Taxol weekly

[nikki9]

I am now going to be on third line chemo which is weekly taxol for 18 weeks has anybody else had this treatment and what were the side effects. Many thanks all you lovely ladies x

[Whippit]

Dear Nikki

I think this is referred to as dose-dense weekly Taxol. Apparently it tends to have less side-effects in the way of neuropathy and joint ache - but I guess everyone will have a different reaction to it.

I really hope it works for you. I've heard through Ovarian Cancer Action Research that it's just as effective as Avastin for some of us.

Good luck with it. You don't mention when you start. Will you get a bit of a break over Christmas?

Love Annie xx

[nikki9]

Hi Annie just come out of hospital with chronic constipation, still look 9 months pregnant but my name isn't "Mary". I start in January hope it is a bit more successful happy christmas love nikki x

[SA100]

Hi Nikki

My relative is having dose-dense weekly taxol. She wears a cold cap and hasn't lost any hair (she is just about to have her 5th treatment). It hasn't even thinned. We were told that her hair would go within two sessions without the cold cap. She hasn't had any of the side effects she had from the three weekly carbo/taxol combination as the weekly taxol is administered in a much smaller dosage. The nurse told us that it will put her into remission. I really hope that it works for you, Nikki. Make sure that you eat well and keep your strength up as I have heard that people have had to miss sessions because of low blood counts/colds etc.

Best of luck

SA100 x

[nikki9 in reply to SA100]

Hi how does your relative deal with the cold cap, does she tolerate it ok x

[SA100 in reply to nikki9]

Hi, she copes really well with it. She has to wear it for 30 mins before the actual treatment starts. The aim is to cool the hair follicles as much as possible before the treatment starts. She has quite thick hair and that helps. The cold cap is replace a couple of times during the treatment itself in order to keep the scalp cold. They put tissue around the ears and forehead to make sure that these areas are protected from the cold cap. She says that it's not so bad and is tolerable. You should give a go as it has definitely worked for her. x

[Hidden]

I'm pretty sure that 'weekly taxol' is a different regime from dose dense taxol. Weekly taxol is often given after combined chemo. It is less toxic than either standard combined chemo or dose dense. It's often used in breast cancer. Maybe you could clarify this with your onc?

I hope it works well for you.

Cx

[Hidden]

I has weekly taxol combined with monthly carboplatin for 3 cycles ie 9 weeks and can now compare this with a different regime on the petroc trial which I have done almost 9 weeks on - that gives me two thirds of taxol one week, one third the next and a gap (plus cisplatin, v similar to other). So it's somewhat possible to compare taxol impact though not absolute. I notice:

1. On weekly taxol the effects accumulated steadily, the gap allows them to recede a bit and never get as high

2. Hair stopped growing approx 2 weeks in, in both cases (my op break of 6 weeks def allowed growth to restart)

3. Peripheral neuropathy worse and more constant on weekly regime (though bearable, low grade) but accompanying parasthesia worse on the regime with the big hit of taxol. Mega spasms and jerking especially at night.

4. With the big hit of double taxol I one get a clear allergic redness in face and slight fever the following days, starting the evening if the treatment itself

5. I escaped nausea completely the first time around but have had some this second time and been more wiped out generally, BUT this may be change of the other drug to cusplatin which is known as more sicky and fatiguing than carboplatin.

To me this is a fairly clear indicator that spreading taxol more seems to amortise several effects.

Hope that helps -- do remember its different for different people and the above my interpretation of my own experience only!

Sue

X

[nikki9]

Thank you so muh x

[nikki9]

Thank you so much x

[poleglass]

nikki i just finished 18 weekly taxol 7wks. ago and it was my 3rd. line chemo too.They were amazed at the results and all my tumours had gone bar one small one over the kidney so i dont hav to go back for 3mths. now!It was actually better than the scan results from the 2nd. line chemo which was 3weekly caroplatin and taxol .I had only 5mths. remission and it was too soon to give me the both drugs so they decided on weekly taxol.I hope it works for you as well as it worked for me.The side effects for me were nuropathy in my feet and fingers, i have regained the feeling in my fingers but my feet are still sore and numb.To be honest i played it down as I knew thy would lower the dose of chemo and I didnt want that.The way i looked on it was i can live with sore feet but i cant live with cancer,The esser of two evils I suppose.good luck.xuna

[Maxine900 in reply to poleglass]

Your response las year has given me great relief. Hoe are you now?

[nikki9]

Thank you for your positive response I really hope the weekly taxol works, at the moment I am in quite a bit of pain round my liver area so can't wait to start new regime in new year. So glad it is working for you what a relief, have a lovely christmas x

[leolady]

As far as I recall not much different from 3 weekly carbo/taxol

[Erixka]

I'm also getting dose dense weekly Taxol. I experienced extremely low blood counts as a result of the toxicity. I take Neupogen injections for three days after Taxol and for five days after carbo/taxol. I lost all body hair after my first two chemo sessions. Now it's growing back. Personally the bad side effects like exhaustion and nausea happen for me after combined Carboplatn/Taxol and not on Taxol-only weeks.

Good luck and I hope y feel well!

Xoxo

Erika

[nikki9]

Thank you how long before taxol kicked in .I have only had one so not expected miracles. I also was on carbo/taxol previously and wasn't very well on it xxx