Update on Darrell, Has Anyone Had Taxotere?

[rinksgal]

Darrell has actually gained 5 pounds and is starting to eat better. I think he ate some things earlier on that really aggitated his esophagus. Hes learned what not to eat, plus with a 2 and a half week break from chemo, his appetite has gotten a little better.

We saw the oncologist yesterday and his largest tumor in the medistianum area has shrunk from 2.8 cm x 2.8 cm to 2.2 cm x 2.2cm. He has a total of 3 tumors in 3 nodes. They say part of the 2.2 is probably scar tissue, they just can't tell how much is tumor and how much is scar tissue.

The radiation oncologist last week gave him the option to do another week of radiation. Darrell told him if thats what you think I need then lets do it!! Even though he was really looking forward to that being his last day. He told the radiation oncologist "in case you aren't aware of it, I don't want to die, I want to do whatever I have to do to live" So that will make a total of 33 radiation treatments.

Also I wanted to add that we saw the regular oncologist yesterday and he wanted Darrell to do another cycle of cisplatin and vp-16 (etoposide). Which he is to start Monday, 6 days in a row and then he wants him to do 3 cycles of Taxotere.. with 3 weeks in between each cycle. Darrell then asked him about the lesions on his liver, because now he has 6 lesions. The Oncologist said yes thats because it has metastsized to the liver. I asked the oncologist, "what makes you think that they are cancer?" He said because there was new ones.. He'd looked at the new ct scan that Darrell had done on Aug. 27th. Well what he didn't know was that we already had a report on the new ct scan, and had already talked with the radiation oncologist. The report and the radiation oncologist said that they thought it was not cancer, but cyst. Well we didn't mention any of this to the regular oncologist because we wanted to hear his opinion... But this told us he had not even read the report. Well after he left to get us a copy of it, he must of looked at it, and had the nurse come back in to give it to us and she says oh, and I guess they decided the lesions on his liver are NOT cancer, but cyst!! The doctor didn't even do this hisself.. Which I think he should have, but thats besides the point I guess. From now I plan to ask the nurse for a copy of the reports so that we can go over it before they ever come into the room, then if we have question we will know what to ask, and I'm hoping this will make him actually read the report before seeing us!! I just keep thinking what about the people, that just take their word, and never get copies of their reports. Do they really even know whats going on???? Darrell says we kind of set him up, but he should know whats going on when he walks into the room.. I don't care how many patients they have, they should update theirself before they enter the room. I do know they plan to watch the lesions still.

Does anyone know what the lesions could be?? I had all intentions on asking, but when he said what he did, I just forgot all of my thoughts, and I even had notes with me.

Darrell was kind of bummed about doing cisplatin again and vp-16...But once the oncologist found out he was doing more radiation, he said it works better with radiation.

I know I've written a book, but I wanted to tell you about us totaling my car on one of our trips back from chemo and radiation 2 weeks ago.. It was the other guys fault, he t-boned us. I just thank God no one was hurt and our little puppy wasn't hurt!! and that Darrells treatment was able to continue as planned!!!

Also does anyone have any experience with Taxotere. What were some of your side effects? We read it could even make a person lose their fingernails??? Has anyone had this happen? Thanks!

[beckyg]

For me, after cisplatin and VP-16, Taxotere was a walk in the park. The infusion takes about an hour, including the other drugs they give you before hand. I had no nausea. I went from the oncologist's office straight to get something for lunch, and then back to work for the afternoon. The only problem I had was that the antihistamine they gave me made me sleepy, so I would end up going home early to take a nap. I think Taxotere was the one that jolted me into menopause, but that won't be a problem for Darrell! Good luck to you both.

Becky

[Hebbie]

I had 6 weekly doses of Taxotere (along with Carboplatin every 3rd infusion). It wasn't so bad. It doesn't take that long, and the premeds made me sleep through most of it! I didn't get very sick from it, just tired. The Carbo seemed to be the evil one that made me sick, sick, sick!

[Don Wood]

My wife had taxotere, along with carboplatin, for five plus treatments, from February to May. It was effective for her. It did have many side effects, which she lived through okay, including nausea, hair loss, finger and toe numbness and nail blackening, diarrhea, mouth fungus, etc. It was worth it. Don

[norme]

Buddy is getting taxotere now, he has had two treatments. the third one he gets next week then they will scan again a few weeks after and see how his liver, bone, brain and chest area are doing. Or I assume they will check everything. maybe just the liver....he gets taxotere once a week at 3 wk intervals too. has had no problem. am having him rince his mouth out with baking soda at least 2 times a day. he hates that but he doesn't need anymore problems. his eating is great. he has gained 5 lbs.

sorry for the accident. glad no one got hurt.

your idea of reading the report before the dr gets in sounds like something i am going to do if possible. i know they can't read everything like they should. that is why i think they should have one special person in their employment who does that each day for all the patients coming in and then lets the dr know before he/she sees the patient. This is something that really gets me burning. The no time to read a persons file correctly.....

[rinksgal]

Norme I'm with you on the fact that they don't take the time or to designate someone to "fill them in on the correct information before walking into our room, I mean he actually told us, that Darrell has mets to his liver!! At first I felt instant panic, and thats why I asked why do you think its cancer? Then I realized he hadn't even seened the report. He was going by the ct scans, which I'm assuming he looked at before coming into the room, Because a nurse told us he was looking at the scans..which showed new lesions. In May Darrell had one lesion, last scan showed 2 lesions, and the one Aug 27th shows 6 lesions... What could cause Lesions if they are not cancer???? Or could they still be cancer? Wouldn't they have shrunk if they were cancer? Or do they need to do a certain type of chemo for liver cancer? I mean the report says "Presumed hepatic cyst" quote unquote" on one report from this last ct scan. and on the other report also from this last ct scan says: "small subcentimeter low-density lesions in liver are probably benign; however, metastatic disease cannot be excluded and could be evaluated with MRI" Which all the ct scans have said this but no one has suggested an MRI? the second lesion shows a peripheral enhancing nodule likely related to hemangioma? Then the report goes to say other subcentimeter lesions are seen and it goes to name the locations of these lesions. Then it says some of these lesions were noted on the prior ct scan and are stable.

Can anybody explain this for me? Or has anyone had this type of lesions end up being cancer later? I want some opinion here? or warning on what to expect, especially if others had this same type of report or something similar and had them end up being cancer later??

and what is granulomatous disease?

Also I want to thank everyone thats replied about the side effects of taxotere... Darrells worried about the finger nail thing!!