Taxol v Abraxane (Early Stage)

I had taxol.  I asked about using Abraxane but honestly I can not remember why it wasn't an option.  Thats kind of sad that I can't remember.  It must be from the taxol...just kidding.  I would be interested in hearing from someone who did have it.

Teresa

 Abraxane does not stop mets, it "treats them" I think this is the key to this chemo..  Best response seems to be in the lung and liver.  If you do not have these kinds of mets it doesn't really help you.

With early stage disease there are still standards...they may change a little but not a lot.  Michele you are in the protocol other want because you are receiving Avastin with early stage disease.

Another key to remember with chemo is...If your disease returns after treatment the tumor becomes stronger and smarter.  They want to have the stronger and smarter chemo on hand to treat them.  With early disease your tumor is not very smart yet, so they feel they can out smart it without using all the big guns.  Not that "A" not a big gun...it is.  But they just will not move off it as first line one treatment for all kinds of bc.  My onc. feels Ixempra in five years or so, will be the first line of treatment.  It's a tough drug like "A" but show a lot of promise for many TN.

Flalady

Nope! newalex... Carbo is consider a gentle chemo.  But does work for many TN ladies.  My 2nd group of chemo had Carbo.  It did work for about six months on my aggressive tumors.  I think it is good mix for your treatment.

Flalady

I had Abraxane instead of taxol as a first line treatment for early stage triple negative breast cancer as part of a clinical trial (as well as AC and Avastin).  Abraxane is crazy expensive, so it may be hard to get outside of a trial.  But if you can get it, I think it's a good idea.

From what I understand, Abraxane should be at least as effective as taxol, possibly more so due to the way that nanoparticle drug carriers (like Abraxane) preferentially accumulate in tumor beds.  I have also seen some articles saying that triple negative cancers tend to overexpress the CAV1 gene.  Apparantly, Abraxane preferentially targets CAV1 whereas taxol does not, so it could be particularly beneficial to triple negative patients. 

Also, you get to avoid all the steroids and premeds that are needed to tolerate taxol if you take abraxane instead.  Of course it still has nasty side effects like most chemo, but in my case it wasn't that bad.  I was already bald from AC, so my main complaint was aches in my legs that were pretty intense for several days each cycle then faded away a few days before the next treatment.  I didn't get neuropathy, but I think that may be more common with Abraxane than taxol if I remember correctly.

Triple negative cancers are quite aggresive.  In my humble opinion, it is best to attack them with whatever ammunition you have access to the first time around to hopefully prevent a recurrence.

Best wishes,

Chloe

 From this site.  I'm looking to see if the finished the trial. All I can find is where the stock went up with the news they were going to start the trial. $$$$

Generosa Grana, M.D., F.A.C.P.: It very much gets at the question of whether you have early-stage or advanced breast cancer. In early-stage breast cancer, we tend to be very dogmatic about sticking with regimens that have been studied extensively in clinical trials, are FDA approved (with the exception of Herceptin which is not yet, but soon to be approved) and whose toxicity we understand.

So no one would use the results of the phase III trial with Abraxane to use Abraxane in early-stage breast cancer. There, the role is for Taxol or Taxotere. Abraxane is otherwise known as nanoparticle Taxol, or albumin-bound Taxol, and it was shown in clinical trials to be somewhat better than Taxol and to avoid some of the toxicities of Taxol. It is FDA-approved for breast cancer. Again, it is up to the physician and patient when Abraxane is used and whether it's used instead of Taxol in metastatic breast cancer, but it is not a drug that has data for early stage disease. A Phase III clinical trial is a study that is being done in a specific population of cancer patients where a standard treatment is compared to a newer treatment that has shown promise in that area, i.e. comparing Abraxane to Taxol.

Florida Lady,

Abraxane does not stop mets, it "treats them" I think this is the key to this chemo..  Best response seems to be in the lung and liver.  If you do not have these kinds of mets it doesn't really help you.

I just read your post and I am very upset since I am on Abraxane, had my 6th treatment this Monday and I don't have lung or liver mets.  Latest scans and biopsy showed L4 lumbar spine so this is what onc change to.  I have lost my hair all over after 2nd treatment and this is a harsh chemo for me.  I have been on worse 3 years ago. I asked onc is this working and she will be doing scans again.  I am really confused. How did you find out it doesn't really help if you don't lung and liver mets?

Take care,

Geech

Geech, one of my chemo buddies has been fighting IBC for 8 years now.  Last fall she had a recurrence & was put on Abraxane ~ she has had a complete response to it, woohoo!  Hopefully you are just as successful with your tx!

Actually she does not have mets, just recurring IBC.  She is not TN tho, so not sure if that has made a difference.

Ellen,

You sure have had a time with all this.  I hope Abrax kicks but for you.  I tried the sea bands on a cruise once and felt they helped me also.  Try and get your hands/feet massaged by someone who can do a deep massage.  This will really help with the neuropathy.  Also get arch supports for your feet before you start having problems.  They also help a lot.

Best to you

Flalady