I was diagnose with stage 4 inoperable Lung Cancer four and a half years ago and sadly it has returned. I have been prescribed Tarceva.

[raybo3]

I would like to know what Tarceva achieves to stop my Lung Cancer getting worse. I do find Tarceva quite aggressive with all the side effects and I have had quite a few but I will carry on hoping that they get easier and the result will be favourable as my Oncologist tells me I will be on it for life.

[jujuju]

HI and sorry to hear your cancer has returned. Tarceva is used to contain the cancer and sometimes shrinks it as well.Some people have been on it five or more years. I am on day 72 of Tarceva and I wont know if its working until I have a scan late November.It is the easiest treatment I have had.My side effects have calmed down,still dry skin and occasional spots and diarrhea occasionally.If it isn't working my oncologist says he can try other things.Chemo was not very good for me and didn't actually achieve anything except make me ill. Best Wishes and I hope you get a good result .Julie

[raybo3 in reply to jujuju]

Hi Julie,

Thank you so much for your informative info on Tarceva. I have had a scan a week ago to see if it is working and I hope to hear good news from my Oncologist when I see him next week. Good to hear the the side effects do calm down as it has been tough to cope with but I am determined to go on with it. I did have Chemo and Radiotherapy and it worked at the beginning and I did ok (Not a walk in the Park) but I got there and have gone four and a half years until its return.

Thank you again Julie you have been a great help to me.

My best Regards and good wishes to you.

Pauline.

[AliBB in reply to jujuju]

Hello Julie. Just wondering about the results of your scan in November. I have only just started taking Tarceva and my face as erupted in a big red itchy rash. Using Aveeno as recommended by Oncologist but not helping that much...what did you use?

[jujuju in reply to AliBB]

Hi Ali,I used various creams and emollients and it really didn't last long on my face.The scan showed very slight shrinkage and I had a scan again end of January and still the same so they have left me on it for the minute.All the side affects are short lived and random except the hair ....eyelashes and eyebrows too.My latest one is my nails are very brittle and breaking far to low down so trying to hang on to them until they grow a bit so not so painful.Istill get spots but more on my legs and arms and its just cosmetic to be honest.If it doesn't improve they will give you antibiotics but hopefully it will get better quick.I think its just your bodys reaction to the toxicity of it but it does seem to get used to it.Best wishes for good results.Julie x

[AliBB in reply to jujuju]

Hello Julie. Thanks for your reply. It's probably just been a shock as I seemed to sail through chemo. Pleased to hear there has been some shrinkage in your tumour. Need to keep myself busy to take my mind of negative thoughts. Thank you and best wishes. Alison x

[lenora]

Hello do hope Tarceva works for you,I was diagnosed last January stage 4 and Tarceva has been my only treatment it shrunk the tumours and I am stable at the moment.My oncologist has lowered my dose to 100mg for a couple of months to give me a break from the side effects ,they have died down a lot.If you go to the Inspire website and type in Tarceva side effect busters there are good suggestions on how to cope.Best wishes Hilary.

[raybo3 in reply to lenora]

Hi Lenora,

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis also and really wish that Tarceva will work for you . I was taken off 150mg for a weeks rest because of the very aggressive side effects and then put on 100mg of which I am coping with. I will certainly find the Inspire web site very helpful thank you so much for that.

What I am finding a mystery is that after chemotherapy I lost my hair and it grew back silver grey but since taking Tarceva it has stopped growing and going black along with my eyebrows what few I have left as they are coming out lol.

You did very well to have taken the 150mg for so long well done.

My very best wishes to you Hilary and good luck for the future.

Pauline

[lenora in reply to raybo3]

Yes it is weird!. my hair has also stopped growing,my eyebrows which were blonde are now black.

[ednam]

Tarceva has antivascular effects .There is another medicine which has less side effects. Iressa has a direct antitumor effects than Tarceva. For targeted agents, phenotype analysis provides far more relevant information than the genotype analysis.

Side effects include hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, itchiness specially in the head, fatigue ,diarrhoea, gas, breathing problems (etc).

[raybo3 in reply to ednam]

Hi ednam

Yes I have experienced nearly all of the side effects you have mentioned apart from the hair lost my hair is going from silver grey which grew back that colour after chemo to black my original colour and my eyebrows are also going black I find this quite weird

Thank you for your reply.

My best regards

Pauline.

[raybo3]

Hi Hilary,

Yes very weird. Although I don't mind returning to my original colour but what a price to pay. I have been onto the inspire web site and find it brilliant reading thank you for that Hilary.

My best wishes to you.

Pauline

[jujuju]

My eyebrows and eyelashes have gone black too! Its like pop up side effects....what are they today!!! I have my hair bleached so don't know yet about colour.....I have it very short and spiked but even so its pretty unruly.I have a scan on 25 November and see oncologist on 3 December. I will have had 98 days of tarceva when I am scanned.Ednam I think you will find it depends on your hospital whether they prescribe Tarceva or Iressa....mine do Tarceva as they believe its more cost effective. Julie

[Daddyishealing]

Hi. May I ask when diagnosed at stage 4, meaning in years. I'm new here and my mom dx stage 4 unspecified carcinoma through lymph bone spine. She is in ER radiation and had one tumor removed so she can walk. They are moving aggressive ly because the tumors in her spine create danger of paralysis. My mom has just begged for 4 or 5 years, but the doctor told her a year, and we'll try for two. I'm new to understanding treatment options and never heard of this but it sounds like you have the will, the drive, and the spirit and I wish you many more joyful years.

Xo Erica