› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Just starting Abraxane
- This topic has 12 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by
susanr.
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- April 25, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Hello everyone,
Hello everyone,
My brother just started Abraxane today. He is currently Stage IV as of 2/12. Had yervoy 12/11. after clear PET. In Feb 2012 his PET lite up like a Christmas tree. Lung nodules, re-occuring Left pelvic mass—had radiation there but nothing, nodules in abdominal cavity along with a spot on right femur. He has been on Temodor since 2/12 but after last PET 2 weeks ago they decided on Abraxane since no improvement and some enlargement. Anyone been on Abraxane and Temodor combo. Hope to hear some of you had good results. It seems he has had no good news since being dx. 2 1/2 yrs ago.
Only good thing we have had was that clear PET in Nov 2011 prior to the yervoy. Also, He has a mass behind his left knee which has grown and now going to have radiation to help shrink so he can walk better. He has had quite a few surgerys—skin graft on his foot where primary started.
I am probably not making much sense so If you need more info let me know in order to give me some help/advice. i am in the medical field and unfortunately know how nasty this melanoma is and I am trying to be optimistic but it is very hard when you know the response rates are not great on how well melanoma responds to chemo. This is my first time posting but have reviewed website for awhile and have to say everyone is great and amazing how supportive.
Thank you Everyone!!!!!
Susan
- Replies
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- April 26, 2012 at 12:33 am
Susan,
I am sorry to hear that your brother has had such a rough time. I remember reading about someone who had good results with abraxane. I hope your brother has the same results!
Tricia
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- April 26, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Hi Susan,
I can only speak for my husband's experience. He had lung mets which were removed surgically. Then he had 4 mets to the liver, and to 2 lymph nodes in his chest. He didn't qualify for a trial we hoped for….my heart broke. He tested Braf negative….my heart broke. They put him on a chemo combination of carboplatin, abraxane and avastin. I knew the low response rate of chemo, and felt hopeless. After 5 months of treatment, his scans showed that he had no evidence of disease. Since September he has been on Avastin alone. He currently is 9 months NED.
Positive results are capricious. They don't come when you expect them, and then appear unexpectedly. If there's 000000.1% of people who respond, it could be you, and a 99.9% response could exclude you. What the heck does that mean? To me, it means that finding doctors you believe in, staying informed, and encouraging hope are the most proactive things you can do. The next treatment could be the magic your brother needs. Your brother is fortunate to have you loving, supporting, and fighting for him.
I will keep you family in my prayers, Susan, and hope for good news about your brother!
Hope
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- April 26, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Hi Susan,
I can only speak for my husband's experience. He had lung mets which were removed surgically. Then he had 4 mets to the liver, and to 2 lymph nodes in his chest. He didn't qualify for a trial we hoped for….my heart broke. He tested Braf negative….my heart broke. They put him on a chemo combination of carboplatin, abraxane and avastin. I knew the low response rate of chemo, and felt hopeless. After 5 months of treatment, his scans showed that he had no evidence of disease. Since September he has been on Avastin alone. He currently is 9 months NED.
Positive results are capricious. They don't come when you expect them, and then appear unexpectedly. If there's 000000.1% of people who respond, it could be you, and a 99.9% response could exclude you. What the heck does that mean? To me, it means that finding doctors you believe in, staying informed, and encouraging hope are the most proactive things you can do. The next treatment could be the magic your brother needs. Your brother is fortunate to have you loving, supporting, and fighting for him.
I will keep you family in my prayers, Susan, and hope for good news about your brother!
Hope
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- April 26, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Hi Susan,
I can only speak for my husband's experience. He had lung mets which were removed surgically. Then he had 4 mets to the liver, and to 2 lymph nodes in his chest. He didn't qualify for a trial we hoped for….my heart broke. He tested Braf negative….my heart broke. They put him on a chemo combination of carboplatin, abraxane and avastin. I knew the low response rate of chemo, and felt hopeless. After 5 months of treatment, his scans showed that he had no evidence of disease. Since September he has been on Avastin alone. He currently is 9 months NED.
Positive results are capricious. They don't come when you expect them, and then appear unexpectedly. If there's 000000.1% of people who respond, it could be you, and a 99.9% response could exclude you. What the heck does that mean? To me, it means that finding doctors you believe in, staying informed, and encouraging hope are the most proactive things you can do. The next treatment could be the magic your brother needs. Your brother is fortunate to have you loving, supporting, and fighting for him.
I will keep you family in my prayers, Susan, and hope for good news about your brother!
Hope
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- April 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Thank you so much for your response Hope. I do appreciate it. I live in the U.S and Avastin has had issues re: fake drug on the market and not available. I hear so many posters say they are on it but assume they live outside the U.S.
My brother does not have any mets to the brain, liver, or other G.I vital organs….thank god. Has an appt. next week at St. Lukes in NYC for IL therapy. Will see. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope we all can share good news some day for our loved ones.
Thank you !!!!
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- April 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Thank you so much for your response Hope. I do appreciate it. I live in the U.S and Avastin has had issues re: fake drug on the market and not available. I hear so many posters say they are on it but assume they live outside the U.S.
My brother does not have any mets to the brain, liver, or other G.I vital organs….thank god. Has an appt. next week at St. Lukes in NYC for IL therapy. Will see. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope we all can share good news some day for our loved ones.
Thank you !!!!
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- April 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Thank you so much for your response Hope. I do appreciate it. I live in the U.S and Avastin has had issues re: fake drug on the market and not available. I hear so many posters say they are on it but assume they live outside the U.S.
My brother does not have any mets to the brain, liver, or other G.I vital organs….thank god. Has an appt. next week at St. Lukes in NYC for IL therapy. Will see. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope we all can share good news some day for our loved ones.
Thank you !!!!
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