I have had a good 5 year run, but in the last 10 days an Axumin PET/CT and then an MRI of my liver confirmed many (20 or so) liver lesions.
Next is a liver biopsy and implantation of a port for chemo.
Chemo will be the combo of Docetaxel and Carboplatin every 3 weeks.
Anyone out there had this combo?
Thanks.
Yes, I am taking Docetaxel and Carboplatin, on my 6th cycle. I have bone, liver mets and a lymph met. PSA has dropped from 42 to 0.5, Liver enzymes have improved, scans six weeks ago showed shrinking tumors. Will continue on combo, until improvement stops or get overtaken by side effects. Then probably cabitaxzel.
Thanks for the quick response. How many cycles in this treatment and I assume that they are every 3 weeks?
Major side effects? Are you icing your hands/feet?
Yes, every three weeks I receive my infusions. This will continue until I no longer get any benefit, no improvements in PSA or scans, or the side effects become intolerable. My side effects are extreme fatigue, spend good part of first ten days in bed; aching muscles, like the flu (gone away now); nausea; near constant stomach upset (now more tolerable). Finger nail bed damage, controlling with icing during infusion; loss of hair; tear ducts kind of dried up for a while; water trapped in ear for up to a week. First round was tough, had to reduce docetaxel dosage from 75mg.m2 to 60mg.m2. Still have trouble with dizziness on standing up or walking more than 20-30 feet. I have experienced most of the standard side effects, but the chemo appears to be working
Also, my sense of taste has gone away. Use Salt, pepper and spices to add sense of flavor back.
Thanks and Never Give In. I am ready to start this new battle of the ongoing war.
Vandy, I've not done this, but I want you to know I'm pulling for you. Fight the beast!
Thanks Yost.
My better half finished his fourth round of this. Being prepared with medications helps a lot. At the first sign of diarrhea he starts anti-diarrhea meds.. and the same with Nausea. The nausea kicks in about 3 or more days after infusion. The worst was the first infusion. After this our doctor gives and long term anti nausea and the nausea has not been nearly as bad. We are scheduled to 6 rounds. The muscle aches we take Claritin as recommended by a chemo nurse and it helps. Hope this helps!
Blessings and well wishes to you!
Vandy69 I hope the chemo gives you at least another five years. Thers are people on this forum who have gone another 11 years and more after chemo.
Hang in there. I will pray for you. I prayed for my neighbor and she was given 2 months to live. With chemo she made 5 years. I hope you have another 10 years.
Rich
Hi there.
I am sorry to hear that.
My husband is in a similar situation.
Liver mets were found and he was put on Chemo (Docetaxol). But a recent scan showed that the liver mets were still growing. So his Chemo was changed to Carbo Platin. We discussed if it was possible to combine the two. In our case the doctors didn't want to do it because it could cause too much toxicity. I want to make it clear, though, that this is because my husband's over all situation is not too good, he is already experiencing a lot of fatigue and is very thin. I am saying this so that you don't think that this could be too toxic for you too.
The side-effects seem to be less than on Docetaxol. So far anyway. But we are only at day three.
I think it is a good combination and I would have loved if my husband had been able to have both.
Mel.
I just had my 12th infusion of Docetaxel and Carboplatin. In addition I am on ADT. I have liver, lung and bone mets in addition to what ever is left in my prostate. My mets have stabilized based on the scans. I have found that the treatment gets easier as time goes on. I also found that ice put on hands and feet during Docetaxel infusion keep me from having some of the neuropathy issues I had before I used the ice. The first infusions are the worst particularly the tiredness and nausea. Later ones are not as much of a problem.
The port is great to get. It makes life in the Chemo room much easier. I have it used whenever I can for blood taking and during scans.
I have developed during the time on Chemo, Deep Vein Thrombosis which the onc found when one of my legs was more swollen than the other. Now also on Lomax. I also have developed something that appears like an infection on my lungs. The Drs. don't think it looks like chemo related issues but they are not sure what it is. I also just started XGEVA.
My onc does not prescribe me Neulasta except for the one time I went to my son's wedding but if you are going to be around a lot of people you need to understand the neutraphil nadir and make sure all your foods and the people you are around won't infect you. I always carry a mask in my pocket and never shake hands. Also I never eat any uncooked foods. Most annoying issue is the taste of food which always tastes like wet cardboard. Put lots of spices on food for taste.
Simply put the path you are going on is not easy but it is not that difficult. i expect to be on it for many years at least until the scans say it no linger works then hopefully there will be something else.
Best of luck to you.
Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences with this chemo combo! I will continue to check in as this we begin this next battle of a long war.
Never Give In.
Just finished a 5 year run with Zytiga and now on Xtandi--anyone on, and if so, what time period of effectiveness.
Best to all of you chemo heroes---all I can say is amazing what you tolerate and God Bless you all!!!
I also have liver mets and am on Docetaxel and Carboplatin. i have gone through 14 infusions. My scans show it controls the cancer in my liver, lungs and bones. I will take the 15th infusion on Tuesday.
Port is great. I use for Chemo and some blood drawing.
Thanks to all have given me advice on the Docetaxel/Carboplatin chemo combo. Just completed 3rd cycle and PSA has dropped from 10 to 3 so far. Scheduled for 2nd liver MRI in 2 weeks to determine impact on liver mets.
Side effects have been limited to extreme fatigue. Leave infusion center with On Body Injector for Neulasta which delivers med 27 hours later! Quite amazing technology.
Best wishes. Never Give In.
Yeah, 10 cycles of Docetaxel and Carboplatin with Xgeva every six weeks, Lupron
every 4 months. Resulted in a PSA of <.05. That was last December. Onco started me
on Zytiga w/pred. and PSA was steady at undetectable. But, this Sept bloodwork PSA moved up to.22. Whew.
Doc wants to check the PSA in a month.
Reaching the end of treatment, suggestions beyond Docetaxel and Carboplatin.
Cabazitaxel plus carboplatin
Liver/lung metastasis and carboplatin
Carboplatin
Hepatotoxicity and Docetaxel
