Mark - North Calif

Hi Folks, Sorry, I misread Snowflake's message. After two months of treatment (not 2 weeks as I stated), I believe bad side-effects can happen to those with sensitivities to a drug. I didn't mean to imply that some people who stop taking a drug don't continue to have issues. In my case, I've been very lucky. Hope this clarifies my note. Mark

Hi All, I'm responding to Snowflake's question but thought this would be of general interest to everyone. In my case, the Iressa side effects consist of gastro-intestinal problems, primarily of daily and frequent diarrhea. Bleeding of the nose and gums also occurs at times. My skin turned dry and I have acne outbreaks on occasion. I now have dry eye syndrome which may be related to the drug. I take other drugs for a heart condition so there may be interactions as well. As an experiment, my Onc asked me to stop taking Iressa for a week to see if the side-effects were curtailed. The results were dramatic, all side-effects diminished within a few days. To be honest, given these results, I can't see how anyone who took the drug for 2 weeks could have lingering side-effects. I believe Iressa saved my life and am thankful I still have access to it.

Hi All, I do appreciate all the posts. I have a couple of replies to specific individuals which may interest the group. RY: I'll wait a bit before PM'ing Lisa O. ACP: Sorry to hear that Iressa may be failing your Mom. My Onc and I are watching for the signs also but so far no change. My Onc told me that he knows of very few who have managed to stay on Iressa this long. That's quite a statement coming from a clinical professor at Stanford Med school. Hope your Mom can move to Tarceva which works in a similiar fashion. Ernie: I noticed you're located near Naples, FL. I recently moved to Cape Coral a few miles up the coast of FL from you. Looks like I have to update my profile again. BTW, I still go back to CA to see Onc and for testing (CT Scan, etc). It's a bit of a pain and expensive but I can't argue with the success so far - maybe I'm a bit superstitious . Also, trips give me a chance to see & stay with ex son-in-law (an ENT Doc). Regards, Mark

Hi Everyone, Thanks for the posts. I guess 'going strong' is a bit of a misnomer. A better way of stating my situation is to say I'm still happy to be functioning.....there are many side-effects and they are getting more severe & annoying with time. I'll keep taking Iressa as long as it works. BTW, I was lucky enough to be placed in the Astra Zenica 'compassionate drug program' so continue to have access to this drug. I realize Iressa is off the market now and has been replaced by Tarceva. I'm still interested to hear from any long term Iressa users. My message to everyone is never give up! Regards, Mark

Hi All, I haven't written for quite some time but thought my current status would help all with their battle. My condition has been 'stable' now for almost 4 years thanks to excellent medical care and Iressa. Started taking Iressa in 2003. Aside from the 'normal' side-effects, I've been able to stay on my daily dose without too much difficulty. Wondered if anyone else has been taking Iressa this long and what has been thier overall experience. Regards, Mark

Hi All, I have a neuropathy problem with my left foot. It is numb on the outside edge of the ball of the foot. It's not causing any serous discomfort nor is it impacting my ability to walk. But it is a bit troubling. Onc says there is no history of Iressa causing this. I can't decide if it's due to Iressa, previous chemo or a simple injury. I've been on Iressa for almost 1 year and this condition just started within the past month. Anyone out there experience the same thing with Iressa? Thanks, Mark

This question I had to respond to I was diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC on 11/2002 but the clock actually starts with the first diagnosis which was 8/2001. At the time of the restaging to IV, my son-in-law who is an ENT Dr told me privately that I should go out and do those things I've always wanted to do because time was short. My Onc guessed I had somewhere between 6 months and 1 year based on his experience. Second opinion from Stanford agreed with my Onc's estimate. As you can see, I'm still here and working my usual 60 hour work week, riding my bike 10 miles per trip, etc. I'm feeling well and my treatments seem to be working. So, are all the Dr's wrong? Of course not if you study the statistics. But they are only statistics where some people live longer and others not. My point is these are just numbers which are influenced by many factors (e.g. general health of the patient, age of the person, other complicating health conditions, etc). As others on this chain have stated, don't let the numbers get you down. BTW, when I was 40, my cardioligist gave me no more than 2 years to live based on the condition of my heart's arteries and family history. Even after 3 angioplasties, he was still holding his position on this prognosis. Well, he was wrong too! Hope this helps, Mark

Hi Again, Just reread my reply and realized that I may be off by 10X in my estimates for Xray & CTscan resolution. Even if they are 10 times more accurate, they will still miss very small tumors. That's the state of today's technology. Regards, Mark

Hi, If memory serves me well, Xray's can only resolve images to 1 CM and CT Scans are only effective to 1 MM (based on the technology). So to answer your question, it is possible to miss a very small tumor with both methods in the early stages of the disease. I'm no expert but I believe only a tissue analysis can confirm a suspicious Xray or CTscan image. Hope this helps, Mark

Hi All, Here is something to ponder since Iressa is working well for me. I am a male and have adenocarcinoma with NO bronchioloalveolar features. Also, I am a former smoker. That pretty much is at odds with the findings of this study. The message here, I believe, is that everyone should try Iressa! Yes, it's a lottery but some do manage to obtain good benefits even when they appear not to be a good candidate for the drug. Regards, Mark

Hi Again, Did forget the most irritating side affect. In my case, I'm experiencing in-grown toe and finger nails. My Onc agrees it's probably the Iressa. He showed me a Med journal with pictures of patients with the same nail problems I'm experiencing. Naturally, it's painful and just doesn't go away. Podiatry has no cure for this, just removal of the offending nail in which case it just grows back even more deformed. However, the results from Iressa are so good, I can handle this minor irritation. Mark

Hi, My experience with Iressa is a bit different. Just some diarrhea once a day, usually in the morning (I take the drug at night before bed). This could be due to the drugs I take for high blood pressure which cause constipation. Seems everything averages out Worst thing is the skin rash and the motley look of my skin. One look at me and you know I'm taking a strong drug. But, Iressa sure beats regular chemo! No hair loss in my case, no upset stomach, no lethargy, healthy appetite, etc. I'm more active now then I have been in over 1 year so I'm reasonably happy with the drug. My Onc wants to keep me on the drug until it drops in price to $1/dose. That means I'm on it forever Take Care, Mark

Hi All, I'm a former smoker and do sympathize with Fay's plight. Every time I announce I have lung cancer, there is someone (including MDs) who ask if I smoked. How irritating that must be to a never-smoker! Anyway, I believe the irony is that some day we will discover that all those fumes spewed out by cars may have a strong impact on LC formation. Just my 2 cents, Mark

Hi Don, Technically, you're right...but I always start the clock at the time of the reoccurance since that was the event that triggered the 6 month prognosis. Obviously, I'm not complaining Mark

Thanks everyone for the kind messages. I have buried myself in work thinking that would keep my mind occupied. For the most part, this strategy 'works' but I do catch myself looking over my shoulder and wondering what's next. While exercise has been very beneficial, I do acknowledge that there is a higher force working here since I was given 6 months to live over 1 1/2 years ago Regards, Mark