Tarceva after Iressa?

[sophiesdaughter]

My Mom has been on Iressa for a year and a half and it initially shrunk the tumor, and then kept her stable. In the last 10 days she has been having shortness of breath on exertion. An x-ray showed a new 1.5 cm shadow in her lower left lung, and she will be having a cat scan tomorrow, and will see her onclolgist on Thursday, where she will find out if it is progression or not.

My question is: in the event of progression, would Tarceva be a good next choice? How common is it for Tarceva to work on someone after Iressa stops working?. Do you have any other suggestions? My Mom had a very hard time with chemo, but maybe she might be able to handle another chemo better?

Thanks as always for your advice and support.

[dadstimeon]

Hi--I had Iressa and had very good results until it stopped working. I'm now on Tarceva and have had excellent results but I had Navelbine between the Iressa and the Tarceva. My doctor did tell me she felt I would have good results with the Tarceva also like the Iressa. I would ask the doctor all my options and if Tarceva is one of them would go with that next. Of course everyone is different and reacts differently. Hope this Helps. Prayers for the best. Rich

[j ross]

Hi My husband, Barry, went on to Tarceva after small progression with Iressa which he was on for just over a year. He has noticed that a couple of slight pains he was feeling seem to have gone. Had a scaan and we get results next week.

Jennie

[john]

There are a new class of drugs being tested called irreversible EGFR inhibitors. Tarceva and Iressa are reversible EGFR inhibitors.

EKB-569

HKI-272

NOTE: These are in early phases of clinical trials so are very experimental

http://www.dfci.harvard.edu/abo/news/pr ... ective.asp

http://www.drugdevelopment-technology.c ... s/zactima/

A New drug called Zactima (ZD6474) is being developed also (from AstraZeneca, same manufacturer as Iressa