neilb Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Are there any supplements that people know of where there is evidence that they interfere with Tarceva? I'm aware of the controversy about antioxidants and traditional chemotherapy, but I've seen little on antioxidants (or other supplements) and Tarceva. Thanks!--Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Ry Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 I know this is not a supplement, but stay away from grapefruit and it's juice. It seems that b12 is suppose to help with the rash, but check with your doctor. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 I *think* you should avoid St Johns Wort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 Neil, I really think you should talk to your doctor's about it. Traceva is pretty new on the market. It hasn't been around that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilb Posted April 27, 2007 Author Share Posted April 27, 2007 Thanks, everyone, for your responses. The dilemma is that we have to make decisions under uncertainty. If you thought a supplement had a 30-40% chance of being helpful, a 10% chance of being harmful, and a 50-60% chance of having no effect (all, of course, in combination with your standard treatment), would you take it? I think that's a realistic estimate based on what I've seen on melatonin, for instance. I could be wrong, and others are certainly going to evaluate the evidence differently. And each of us then has to decide what those odds mean for us. It's also tough for us to be caught between supplement purveyors or ideolgoues who tremendously overstate potential positive effects, and the more conservative US medical community that perhaps understates potential positive effects out of an overabudance of caution. The easy answer (and the one oncologists are most likely to offer) is "Wait for the results of clinical trials", but, like a lot of us, I have to make a decision in the near-term. So, I'm still confused. I'll talk to my oncologist, but, ultimately, I've got to make my own decisions. Thanks again to all!--Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 here is a discussion about antioxidants and chemo. I suspect that using antioxidants with tarceva or avastin would not be as big a problem. Dr West knows a lot about tarceva. You could ask him. http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/cont ... 91/24/2073 http://www.onctalk.com/ Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Neil, I take a lot of supplements, I check with my oncologist about them. I can't say if they help me and I can't say that they don't. I have had no bad side effects from chemo or Tarceva. I have been taking Tarceva for 21 months. Stay positive, Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yirol Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Hi Ernie, My father was diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC BAC on May 1. Today his oncologist said he is too week to begin chemo so instead started him on 150mg of Tarceva per day as first-line treatment. She said that if the drug is going to work for him, we will know in 2-3 weeks. My father completely believes it's going to work for him, and his attitude throughout has been exceptional...strong, positive and hopeful. Pretty incredible! I've done some research and wonder about the efficacy of Tarceva as first-line treatment in general and the efficacy of Tarceva in long-time heavy smokers. What I've ready seems to suggest that most responders are women who've never smoked. Can you help clarify any of this? Also, what if there is no improvement in the next 2-3 weeks? My father's condition worsens daily in terms of his ability to keep food down (too much mucous build-up that causes him to violently vomit clear frothy mucous). I'm worried that the non-eating will keep him unfit for traditional chemo and that he will have a heart-attack, seizure or stroke with all of the forceful coughing or that he will damage his esophagus or....???. He's already passed out once when his airways were blocked by the mucous (he has no brain mets). I can't bear the thought of watching the mucous drain the life out of him. I hate those damn cancerous cells! Do you have any advice I can pass on to my Dad? I've seen your story and read your particular therapy and, like you, we are praying every day for Dad. Please pray for us. Best wishes and prayers to you and your family on your wonderful success, spirit and sharing! You're all an inspiration! Yirol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 If it is BAC there is a better chance that it will work. There is a genetic test that should show if the cancer is susceptible to Tarceva. http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articl ... r_drug.php Mass General Hospital might have more info on the test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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