Are treatments not working just an assumption???

[CallmeMum]

Hi lovelies,

I was just sending an email to someone about my special person.... anyway I’m just curious do you think that oncologists just make an assumption that chemo has stopped working? For example being classed as platinum resistant there is no definitive test to decide that unless you have a really bad reaction on chemo who’s to say anything has stopped working?

Xxx

[Yoshbosh]

I think they’d consider what scans show, how the CA125 is (if it is a reliable indicator for the patient), if symptoms returned whilst still receiving treatment, how quickly the cancer came back etc etc. There might not be a definitive test, but if all of those factors were worsening, then it would be a fair assumption that the chemo stopped working.

In my case, I had a great response to weekly taxol after three cycles. By cycle 4 my CA125 was rising, ascites was forming, scan showed bowel obstruction whereas the previous scan had showed it had resolved... It was decided weekly taxol was no longer working.

Hope that helps,

Vicki x

[SuSue in reply to Yoshbosh]

Hi Vicki did they put you on a different chemo after that?

Sue

[Yoshbosh in reply to SuSue]

Hi Sue, I’m on carbo/gem at the moment. Just waiting on cycle 6, then scans. Vx

[BeeWild]

I was classed as platinum resistant after first line carbo/taxol as recurred after 4 months ( the time line is 6 months to be classed as platinum sensitive) . However I am back on cistplatin/gem now as it’s been 15months since I had a platinum based chemo (I also had weekly taxol as part of CEBOC but like Vicky after an initial great response the beast reared it’s head again)

Therefore even though you might be classed as resistant they will try again if you have over 6 months off platinum. If disease progresses whilst on plat chemo then I think they would say you are refractory and it’s not working.

Hope that makes sense xx

Bev x

[Katmal-UK]

Hi My understand is that if you have a recurrence within 6 months of ending chemo them you are likely to be platinum resistant. It doesn't mean that there isn't something else that they can try and I don't think they ever make assumptions but are guided by blood tests and scans etc. Kathy xx

[Luvliving]

It's all about side effects and tolerance. If your kidneys are screaming or if you have 2 low of a white blood count treatment will be discontinued.For me its not looking for a cure just trying 2 slow down this aggressive disease. Always be open 2 the next treatment there are lots. I'm going on 4 years