gemcitabine

[SKpaints1]

looks like the cancer is back! Im having a fluid drain in 15 sept and my cancer nurse is trying to bring my sppointment with oncologist firward.. gemcetabine has been mentioned. Anyone has existence of this drug, what sue effects if any did u experience.. this will be second recurrence .

[Hidden]

I've had it twice, currently on it in fact, in combo with carboplatin. The only notable thing for me was that it can be brutal on the veins. This time round had a port fitted and that has made the whole experience much much more tolerable.

[SKpaints1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks luckily I already have a port fitted so hopefully will be ok, I’ve also heard it can cause severe skin irritation, did u experience this ?

[Hidden in reply to SKpaints1]

No skin issues at all. I always end up with low neutrophils during chemo so have been on Filgrastim injections since cycle 2.

If you're having the gem with carbo, then you will have Day 1 (gem + carbo) and Day 8 (gem only) treatments over a 21 day cycle. If your bloods fall short for Day 1, they delay a week but if they fall short for Day 8 they cancel it.

[Summergold2]

I had gembi. And carbo the combo worked but did not put me into remission. So did not have gembi by itself. I do know I had to have neulasta on pro as it does a number on your platelets, white and red blood cells.

[SKpaints1 in reply to Summergold2]

Thanks for reply, take care

[soyoonsoy in reply to Summergold2]

Hi, How are you? Hope you remember me. I have been wondering how you are doing with new treatments and all.

[Summergold2 in reply to soyoonsoy]

Yes I do! Still here almost didn’t make it in June the cancer has spread to liver and ureter had to have kidney bag and then we’re able to put in stent going in for surgery today to see if they can remove it! I am on Abraxane now and have gained strength back …I was in wheel chair for about a month this June. Had CT scan 2 days ago and showed some shrinkage a couple of millimeters. Getting chemo every two weeks will try to get on a trial

How have you been doing????

[soyoonsoy in reply to Summergold2]

Good to hear from you. I have had a lot of things happened. Basically, none of the trials worked out for me. The folate receptor was expressed in >90% of my tumor, but the drug failed in my case, except giving me cysts in my eyes which were eventually treated. By this time, my tumor had invaded the rectum, causing hemorrhage and developing fistula to my vagina. All within 2-3 months of time while being treated with cysplatin + Gemcitabine. One day, I suspected potential bladder invasion, so cystoscopy was ordered. It was not invaded, yet, but we were concerned that it would eventually. So, we went ahead with supposedly unusual surgery to remove the rectum and tumor as much as can be done. My oncologist says that the tumor was not all over in the peritonium, just the main mass in contact with the rectum and abutting the bladder, which was unusual, otherwise, she would not have continued with surgery. So, like you, I had to carry kidney bags after the surgery as well; she wanted to divert my urine so that the vagina could heal after some resection. Now I have a permanent stoma, which is cumbersome, and and am being treated with radiation to kill of the residual tumor that was left due to proximity to vessels. I am told that it is shrinking the tumor and a couple of lymph nodes after 12 sessions. I am not sure what the plan is after radiation, but since the nodes were enlarged in two spots, I have to watch it closely with some sort of maintenance treatment. So, I am still here as you are.

[Summergold2 in reply to soyoonsoy]

what is next for you? Have you tried Abraxane? I have liver metastases and all in lymph nodes and had really bad lymphodema in my right leg. I have been seeing a doctor from City of Hope and checking on a couple of trials that might work. But like you said trials didn’t work for you and am afraid they won’t work for me either. Right now the Abraxane is working slowly. Ca125 went from 560 to 489.

Have you tried clarity foundation? Apparently you put in all your info and the see if there are trials that would fit. That’s my next avenue

[soyoonsoy in reply to Summergold2]

How did your surgery go? I hope it was done by Key-hole to maximize the recovery.

I will check out the clarity foundation. thank you. I always check on new clinical trials via NCI website, but I am sure I am missing some. The thing is that I have tried already 3 different immune therapies, so often I am considered ineligible. Also, I am not sure of many antibody-drug conjugates being used. Some companies report only on successful cases, which can be terribly misleading. I am now watching on Axl-ADC trial called BA3011, which is being tried with and without PD-1 inhibitor in Ph2. The report of Ph1 trial was very promising.

Right now, radiation seems to be effective against my cancer after the bulk has been removed by surgery; I will have MRI done coming Wed. I am not sure what comes next. If the MRI scan indicates successful removal of residual tumors, I would like to just sit and wait. Since recurrence in 2019, I have been continuously treated, so I can use a break for a while.