Biochemo Anyone?

Hi Nicoli… I did my 6 round tour and 2 maintenance rounds. Tumors shrank overall about 70% but right before I was ready for round 3 of maintenance I had several new growth tumors that appeared in the liver.

Just be prepared for 6 months of hell. Totally a brutal chemo treatment. 6  days in the hosp, 5 days home hydration with a health nurse. The third week you just about start feeling a little human and it is time to get slammed  again.

Would I do it again? Yes with no questions asked… but they won't let me go more than 6 rounds because it is too hard on your body.

I have heard it is also a great springboard for other treatments. I just started Ipi and hopefully it helps it.

Get familiar with the side effects you may face and stay close to your doctors staff on questions and if anything is wrong like fever and too much diarrhea so they can get on it immediately.

I can't really think of anything about it that was fun. I'm sorry to report that .  The first round was the worst for me because I was in fear and did not understand it all. The last couple rounds they will probably give you an extra weeks break so your body has time to build to the blood levels it needs to be at.

Hopefully you will get through all the rounds problem free and become NED.

We are praying for you and family.

Rocky (Stage IV Liver Mets)

Hi Nicoli… I did my 6 round tour and 2 maintenance rounds. Tumors shrank overall about 70% but right before I was ready for round 3 of maintenance I had several new growth tumors that appeared in the liver.

Just be prepared for 6 months of hell. Totally a brutal chemo treatment. 6  days in the hosp, 5 days home hydration with a health nurse. The third week you just about start feeling a little human and it is time to get slammed  again.

Would I do it again? Yes with no questions asked… but they won't let me go more than 6 rounds because it is too hard on your body.

I have heard it is also a great springboard for other treatments. I just started Ipi and hopefully it helps it.

Get familiar with the side effects you may face and stay close to your doctors staff on questions and if anything is wrong like fever and too much diarrhea so they can get on it immediately.

I can't really think of anything about it that was fun. I'm sorry to report that .  The first round was the worst for me because I was in fear and did not understand it all. The last couple rounds they will probably give you an extra weeks break so your body has time to build to the blood levels it needs to be at.

Hopefully you will get through all the rounds problem free and become NED.

We are praying for you and family.

Rocky (Stage IV Liver Mets)

Hi Nicki –

I'm in the middle of the Bio-Chem with UCCC right now.  It was a very difficult choice to make – I had been to Mayo and had been recommended Leukine, but I wanted something more aggressive.  It certainly is that.  Just before I started I had a PET scan that showed a new tumor growth in my axillary lymph node region.  It was very IIIc because it was a local reoccurrence.  He recommended I continue with the bio chem and I did.

Its brutal, I won't lie – more on that later.  But, between rounds 2 and 3 I had another PET scan before surgery to remove the tumor (left it in to see how it responded to the chemo).  The PET scan this time showed a complete metastatic respose to the chemo meaning the tumor was completely inactive and not uptaking any amount of FDG.  That was really GOOD news.  At least, I feel like the melanoma cells in my body (tumor and other) are being affected by this treatment.  I have hopes that it will give me added years to raise my son (I'm a single mom to an 8 year old son).  I will be back in Colorado Jan 8 for round 3 and back again Jan 22 for round 4.  Hope to recover during the month of feb.

Here are the specifics of the treatment – at least in my case:  They will put a PIC line in your upper arm (and remove it after each 5 day round).  You then go to your room (my rooms have all had lovely views, not that I noticed after the first afternoon).  They'll start to hydrate you with saline through your PIC line for a couple of hours.  Next comes the anti-nausia drip for an hour..THEN they start with the DTIC.  You only get that the first day…but, its the one that makes you the most sick.  Over the next couple of hours, they start all the chemo meds – including IL-2 which, I think, is a constant drip over the next 5 days.  By evening I'm throwing up.  They come in and give me meds…but, I throw up most of the night.  Then…you're pretty much out of it.  Laying in bed trying to sleep or keep yourself from throwing up.  The days don't go fast…but, you can't DO anything either.  TV isn't possible because you can't concentrate.  Most visitors I remember being there…but, not any specifics of our conversation.  They come in EVERY hour to take your blood pressure.  Nurses are generally very nice.  I developed mouth sores (like a thrush) and this is very uncomfortable. 

On the Friday – they release you.  I was sick all over again because then you change from the IV drugs to oral meds that are generally not as strong.  The first three days home is a blur.  You don't eat…just sick and trying to drink and get the mouth sores to go away.  The next week isn't great either…nausia, diareha, not eating much, very weak.  I've lost about 25 lbs so far.  Finally, about 10 days out…I start to feel OK again…but, its really not until 3 weeks out that your stomach is back on track. 

I've lost most of my hair and am very weak.  But, it is something you can get through.  The worse part is going back.  I feel better that my tumor had responded and have some level of confidence that its helping and will be worth it.  We'll see. 

Hope this helps.  Feel free to ask any questions you might have. 

– Shari, IIIc.

Hi Nicki –

I'm in the middle of the Bio-Chem with UCCC right now.  It was a very difficult choice to make – I had been to Mayo and had been recommended Leukine, but I wanted something more aggressive.  It certainly is that.  Just before I started I had a PET scan that showed a new tumor growth in my axillary lymph node region.  It was very IIIc because it was a local reoccurrence.  He recommended I continue with the bio chem and I did.

Its brutal, I won't lie – more on that later.  But, between rounds 2 and 3 I had another PET scan before surgery to remove the tumor (left it in to see how it responded to the chemo).  The PET scan this time showed a complete metastatic respose to the chemo meaning the tumor was completely inactive and not uptaking any amount of FDG.  That was really GOOD news.  At least, I feel like the melanoma cells in my body (tumor and other) are being affected by this treatment.  I have hopes that it will give me added years to raise my son (I'm a single mom to an 8 year old son).  I will be back in Colorado Jan 8 for round 3 and back again Jan 22 for round 4.  Hope to recover during the month of feb.

Here are the specifics of the treatment – at least in my case:  They will put a PIC line in your upper arm (and remove it after each 5 day round).  You then go to your room (my rooms have all had lovely views, not that I noticed after the first afternoon).  They'll start to hydrate you with saline through your PIC line for a couple of hours.  Next comes the anti-nausia drip for an hour..THEN they start with the DTIC.  You only get that the first day…but, its the one that makes you the most sick.  Over the next couple of hours, they start all the chemo meds – including IL-2 which, I think, is a constant drip over the next 5 days.  By evening I'm throwing up.  They come in and give me meds…but, I throw up most of the night.  Then…you're pretty much out of it.  Laying in bed trying to sleep or keep yourself from throwing up.  The days don't go fast…but, you can't DO anything either.  TV isn't possible because you can't concentrate.  Most visitors I remember being there…but, not any specifics of our conversation.  They come in EVERY hour to take your blood pressure.  Nurses are generally very nice.  I developed mouth sores (like a thrush) and this is very uncomfortable. 

On the Friday – they release you.  I was sick all over again because then you change from the IV drugs to oral meds that are generally not as strong.  The first three days home is a blur.  You don't eat…just sick and trying to drink and get the mouth sores to go away.  The next week isn't great either…nausia, diareha, not eating much, very weak.  I've lost about 25 lbs so far.  Finally, about 10 days out…I start to feel OK again…but, its really not until 3 weeks out that your stomach is back on track. 

I've lost most of my hair and am very weak.  But, it is something you can get through.  The worse part is going back.  I feel better that my tumor had responded and have some level of confidence that its helping and will be worth it.  We'll see. 

Hope this helps.  Feel free to ask any questions you might have. 

– Shari, IIIc.

Hi Nikki – my friend Christina just finished 6 rounds in San Francisco – all tumors are gone now except one (which appears to be dead and shrinking).  She is a great resource for info on biochemo and you can contact her through her blog.  http://strongenough-christina.blogspot.com/

She went from 3B to Stage 4 in just a few months and biochemo was her first treatment,

All my best to you

Emily (wife of Mike Stage 3a)

Hi Nikki – my friend Christina just finished 6 rounds in San Francisco – all tumors are gone now except one (which appears to be dead and shrinking).  She is a great resource for info on biochemo and you can contact her through her blog.  http://strongenough-christina.blogspot.com/

She went from 3B to Stage 4 in just a few months and biochemo was her first treatment,

All my best to you

Emily (wife of Mike Stage 3a)

Hi Nicki,

I did 3 rounds of bio-chemo in the fall of 2006 and remain NED! The treatment was rough but you'll get through it. I missed about 4 months of work but haven't missed a day due to illness since I went back to work. It takes a a while to feel good again….it is a process!

I've been able to return to doing the thingsI love and sometime go days withouty thinking about melanoma. I love to run and have run 5 marathons since completing bio-chemo. In fact, I have to cut this short to meet friends for a 10 mile run 🙂

please email me if you have any questions or just want to "talk"

All my best!

Kevin

Hi Nicki,

I did 3 rounds of bio-chemo in the fall of 2006 and remain NED! The treatment was rough but you'll get through it. I missed about 4 months of work but haven't missed a day due to illness since I went back to work. It takes a a while to feel good again….it is a process!

I've been able to return to doing the thingsI love and sometime go days withouty thinking about melanoma. I love to run and have run 5 marathons since completing bio-chemo. In fact, I have to cut this short to meet friends for a 10 mile run 🙂

please email me if you have any questions or just want to "talk"

All my best!

Kevin

Hi Nicoli,

I went through Biochemotherapy for 18 months in November of 2006 when I went to stage IV. I did 6 months of IL-2 with Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Carboplatin and Temodar. The remaining 12 months were high dose IL-2. I also had to self inject in between hospitalizations with IL-2 and Leukine.

It was not easy in the least. All the side effects my oncologist mentioned, I got.

One kind of funny thing was that my doctor said that the average patient loses 20 pounds, and I was determined that I would not be the average patient. When I was home and feeling hungry, I had serious cravings for Taco Bell and Chipotle, and I maybe lost 5 pounds.

I finished treatment in March of 2008, during the treatment I lost my mom to cancer. But here it is in 2010, the Biochemotherapy completely shrunk my tumor away. I know I am one of the lucky ones. I just celebrated my 50th birthday in August, and I would do this over again in a heartbeat.

I was lucky to meet Christina. We have the same doctor and I hope that she experiences the progress that I have. Please keep us posted. There is hope!

Suzanne from California

Hi Nicoli,

I went through Biochemotherapy for 18 months in November of 2006 when I went to stage IV. I did 6 months of IL-2 with Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Carboplatin and Temodar. The remaining 12 months were high dose IL-2. I also had to self inject in between hospitalizations with IL-2 and Leukine.

It was not easy in the least. All the side effects my oncologist mentioned, I got.

One kind of funny thing was that my doctor said that the average patient loses 20 pounds, and I was determined that I would not be the average patient. When I was home and feeling hungry, I had serious cravings for Taco Bell and Chipotle, and I maybe lost 5 pounds.

I finished treatment in March of 2008, during the treatment I lost my mom to cancer. But here it is in 2010, the Biochemotherapy completely shrunk my tumor away. I know I am one of the lucky ones. I just celebrated my 50th birthday in August, and I would do this over again in a heartbeat.

I was lucky to meet Christina. We have the same doctor and I hope that she experiences the progress that I have. Please keep us posted. There is hope!

Suzanne from California

Hi Nicoli,

I went through Biochemotherapy for 18 months in November of 2006 when I went to stage IV. I did 6 months of IL-2 with Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Carboplatin and Temodar. The remaining 12 months were high dose IL-2. I also had to self inject in between hospitalizations with IL-2 and Leukine.

It was not easy in the least. All the side effects my oncologist mentioned, I got.

One kind of funny thing was that my doctor said that the average patient loses 20 pounds, and I was determined that I would not be the average patient. When I was home and feeling hungry, I had serious cravings for Taco Bell and Chipotle, and I maybe lost 5 pounds.

I finished treatment in March of 2008, during the treatment I lost my mom to cancer. But here it is in 2010, the Biochemotherapy completely shrunk my tumor away. I know I am one of the lucky ones. I just celebrated my 50th birthday in August, and I would do this over again in a heartbeat.

I was lucky to meet Christina. We have the same doctor and I hope that she experiences the progress that I have. Please keep us posted. There is hope!

Suzanne from California

Hi Nicoli,

I went through Biochemotherapy for 18 months in November of 2006 when I went to stage IV. I did 6 months of IL-2 with Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Carboplatin and Temodar. The remaining 12 months were high dose IL-2. I also had to self inject in between hospitalizations with IL-2 and Leukine.

It was not easy in the least. All the side effects my oncologist mentioned, I got.

One kind of funny thing was that my doctor said that the average patient loses 20 pounds, and I was determined that I would not be the average patient. When I was home and feeling hungry, I had serious cravings for Taco Bell and Chipotle, and I maybe lost 5 pounds.

I finished treatment in March of 2008, during the treatment I lost my mom to cancer. But here it is in 2010, the Biochemotherapy completely shrunk my tumor away. I know I am one of the lucky ones. I just celebrated my 50th birthday in August, and I would do this over again in a heartbeat.

I was lucky to meet Christina. We have the same doctor and I hope that she experiences the progress that I have. Please keep us posted. There is hope!

Suzanne from California

My husband was Stage IV when he did bio-chemo (details are in my profile).  I am not going to lie, it was a brutal treatment – but Ken is now NED 5.5 years and he would do it again in a heartbeat.  The good part is that due to Ativan my husband hardly remembers any of it.  Set your mind to it and you can do this if you feel it is the best treatment option for you. 

Erica & Ken

My husband was Stage IV when he did bio-chemo (details are in my profile).  I am not going to lie, it was a brutal treatment – but Ken is now NED 5.5 years and he would do it again in a heartbeat.  The good part is that due to Ativan my husband hardly remembers any of it.  Set your mind to it and you can do this if you feel it is the best treatment option for you. 

Erica & Ken