Tammy Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Hi there....Mom starts another Chemo treatment on Tuesdays with Altima. The Dr told her that she has to take Folic Acid everyday and a B12 shot every 9 weeks. We are just wondering why? Any info would be great. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 The folic acid is to minimize mouth sores. The b12 shot offsets some side effect but I cannot remember which one specifically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 Thanks for your reply. Mom recieved the B12 shot the other day but had no clue why She is not good with asking questions she just goes with the flow Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 I just had my 3rd round of Alimta. I take Folic Acid and B-12 everyday and get a B-12 shot every three weeks when I have chemo. Can't remember why it is necessary but I take mine everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 If you don't mind me asking does this Alimta treatment cause hair loss? Just wondering...Mom went through chemo almost 2 years ago and she did loose her hair but I know some treatments don't affect it. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 I have not lost my hair from Alimta, it's growth has slowed down but no loss. My hair had just finished growing back after my last treatment and it was growing like a weed and filling in nicely, it has slowed down now, not as fast but still growing. Eyebrows are growing slower, not having to pluck as much, and it doesn't hurt! There can be a plus side too it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 For Alimta .... If you take pemetrexed, you may experience troublesome side effects. These include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, mouth sores, and lowered blood counts. However, taking vitamin B12 and folic acid may reduce some of these problems. The doctor will also prescribe a corticosteroid to reduce your chance of developing rashes. A corticosteroid is a steroid obtained from the cortex of the adrenal gland, or any synthetic substitute. ------------------------------------------ Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA. The novel antifolate pemetrexed targets multiple enzymes involved in folate metabolism, resulting in inhibition of DNA synthesis. Pemetrexed has shown antitumor activity in preclinical models against a variety of tumor types, including non-small cell lung cancer. Phase II studies have confirmed its single-agent activity and manageable toxicity profile, and pemetrexed has shown antitumor activity in combination with other chemotherapeutics, including gemcitabine, taxanes, platinums, and vinorelbine, in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A large ongoing phase III trial is comparing the activity of pemetrexed versus docetaxel in the second-line setting. Supplementation with oral folic acid and vitamin B12 was shown to reduce pemetrexed-related toxicity and increase its therapeutic index. These data suggest that pemetrexed has significant activity in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and represents a new treatment option for patients with this disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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