Will insurance cover avastin as 2nd line drug

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harbin
harbin Member Posts: 24
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Hi, I have just been diagnosed for a recurrece that the cancer have come back to my chest wall after 1 yr.  A tumor about 3.5cm is found on my chest wall. So far, no met have been seen anywhere else. My doctor suggests to shrink it first, then do the surgery, then maybe radiation. Dr. thinks "cisplatin" is a better candidate to shrink the tumor. This is a small trial study - "cisplating or carboplatin for TN Metstatic BC evaluation of P63/P73 as a biomarker of response". I wonder if anyone has participated this study or have used cisplatin alone in your treatment. What's your experience and outcome?   Thank you so much in advance.

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  • Cathy-CA
    Cathy-CA Member Posts: 686
    edited March 2010

    I'm using Cisplatin in combination with Gemzar right now.  Some of the PARP trials are using Cis/Gemzar, so that's why my onc opted for that when I didn't qualify for a trial.  I have a full body PET/CT in three weeks which will be my first indication of how it's working.

    However, your heading is about Avastin.  That is going to depend on the insurance company.  Some will only cover it if it is used as the first treatment once mets are discovered. 

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  • harbin
    harbin Member Posts: 24
    edited March 2010

    Hi Cathy,

     Thank for your comments. How's the side effect of Cisplatin? My doctor suggest me to have either Cisplatin or Carboplatin. I have heard Cisplatin was tough, so I am so scared to take that. I see you are in CA, do you know what insurance companies only cover Avastin as 1st line treatment? My concern is that if I used Cisplatin now, and later need to use Avstin which may have difficulty with insurance company.

    Harbin

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  • Cathy-CA
    Cathy-CA Member Posts: 686
    edited March 2010

    I did Carboplatin with Taxotere two years ago and find Gemzar/Cisplatin to be easier, but it's probably because I'm not having a taxene.  I know Cisplatin causes more nausea and I'm having a tiny bit (sort of like morning sickness) issues with that.  However, I'm just using ginger candies and it's easily controlled.

    I was told by my onc when I turned down Avastin that Blue Shield of California (I have BC/BS from a different state) would only cover as a first line treatment.  Since I'm sure you'll ask, I turned down Avastin because my research indicated that it didn't change the outcome and that the side effects were significant.  As a Stage IV, if Avastin isn't going to give me a single additional day of life, but is going to significantly compromise what I have left, I just wasn't interested.

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