options after carboplatin and taxol

[milja]

Hello

I’m posting on behalf of my mother who has had 2 recurrences of ovarian cancer and we’ve just found that the weekly taxol that she’s been having isn’t working. This is really demoralising and I was interested in finding out if anyone has been in a similar position and what other treatment you’ve had after this.

She was diagnosed in February 2009, had 3-weekly carboplatin, recurred in August 2010, had 3-weekly carboplatin again, recurred in May 2011 and started weekly taxol in November 2011. It doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere beyond the abdomen yet.

The oncologist will be reviewing her in a few weeks time. He mentioned that Caelyx, which is what they would have tried next, is not being manufactured until the end of the year and is not currently available to new patients. He also mentioned another drug, whose name I didn’t catch (it had “cyclo” in the name) might be an option. Does anyone know what this might be?

Thanks for your help

Emilia

[BusyLizzie]

Hi Emilia,

These are the ones I know about if you are platinum resistant - please let me know if you have any others mentioned to you so I can update my list:-

>1) Topotecan

>

>2) Topotecan / Thalidamide

>

>3) weekly treatment with paclitaxel

>

>4) Avastin (drug not chemo - approved but not on NICE list)

>

>5) Germcitabine

>

>6) Hormone Treatments

>

>7) etoposide

>

>8) trabectedin (approved but not on NICE list)

Obviously your Mum has done number 3.

Love Lizzie

X

[Hidden in reply to BusyLizzie]

Hi Lizzie,

The drugs I have just finished, (that have worked!) are Treosulphur and Gemcitabine together. Don't know which one did it, but I would have them again as I had no side effects either.

[BusyLizzie in reply to Hidden]

I shall add these to my list Viv. I bet you prefer your current regime though....nothing! LOL!

Love Lizzie

X

[BusyLizzie]

I also should have said, make sure you know which trials are currently running as your Mum may qualify for one of these. You can find out via the cancer research site. It also tells you what the qualifying factors are for the trial. It also lists where they are being held - so you may need to consider travelling if that is the way you want to go.

Love Lizzie

X

[milja in reply to BusyLizzie]

Hello Lizzie

Thanks very much for replying - that's really helpful. There are a few more options than I previously thought, which is encouraging. I'll definitely let you know if we hear about any others that aren't in your list.

Thanks again

Emilia

[Hidden]

Hi Emilia,

You say your Mum had carboplatin, but not that she is now platinum resistant. The other drug I have had is Cisplatin, which also has the platinum in it. Might be worth a try... other wise Lizzie's list seems quite comprehensive!

Good luck. Hope they find something for your Mum that works.

Viv

[milja in reply to Hidden]

Hello Viv

Thanks for the reply. She recurred about 3 months after finishing carboplatin last year, so I've assumed that this meant that she's platinum resistant. However, I'll ask about cisplatin when we see the oncologist.

Thanks again

Emilia

[BusyLizzie]

Also in another threada 'Taxotere' has come up. This is a drug not a chemo and I don't think it is on the NICE list.

[milja]

Hello

I just thought I'd post an update to this. We saw the oncologist recently and my mother's been started on a daily dose of tamoxifen in the hope that this will result in the disease stabilising or possibly shrinking. They also mentioned that if the tamoxifen doesn't work, then cyclophosphamide would be another option. Reassuringly, they didn't rule out further chemotherapy later on, if caelyx becomes available, although they pointed out that the number of options were gradually dwindling.

Anyhow, we'll see how things go...She has a follow-up appointment in a month's time.

Best wishes

Emilia