Onc is switching me to Eribulin - two weeks on and one week off. Scans after three rounds. End of February. No targeted treatment to the liver. That could be an option if this chemo doesn't work at improving the liver
We cannot know if my pain is due to cancer returning in lymph nodes.
I asked about clinical trials but there are none. I am almost triple negative but am 5% estrogen positive so that excludes me from those trials.
I am feeling disheartened and look for feedback from my friends on this site.
Thank you,
Barbara
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Barbara-Aschner
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Hi! My name is Sue. I am on Halaven - Eribulin as well. I have been on it since 10/31/2016. Smart idea to start off with week off and week on. My doctor started me off with two weeks on then a third week off. She is trying with week off and week on for me now because the two weeks straight kicked my butt badly. My white count dropped A LOT. What I heard with this chemo is it keeps things stable. So that is a good thing. As long as there is no growth and those snots (tumors) are stable is a good thing! They say Halaven works on average for 7 months. They say it is like Xeloda chemo. Well that has not been the case for me. My white blood count is getting hit big time with Halaven which didn't occur to me while under Xeloda. With Halaven my biggest issues are I get chills , constipation, cough and lost 70% of my hair on my head only. It is a quick chemo so that is a positive. Basically checking in and waiting in lobby will take up more time. The actual chemo part is like 5 minutes max.
How did you know your ER was 5%? The doctor tired just one hormonal therapy on me and after like three months said this is not for you. So no more hormonal therapy. I am like whoa. Slow down buddy. So here is the thing... There are actually clinical trails that do the reverse. Meaning that they will make your tumors want more ER so then you can do hormonal therapy I know there was one a while back at Stanford. Also there is Ibrance plus another medicine which I am forgetting about that basically work together to reverse the resistances your tumors have towards ER. That was FDA approved like a year ago and I know some doctors have been giving it out to patients.
Don't give up on Halaven. I know several women who have been on it for years. Just rest assure that if it doesn't work that there are more medication that are in the wing waiting to be approved You might qualify for the triple negative trial described below as it is also being investigated for ER positive, Her2 negative patients.
Phase 2 trial of trilaciclib in triple-negative breast cancer
Phase 1b/2a trial of G1T38 in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer
Oral SERD (G1T48) in IND-enabling studies; Phase 1 trial planned for 4Q17
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G1 Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage oncology company, announced today the expansion of its pipeline of novel cancer therapies with the initiation of three development programs in breast cancer. G1 is enrolling a Phase 2 study of its intravenous CDK4/6 inhibitor trilaciclib for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and a Phase 1b/2a study of its oral CDK4/6 inhibitor G1T38 for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative (ER+, HER2-) breast cancer. In addition, G1 is advancing G1T48, its oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) with the goal of commencing a Phase 1 trial in the fourth quarter of 2017.
That is encouraging news about others thriving on Halaven.
Thank you for the information on the clinical trial. I am located in Pittsburgh pa and it is in North Carolina. Do some folks travel to take part in clinical trials?
When were you diagnosed/last biopsy. I would request a rebiopsy to determine your hormone status and HER2 status. Things can change over time and with treatment. Each time I have had progression, I have had a biopsy done to check hormone status and HER2 status. There is a trial called NCI Match. It looks at the genomics of your cancer and determines if one of the targeted treatments matches to your cancer. Something to look into if you are interested.
Don't be discouraged this new option may work well and never forget you can always get a second opinion and most certainly should when your dr runs out of options. I have seen on these sites so many times people were told there was nothing else they can do and when they went for another opinion there was something out there. Keep the faith.
Unfortunately, many oncologists are only quasi-interested in clinical trials, even those practicing in major cancer centers or large academic centers, unless their facility has a trial that fits you. I'm sorry to say that most of the work in finding out about trials is left to us.
SHARE has a metastatic breast cancer clinical trial search engine on it's website (part of the larger breastcancertrials. org):
Even if a trial is not located in your area, you may be able to participate. Oftentimes, the trial drug may be an oral medication, and the trial's principal investigator will work with your oncologist on your participation. Or for follow-up scans you may be able to do them locally, or perhaps make a trip to the PI's facility only a few times. Each trial is different. Keep in mind that clinical trials have both inclusion and exclusion criteria, and we are often excluded based on having had too many lines of treatment. Therefore, if a trial fits and is convenient, the sooner the better.
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Afinitor/Everolimus and Tamoxifen is next :(
MATCH trial update
Enhertu next treatment??
Ibrance to IV chemo
