Chemo

[worldtravel75]

question to you all - If you have to go onto IV chemo because oral meds have failed - are you on it forever - or do you get to go back to oral meds like before you were metastatic?

[Hidden]

Hi worldtravel75,

I read your question earlier and didn't respond because I didn't know the answer (which doesn't always stop me...). But I think it's possible to do this, depending on what sequence your doc has queued up and what you've been on? It seems like some people begin the process with some form of IV chemo then move on to oral, while others begin with oral...I don't know what drives these decisions.

I also don't know if someone starts on oral, moves on to IV, can they subsequently move onto another oral treatment...I'd be very curious about this...

I'm hoping you can ask your doc and then let us all know. A few months back I asked my doc to lay out my next several treatments and to explain why. I found this very helpful.

Good luck with it..

Lynn

[worldtravel75 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. - I am going to ask at my next appt. right now I am on first line of Ibrance and faslodex. Just looking ahead

[Bubbles001]

I’m on Carboplatin IV chemo right now after failing Xeloda. My understanding is that Chemo is to address significant Visceral (lung, liver, brain) disease to see if it can be knocked back. If not, you stay on chemo. If so, you can try other drugs. Not sure if this understanding is correct, so would be interested in what your Onc says.

[Rhwright12]

I’ve heard all meds will be pill or shot within 5 years. Mostly to cut down on costs...My Herceptin/Perjeta combo is moving to a 5 minute shot called PHESGO within a few months. And I just saw that Taxol(Paclitaxol) will be available in pill come February. And that one is also on my short list...So even though in the past I think it may have progressed from pills to the big guns of IV chemo...I’m not sure if that will be the future...(Sorry! This may not be helpful...😂🤷‍♀️😂)

[Have-faith in reply to Rhwright12]

This is good to know! Oral meds that prevent weekly hospital visits for IV sound great to me!!!

[Rhwright12 in reply to Have-faith]

Tell me about it...just passed 4 years of every 3 week...Herceptin/Perjeta...😱

[MacroMom]

I'm on IV Abraxane now for liver mets. My next options include three chemos (Eribulin, Vinorelbine and Gemzar), but also Affinitor/Exemestane and Tamoxifen. As Bubbles wrote, I think if the chemo can knock back the cancer enough it's possible to go back on a non-chemo med. I don't think oral vs IV is the most important distinction though, but whether it is systemically toxic like chemo or more targeted like Ibrance. Hope that helps!

[Topood]

Yes, I was on docetaxol, which was IV, then switched to tamoxifen, and now am doing Afinitor and Faslodex....so you can definitely go from IV to pills...it was no problem. I guess the only reason you wouldn’t would be if they have exhausted all other possibilities. But they keep coming up with new drugs...

[My3girls]

I've been on iv chemo for a little over two years (3 different types) after I had exhausted all other medications including xeloda. But when the current chemo I'm on fails I will start taking a pill again (cant remember the name) . I had molecular testing done and it showed I had the BRACA2 mutation and there is a targeted therapy I can take for that so that will be the next step