My cancer markers have jumped from 104 to 483 after two weeks on afinitor. My doctor now wants to put me on Doxil. Any one else had this?

[Iwngca]

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Was told that I was cancer free after 8 months of chemo and 3 months of radiation. Found out that I had leukemia in 2017. Took arsenic. Was told that I was cancer free 8 months later. 4 months later was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that had spread to my sternum and liver. Tried Ibrance. Worked for 5 months. Went on Afinitor. Did not work, in fact my cancer markers went from 104 to 483. Now, my oncologist wants to put me on Doxil, provided that I pass an echo ultrasound of my heart. Has anyone else used Doxil successfully? I hear that it is called "the red devil." This doesn't ease my anxiety.

[MacroMom]

I'm so sorry you are facing another treatment decision. I too have liver mets. I haven't had Doxil but I've been on the oral chemo Xeloda for 4 rounds now (7 days on, 7 days off) and my CA 15-3 dropped 200 points with very few side effects. I had also been offered Afinitor but was advised that Xeloda was more effective with liver mets. Has your oncologist mentioned that as an option?

[Have-faith]

Oh geez. How long were you on Afinitor? Did your markers ever go down on it? When was the last time they biopsied your cancer to see which one it is? Meaning estrogen and progesterone positive, Her2 status etc? You know our cancers can mutate, change to another kind and then the med we are given wont be as effective. I have had to change meds a few times too in almost 2 years of this journey. It is stressful! It is good that there are options to try. I am sorry you and all of us are going thru this. Try to focus on the moment. This is all we can do. How do you feel physically? I am curious how long you were on afinitor and if it helped initially. Faith

[Iwngca in reply to Have-faith]

Hi. I was on afinitor for 3 weeks. I had few side effects but my blood sugar sure jumped and I did get some nasty mouth sores. I felt very tired on it. I had genome testing done and I am estrogen and progesterone positive and Her2 negative. Today, I have to get a heart echo done to see if I even CAN go on toxil as I previously had leukemia, was treated with arsenic and it may have damaged my heart.

[Have-faith in reply to Iwngca]

Just remember that our bodies are all different so we each accept meds differently. Your oncologist will find the right combo for you. It is tough playing this waiting game to see what works and what doesn't. Keep us posted on how you are as we wish each other the best and learn from each other!

[LisaT23]

Hi,

You just started the afinitor after I did right? Did you only do the one month? I am sorry it did not work for you.

I just finished 7 weeks, at week 4 my markers went from 98 to 151. Onc switched me to alternating 5 mg and 10 mg every other day. I was not able to do the 10mg and am now back to 5 mg a day. I will see her again on 8/16. Hopefully my markers are not still going up. If they are I am worried what she will switch me to. My mets are to bone and lymph.

Good luck with the echo. Hopefully it will all work out.

Lisa

[mariootsi]

I have not had experience with that treatment but wish you well on your new path to healing.

[GreatMamy]

I don't remember being on Afinitor but I was on Xeloda for 2 cycles of hell back in 2016 (but regressed liver mets). Funny, my original onc closed his practice end of 2016 so I restarted Ibrance in 2017 with new onc. I spoke to him recently and he said something amazing to me (and my current onc is listening), that Xeloda is very good medicine at even 1/3 of the recommended dosage! I'm through with Ibrance. Started dry cough on July 14 then low grade fever round the clock and ended in the hospital Aug 2-5, in pain from not eating and some kind of interstitial bronchitis or pneumonia. Finishing antibiotics/steroids next 10 days and then doing another PET to decide way forward from there. Maybe Xeloda? Oh, and I'm on Remeron (anti depressant) for the side effects of increased appetite and sleep aid, maybe even uplifted mood down the road...