly,

    Christine

    My 55 mom has Stage IIIb Lung Cancer

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Welcome Jackie!

    I am sorry you have reason to be here but glad you have joined us.

    I agree with the 2nd opinion advice you've gotten. It does not sound like the doctor your mom has now is very positive or a fighter. It never hurts to have another opinion and might even open more doors and options for your Mom, too.

    Please keep posting and let us know we can help further!

    Warmly

    Christine

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