Maintenance Chemo

[ARamage]

I was diagnosed with stage 2 endometrioid cancer five years ago. I went through chemo treatments: carboplatin and taxol. I even had IP belly washes of taxol. They are not doing these any longer in the US. Sadly, my cancer reoccurred six months ago. I was cancer free and in remission for five years. The return was a surprise but in a way not a shock. I know this stuff can and does return. A small tumor was found and removed. It was contained in adhesions (scar tissue). Nothing was found in my lymph nodes and nothing in the surrounding tissue. I had a PET scan and there was no evidence of any disease. My doctor asked me to go through 18 treatments of chemo. I did. Another scan taken and showed I was still clear—no evidence of disease. Now, he has placed me on maintenance chemo: taxol—four times the strength at a 30% reduced rate every 28 days. My question: Is anyone else at this same spot? Just turned 70 and I'm wondering about this type of maintenance treatment. Any studies on this that show it truly prevents cancer returning. I confess that I don't want to overdo the taxol treatment. Thanks.

[Lind58]

to clarify you currently are Ned?

[ARamage in reply to Lind58]

Yes. I have been NED since my surgery last May.

[Lyndy]

Gosh, maintenance Taxel seems very heavy duty for someone who is NED…

Could you ask for a second opinion? xx

[ARamage in reply to Lyndy]

Thank for replying! I think so, too. I called the doctor yesterday and told him that I want to stop, and he said okay. I did one maintenance treatment and started all over again with side effects from the Taxol. I think the thing that bothered my dr a lot is the reoccurrence. He wants to push to make sure I go back into remission. I was working toward my 6th year of being cancer free. Now the clock toward 5 years has started all over again. Thanks for your reply.

[Leniko]

I was on maint drug Avastin which kept my tumor from growing for years. Maybe ask you doc about that?

[ARamage]

Leniko, Thanks for replying. My small tumor was removed last May. It was contained with nothing in my lymph nodes. This is a reoccurrence for me. I was stage 2 with endometrioid cancer 6 years ago. The only maintenance therapy they could offer now was Taxol at four times the strength but at a reduced rate of 30%. It was a once a month treatment. Honestly, I stopped it last Friday due to side effects. I had already gone through 18 treatments of Taxol and Carbo. Thanks again.