Update on my daughter

terrismom · Regular Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 46

They finally did some more ct scans and bone scans on Terri. They didn't turn out so good. She started having lots of pain on a couple of ribs. It is the cancer now in the bone. Also one at the costovertebral articulation at C5. a new semicirculatar lesion anterior to the left heart that is 17mm. The ones around the pulmonary artery has increased a lot. All of the ones in the lungs have increased, some more than others. Also in the left Adrenial gland. They have changed her chemo from Abraxan, to A combination of Gemzar and Cisplatin. She had her first treatment with the new one yesterday. So far so good. She was up drinking coffee a bit ago and says she feels fine. The main pain that sheis having right now is the ribs. But he said in order to radiate it he would have to stop the chemo and right now he says he feels that the chemo is more important. At least for a few weeks to see if it is going to do what it is suppose to. He said he had some hope that this one would help but ofcourse no promises.
He did say this one would have worse side effects than the abraxan (she did great on it)). A question for ones that have had this chemo: How long for the side effects to pop up? And what were they? And what kind of success (or non success) have you had.
She has gained about 50 lbs since she has been on the steriods for 5 months. Now he says she needs to get some of it off. He thought she had fluid on her tummy but turns out to just be the weight gain. She cant have salt because of the feet swelling and now needs to go on a diet!! She is being wiened off of the steriods, and so far so good. No headaches this time. The last mri of the brain showed the swelling around the mets have decreased. She has one more week of 1/4 pill and then off. So I'm hoping she will start loosing a little around her tummy to help with her breathing.
Anyway sorry about rambling so long. Just needed to talk I guess.

Terrismom (monell)

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2400

Hi Monell,

Oh gosh -- I'm sorry to hear that the cancer is advancing and causing pain for Terri. I don't like the sound of that tumor around her pulmonary artery either. Same thing happened to my husband. That issue doesn't help the breathing either. <sigh>

Glad to hear they are doing a doublet with a platinum based chemo. Cisplatin is a big gun and a somewhat harsher cousin of carboplatin. I don't recall the side effects of that, but know that Gemzar can produce high fevers/sweating episodes for some patients. Just be sure to stay on top of the anti-nausea meds starting from the day of infusion and keep her very hydrated. Is she doing the Gemzar on days one and eight of a three week cycle? Just curious how the oncologist is running this particular doublet.

I hope it helps ease the bone met pain for her but can see why the doc wants to run with chemo right now over radiation. They do have her on Zometa for prevention of other bone mets, right?

Bless her heart for doing so well this far. Let's pray that she shows a great response to this treatment plan Monell.

Keep us posted and God bless.

Hugs,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

terrismom · Regular Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 46

The first treatment last week was so late in the day that they did the 2 hour part, and then the 4 hour the next day. Starting wed. they will do the full 6 hour treatment at once. She will have it once a week for 3 weeks then off a week. And start over. He didn't say how long. He did give her a bag of liquid to hidrate her, because he said the Gemzar is so hard on the kidneys. As far as I know he is not giving her Zometa. She says her whole body aches, and the pain pills isn't doing a lot of good. I am assuming this is part of the side effects. Hopefull someone has some experience with this combo and can tell me what to expect.I try not to panic over every little symptom, but dang it's hard not to. I took care of my dad with lung cancer in 83, but there was no chemo given to him. My sister-in-law had already been through her chemo when I took care of her. (also my brother in law) so this is new water to me. She handled the abraxan very well only sick 2 times in 3 months. So I don't know what to expect.
They can put a man on the moon, but can't find something to cure this horrible stuff. Just amazing isn't it??????

Thanks All
Terrismom (monell)

terrismom · Regular Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 46

Terri had her second treatment wed. The dr is giving the Gemzar for 1 hour and 40 minutes. The nurse said that after 30 minutes it gets toxic. She said the few that are getting it for longer than 30 minutes are not handling it very well. That they are very sick. The cisplatin is being given for 3 hours. Now I can't get her to eat anything. She ate nearly half of a sandwich wed. during chemo, but that has been it. They gave her a shot in her tummy wed. to help keep her white blood up. Just wondering what the dangers of giving the Gemzar for this long is.

Thanks to everyone
Monell

UneasyRider · Regular Joined: 21 Aug 2008 Posts: 40

Hi Monell. I had this same chemo combination. The gemcitabine (Gemzar) gave me a headache and made me feel bad very quickly after getting it, but it's the cisplatin that had the worse effects. About four days after the chemo, I would be in a chemo fog the next three days or so. Here's hoping it works to help Terri.
_________________
57 year old male in Texas diagnosed with Stage II NSCLC
Upper left lobectomy on December 20, 2007, then 3 rounds of adjuvant chemotherapy
July 2008 CT scan - NED
December 2008 CT scan - NED
June 2009 CT scan - NED
My story is in this thread: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=39609#39609

melkissa · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject: Re: Update on my daughter

I can't offer any input, I just wanted to say I hope this new combo works for her.
_________________
My dad was diag w/nsclc stage 4 & mets to spine & hips on 11/08 at age 43. Large mass on R lung & collapsed L lung. No surgery so chemo & rad 5d/wk. No results. 4/09 rushed to the hospital b/c breathing issues. Hooked up to o2 & treated for infection. Released when o2 levels were good w/help from Hospice at home. In Hospice as of 6/2/09. Passed 6/10/09. Missing you forever daddy.

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