gemcitabine with carboplatin for Platinum resistant

[Babaloo]

Hello, has anybody had experience of using gemcitabine with carboplatin for Platinum resistant recurrent cancer? I am now on my forth round of chemo, after having had taxol-carbo as front line treatment, followed by 6 months of remission (with bulking in between); followed by more taxol-carbo, that didn't work; followed by caelyx and surgery. Now the OV is back, after 6 more months of remission, and my oncologist has put me on dose-dense taxol-carbo, this seemed to work really week, the CA125 plummeted, but now, on round three they have started going up again, and the lymph node on my neck is growing again.

I'm feeling rather low, as we seem to be at the end of the line. She has suggested gemcitabine and carbo, what do you out there think? She will also try to get me an excemption so I can try Taxol and Avastin, but she's not hopeful.

Any advice would be very welcome!

[nikki9]

I have finished carbo/gem for 2nd line chemo I finished this about 3 months ago and I was so hopeful but bloating has started again plus constipation so looks like this wretched disease has returned. I had no problems on it except for having 3 blood transfusions due to low platelets. I really hope this works for you, I wish you every good luck xx

[Hidden in reply to nikki9]

Finished carbo/gem for 6th line chemo and like you bloating and constipation has started.again. My only problems were tiredness and low neurtrophil count twice, did not miss chemo but had 75% dose. Hope it works for.you some seem to find it does work.

Good luckxx

[Whippit]

Dear Babaloo

I'm sorry to hear the dose-dense Taxol didn't work in the end. I had heard good things about it. I think it's worth trying gemcitibine and I've also heard some good stuff about Avastin. I thought it was available now - but depends where you are. I heard it's available in England but not necessarily other parts of the UK.

I do wish you luck with Avastin as it has been accepted as a good supplement to traditional chemotherapy.

Perhaps others on this site can give you more help.

Lots of love. Annie xxx

[Hidden]

A good regime for platinum resistant is the Rotterdam regime of cisplatin and etoposide. It is tough but it is supposed to have a good chance of success. According to my oncologist, Avastin isn't for everyone.

I guess - from talking about this issue a lot - that your choice would be between gemcitabine and the Rotterdam regime. I have heard that gemcitabine is also tough.

But we have OC, that is tougher than anything. We are strong, we can cope.

I hope this makes sense - it is written in the wee hours, I had an ignominious tumble into a puddle and so have bad back ache.

Cx

[nandi]

I am on my 4th line chemo also and it is Gem/carbo. CA 125 fell fast to start with, still falling but slower now. I have had carbo combinations each time. 7 month remissions the first 2 times and only 5 the 3rd so also technically carbo resistant now. Gemcitabine is supposed to enhance the carbo. I hope you have good results with it. Think its worth a try.

[Fitzy]

I had gem/carbo as 2nd line chemo - finished in April and CA125 fell right down. I didn't have too many symptoms but white bc kept diving so had to delay treatments on a few occasions, which meant it took a lot longer to get through treatment. Had a couple of 'neulasta' shots to help boost my blood counts too. Unfortunately my latest CT scan in Oct showed recurrence, and I am having problems with bowel again, so will have to start a new regime soon. Not sure what next but possibly carbo again, with another drug.

Good luck with your treatment - hope it works for you.

Colette xxxxx

[thehusband]

Hi

My wife had this for 3rd line chemo and it worked very well and she ended up having 8 rounds of it, instead of the normal 6. It did make her feel tired but that was really the only side effect. Unfortunately for her within 2 months of stopping it, everything started to grow again. But out of the 3 different chemo regimes - this worked the best. Good luck.