TCH "half-dose" treatments???

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weety
weety Member Posts: 1,163
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Hi, I'm starting TCH this next week for HER2+.  My oncologist has recommended cutting the Taxotere treatments in half and giving each half two weeks in a row with the 3rd week off rather than the whole dosage in one week and 2 weeks off.  Anyone else doing it this way?  My onc said it is the dosage amount that gets into your body that is important, not how often you get it.  Her thinking is that the body adjusts to it better with fewer side effects.

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  • bluedasher
    bluedasher Member Posts: 1,203
    edited August 2009

    You might try the taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin thead under chemo. I think there was one person on the varient you describe there.

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  • pmm10414
    pmm10414 Member Posts: 18
    edited August 2009

    There is research out there that says Taxol/Herceptin given weekly is more effective (about 7%) than the 3 week dose.  I had to go that route because of side affects I had with AC.  Onc said most want 3 week dose for convenience -- I said I want weekly dose I ONLY have one life -- I wanted the best chance for this horrible disease to not reoccur ---Good luck.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited August 2009

    pmm,

    Do you have any links to this research?  My onc was going to do the half doses because its easier on the body, but if it is actually more effective I'm even more for it!

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited November 2009

    I'm bumping this thread up again, because now that I'm almost finished with my chemo treatments, I'm starting to get worried again about this regimen.  My oncologist told me it is the amount of the taxotere you get that matters, not how often, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around that now.  I'm thinking about it this way:  If I drink 4 glasses of wine in one evening, I'll get drunk.  But if I have 2 glasses tonight, and 2 next week, not enough will get into my system to make me notice the effects of the alcohol.  Is it the same with the chemo?  If I only get half the taxotere each week, won't my body be getting a watered down dose?  OOOOhhh, I've got myself in a nervous frenzy over this now.  I read the study listed above about the weekly treatments being somewhat superior, but that was for Taxol, not taxotere.  Does anyone know if it would be the same/similar?  Is anyone else out there getting the 1/2 treatments like me?  I think I'm the only one, and that alone makes me uncomfortable!

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