Mom's cancer still spreading while on chemo...

MPapailiou

Hi all...
My mother, 64, was diagnosed with IV NSCLC last August. She had a liver and bone metastasis.

She went on chemo with paraplatin and gemzar and this seemed to help her at first, since the pain stopped and everything but then she got side effects that caused problmes: her hematokrit went too low, so she had to have blood transfusions, she got sick with pneumonia, etc.

Last week her new tests showed that the cancer has not stopped spreading at her liver. Doctors explained to her all options. At first she wanted to stop chemo and just have palliative treatment. At the end she decided it was to early to give up and went on with having a therapy with Navelbine and Avastin (originally provided for colon cancer). She knows that she can not be cured. She just wants to try new medicines that could probably improve her quality of life right now (?).

Doctors explained in details what are the results of the researches concerning this combination of drugs. She decided that if this chemo won't help her, she will stop and take palliative care.

Does anyone know anything about these drugs? Navelbine and Avastin? I'm frightened that the doctors are actually experimenting on her, while she only has a few months left (?).

Many thanks to all of you for your support,

Mandy

Jaypee · Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:19 am Post subject: Your Mother ....and you

Mandy,

I've been wondering how your mother has been. I'm sorry to hear this bleak update...yet sincerely hoping something will help her endure.

I have nothing to offer when it comes to knowing about what and which drugs would or could work for your mother, I wish I did. But, I wanted you to know, from reading alot of the posts on this forum alone, REISHI has played an extraordinary part in the quality of life for my sister with lung cancer.

So far she has had 3 rounds of intense chemo, "conformal" radiation to start Feb1/06. She has also been taking Reishi in hopes of assisting with her treatment. She was reluctant at first as she didn't want to interfere with her chemo regime and then not really know what or if anything was working. But planned carefully with the Doctor's guidance, she has been taking Reishi and was told her tumours have shrunk. That in itself may not seem significant, especially because she is on chemo. Is it the chemo? Is it a combo of chemo and reishi? Who knows.

But, no matter what, I believe for some reason that Reishi will be our generations anwser to enhancing quality of life for caner patients and even cure. It may seem whacky and even like I'm grasping at straws, but I don't care what anyone else thinks.......since discovering Reishi, my sister's outlook on her disease is entirely different....that's quality of life.

Mandy, my thoughts are with you, your family and especially your mother.

Take Care,

Jaypee
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mikes · Senior User Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 143

Hi Mandy,

I'm with JayPee on this one.

Reishi (and PSK) are widely used as mainstream thrapy in some countries, but are considered alternative treatment in others. They have a very good side effect profile, especially when compared to chemotherapy. You might also want to consider melatonin.

Navelbine is a chemo drug used for NSCLC and other types of cancer. Avastin is not considered to be a chemotherapy agent and is used for colon cancer.

The administration of any medication is experimental in the sense that no one knows how an individual patient will react (not to be confused with experimental drugs).

Also, ANY chemotherapy given for Stage IV NSCLC is considered to be palliative. I find this somewhat strange considering the possible side-effects.

I pray for you and your mother.

Mike

MPapailiou

Thank you both so much for your replies and the information about Reishi!

At some point, my mother wanted to stop the chemotherapy, but then she has decided to go on with Navelbine - since with it she wouldn't loose her hair and it seems to have less side effects on her than the previous chemo. She has all information about her illness, but she doesn't seem to have realized how short her life expectancy is... Her spirit is better when she feels that no matter what, at least she fought back. So when she has decided not to give up and go on with Navelbine - no matter what good that would do - we have supported her.

Concerning Avastin, we have been told by the doctors that the latest researches show that it can be good for other types of cancer too (apart from colon cancer) and that can add a few months to a patients life - especially in lung cancer. In my mother's case, it can add 2-3 more months. Our insurance is covering all costs, so we have decided to give it a try. I hope this is not a doctors trick to get bonus from the drug company that produces Avastin.

My mother has had allready 2 cycles of Navelbine and Avastin. She feels better than before because now she doesn't have the side effects of the previous chemo (low hematokrit - blood transfusion, etc). Sometimes she feels very very tired, but I guess there is nothing someone can do about it.

On February we will run tests again, and I will inform you on the results.

Thanks for everything,

Mandy

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