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UPDATE!!! 1st round of scans after starting chemo.


northstar

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I'm still new here, so I dont know if I am posting right. I wanted to come back and share the results of my moms tests. I also put a message in the 'good news' section

After 2 rounds of Taxol/Carbo and weekly biotherapy her tumor has shrank 61% in one month!! The drs and everyone is thrilled. I hope this continues

I hope this investigational drug is the silver bullet for everyone!!!

(My mother is going in for her 1st round of scans (pet etc..) after starting treatment (taxol+carbo...) Its been 5 weeks since her chemo started. She of course is anxious beyond words

The dr claimed that the new scans might not show any improvement, or much change. He says it is too soon to really tell if the chemo is taking effect

Does anyone have experience with this??

We dont know if he is trying to calm us or if he is telling us all we need to know. Is a month to 5 weeks too soon to expect results?? If there is some change/growth in the tumor would that mean the chemo isnt working?? Or might it mean that enough time hasnt gone by yet

Any thoughts you might have would be of help

Thank you)

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How many treatments has your mother had in the 5 weeks? How far along is she in the whole treatment scheme? If she is not more than half way through the treatments, I would think it is too soon to do scans -- need to give the chemo time to work. I think the doctor is being straight with her. Don

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Thank you for the quick reply Don!!

My mom is part of a clinical trial.....that may be why she is getting a scan after 5 weeks. She is scheduled for scans every 6 weeks or so during treatment, this is her 1st

From what I understand she is on a 16 week treatment plan(or something close to that) I believe it is 4 months or so chemo. She gets a biggie round of Taxol and Carbo once a month and Irbitux (a biotherapy drug) every week. I guess she is a 1/4 of the way thru her treatment.

What you said seems to back up what we hear from the dr.....as she certainly isnt half way thru treatment. She is just scared to see what is happening in there. I imagine she is in fear that its grown. We dont even know how fast cancers grow.....we know very little

Maybe there has been a miracle and the thing is shrinking to nothing as we speak. I hope for that for all of us

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That is the often the hardest part, to wait without knowing anything. We all live one day at a time. It is so hard to not be anxious though. I had scans every three months while on chemo but only had carbo/tax. No noticable change until Iressa kicked in. It would be wonderful if the trial med works great with the chemo. praying for this to work for your mom and that she can put her anxiety off onto God. pammie

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Our oncologist changes the treatment if there is no improvement after 3 treatments. We went from Carboplatin/Taxol to Tarceva to Alimta. The Alimta is working nicely at the moment so we're staying with it but cancer seems to get resistant after awhile and then the chemo may have to be changed again. Anyway, that is our experience.

Prayers,

Trish

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Wow! Terrific news, Northstar. Prayers that things continue to go well for your mom.

My mom is two weeks into her chemo and and just got an order for a scan on Sept 15th. I don't know if that is a standard time frame or if it is up to the individual doc. I am sure someone here will know a little more info.

Many blessings

Love and light

Libby

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thankful your mom had some good news. GREAT! We didn't have scans except for every 3 months. I would guess each doc and each patient is different though. So very thankful for the Irbitux or chemo being effective. praying for continuied response. pammie

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Libby, our stories look somewhat the same as my mom was diagnosed this July as well. I hope your family is coping the best they can

My mom is in a study, so she might get scanned more frequently because of that. We are so new to all of this though....I couldnt really say. I feel a bit better knowing they are checking so often

Thank you for the support Pammie! I wish you all the best as well, you are an inspiration

We dont know how chemo works. I am afraid that it will stop working for some reason..I've read here that people can become resistant. I'm keeping that to myself though, the family doesnt need to worry about such things. As for now my mom is feeling great and hopeful! I want that to last as long as possible

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