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Gemzar, Avastin and Tarceva


icbn

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Surgery on the subcarinal area is supposedly inoperable, especially after the scarring from radiation treatment. However, I'm looking into some different approaches to surgery. But, If I am not a candidate for either Robotic arm Synchrony Cyberknife surgery to the subcarinal lymph nodes or for a Electron-Beam Brachytherapy then my Oncologist is going to put me on Gemzar, Avastin and Tarceva.

Has anyone had any experience with the three? Anyone with experience from all three?

HAs anyone had surgery to remove subcarinal lymph nodes? These are nodes right under where the trachea divides to the right and left lung.

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I doubt if it will be all 3 at same time Could be wrong though but!? My late wife hag gemzar/Navelbine for 1 round and tarceva for another round of treatment. Gemazar worked for a while with minimal sid effects. tarceva was much more diificult for her Skin Rash Hair Loss was worse but different scenario. Best of Luck and Let me know if I can help. Sending prayers.

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Charlie had all three at different times and he had brachytherapy. (1) He had a response from the Tarceva with few side-effects. (2) He had Avastin in combination with Etoposide, Carbo and the brachytherapy and had a good response. (3) The Gemzar gave him the most side-effects. He would get a high fever a few hours after treatment and it would last for a couple of days and then he would be fine other than being tired. The doctors said some people react that way. I've never heard anyone else on the site here have that reaction, though.

Praying for you to have good options and for the doctors to be creative and persistent. Take care.

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Like Betty, my mom had carbo and gemzar and found gemzar to be quite tolerable. It caused increased fatigue, minimal hair loss.

My mom also tried Tarceva, it gave her potty problems and she was taken off it it b/c of that and b/c of a risk for pulmonary fibrosis (the oncologist felt she was at greater risk than most b/c she demonstrated a tendency to get fibrosis since she had more damage from radiation than expected)

Sending you my best.

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Mom was a medical miracle on Tarceva for 16 months, with minimal side effects. She is on Gemzar right now, and toloerates it very well. It keeps knocking back her WBC counts, so she only gets to do treatments about every other week instead of every week, but sshe does not experience horrible nausea with it, and has lost no hair.

:) Kelly

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Gemzar was a great chemo for Tony in terms of knocking the cancer out. He also did have high fevers with it a few days after treatment. I guess it just depends on the person's own physiology as to how the side effects will manifest. Good luck with your new game plan. Keep us posted.

Welthy

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I am currently being treated with Tarceva daily (pill), Avastin every 3 weeks via iv, and zometa every 6 weeks.

I have been on this treatment since February 2006. I have had great luck so far. I had two mets - one to my spine and one to my pelvis....both which are now gone!

Overall I have felt pretty well with the treatment. I have experienced skin issues (dry, rash, sensitive, itchy), mouth ulcers off and on and stomach issues but overall it has been pretty tolerable.

I hope that you and your doc will find a combination that will give you much success!

Wendy

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