Anyone on Taxotere, Perjeta and Herceptin

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waterdog
waterdog Member Posts: 46

I am about to start this series on March 13.  Any input on what to expect or your successes would be great!

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  • CancerVixen
    CancerVixen Member Posts: 28
    edited March 2014

    I just started taxotere, perjeta, herceptin and carobplatin this past Wednesday. 

  • Mmm2014
    Mmm2014 Member Posts: 19
    edited March 2014

    I just started this regimen also and would like to know how others are doing with this?  My first tx was 2/13/14. My next tx is 3/6/14 and not looking forward to it. I had to go gluten free after the first tx. My tummy was a mess but anytime I get stressed it goes straight to my tummy. 

  • ben50
    ben50 Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2014

    My wife is 26 and on TCHP (Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin, & Perjeta) 5/6. Her side effects have actually been well tolerable (relatively speaking). Hardly any nausea, in fact her appetite has been spectacular and unchanged since chemo began. She takes prescribed steroids before chemo infusions to help with this and it appears to have worked well. Her hair fell out a little after her second round of chemo (probably about 4 weeks after treatment began). She still has her eyebrows (thinned out a little but definitely still there) and her eye lashes look unchanged. The first week after any given infusion is the most difficult. During that first week she is generally more tired and has less energy to do things. She is rarely in pain though. Furthermore, she has worked full-time during this whole process and is fine, although she can be quite tired the first week back (understandably). Most likely her worst side effect has been stomach/gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea and constipation - which has always seemed to be her friend throughout chemo, unfortunately.

    But honestly, it hasn't been terrible (mind you this is coming from her observing and helping husband, though I believe she would agree with me for the most part). The very best part of neoadjuvant chemo has to be that her 2.7 lump (very tangible at first) totally melted within 1-2 weeks. By the second infusion, it had disappeared completely. This cocktail works amazing for Her2+ ladies and Perjeta is cutting edge. Please keep in mind, however, this was our experience and your's could be different as all our bodies are different and react to things differently.

    If you have any other questions in regards to what to expect, feel free to ask! When you're married to someone with breast cancer, it almost feels like you have it yourself. Not to mention I'm the zealous researcher in the family (she's happy to know enough to make informed choices - which works great for her).

  • NinaW
    NinaW Member Posts: 110
    edited March 2014

    I have nothing whatsoever to add, as I won't be starting chemo for another week or so and am pretty sure I won't be able to sweet-talk an onco into giving me Perjeta because my tumor falls in the gap between approved protocols, but I just wanted to let Ben know how lovely I think it is that he's on here and doing so much research for his wife. It's really true that an illness like cancer is very much a "family" disease.  Your wife is very lucky to have you on her team! Hope you're taking good care of yourself as well.

  • jhsped
    jhsped Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2014

    I'm on TCH and Perjeta too.  I have completed 4/6 infusions so far.

  • Mmm2014
    Mmm2014 Member Posts: 19
    edited March 2014

    Hi jhsped, how are the treatments going for you. I go for my second tomorrow. I'm nervous. The SE we're not enjoyable. Hopefully I have a better handle on them now. Has your tumor shrunk at all. I believe mine has but I'm not a doc. Please keep us posted. Hard to find other women on the tx plan as us. God bless!

  • CancerVixen
    CancerVixen Member Posts: 28
    edited March 2014

    Its been 9 days since my first treatment and although I am still suffering through severe abdominal pains I am so happy to say I cant even feel my tumor anymore!  I cant believe it has shrunk so much from one treatment. My energy is finally coming back.  Not looking forward to the next 5 treatments though!

  • flantille
    flantille Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2014

    I completed this exact regimen about 6 weeks ago and just got the pathology report back from my surgery--pathologic complete response!! I highly recommend the regimen and hope you have success with it. Be sure to get the neulasta shot, though, because my blood counts went to zero without it. Once I had the shot, though, I really didn't have too much trouble with this regimen--some bone aches the first few days, feeling a little tired and out of it the third and fourth day, almost total hair loss, and very dry skin including in my nose. But no nausea and I usually felt pretty good by the end of week 2. :)

  • waterdog
    waterdog Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2014

    Thanks for responding.  I did the THP on Thursday without neulasta (not sure why I asked not to have neulasta but I did) and I am definitely feeling under the weather today.  Feeling run down.  I have already had four rounds of a/c without much SE and only mild nausea.  My 2.7 cm tumor shrunk to about 30 percent of what it was on the a/c so I'm hoping this next series knocks the tumor out!  Looking forward to feeling "normal" and planning my new hair style.  Three treatments left.  Yay!

  • Anneb1149
    Anneb1149 Member Posts: 960
    edited March 2014

    I had four rounds of this treatment between Oct and Dec 2013. I had a rough time. I lost all my hair and suffered with nausea,achiness and fatigue. I also had bad diarreah and no appetite. Nothing tasted right, not even water. It would start about 48 hrs after treatment and last for up to two weeks. All that said, though, it did it's job and the cancer was gone by the end of the treatments, so to me it was worth it. I am in my mid 60's and I live with my oldest daughter and her family. She and her husband did everything they could to make me as comfortable as possible. Since chemo, I have had a double mastectomy and am waiting for a start date on radiation. All the side effects of the chemo have worn off and I am pretty much back to normal activities. I hope this doesn't scare you- everyone reacts differently, and my point really is that no matter how bad your reaction might be, it is for a limited period of time, and it does what it is supposed to do. Stay strong, and focus on the day they tell you that you are cancer free.

  • Lovemysons
    Lovemysons Member Posts: 31
    edited March 2014

    I just had my first treatment of taxotere, herceptin and perjeta on Tuesday.  Had the neulasta shot yesterday and I'm thankful to say I'm feeling pretty well.  I'm praying this continues!!  Five more to go, then surgery and radiation to follow.  Glad for all the testing to be finished and to finally get started on getting rid of it!!

  • ben50
    ben50 Member Posts: 46
    edited March 2014

    You'll do great, Lovemysons. You're getting cutting edge treatment and I think you'll enjoy feeling your tumor melt to death (if it was ever palpable to begin with). 

    So, one interesting side effect from the taxotere that kind of declared itself here at the end of the game is my wife's fingernails. She has developed what I can only describe as tree ring-like lines on her nails (like a line for every chemo infusion). They also seem to be growing out sideways and getting a little yellowish in color. They can hurt a bit and she has trouble opening things up like cat food, but it's not too troublesome for her. Taxotere's website listing for SE's pretty much described what was happening perfectly and our onc says it will normalize itself in a few months. Anyways, it was an interesting new develop and thought I'd share.

  • carolsue63
    carolsue63 Member Posts: 126
    edited April 2014

    I go for round 5 of TCH+P tomorrow, and it's been kicking my butt. But it's been kicking the cancer's butt too, so that's okay. I'm stage 4 with lung and bone mets. Just had a PET scan last week, and it showed dramatic improvement since my diagnosis in January -- near complete resolution of the lung infiltrates, bone spots are "stable" on the CT part of the scan (MO said that was good -- apparently it's hard to get those to go away) , and on the PET part of the scan, they weren't lighting up anymore. NOTHING lit up at all!!!  Side effects from this cocktail are rough, but it's working like magic on me. I hope all of you see awesome results too! :-)

  • ben50
    ben50 Member Posts: 46
    edited April 2014

    Truly awesome news, carolsue, be proud of yourself for sticking with it for 5 infusions. Perjeta is a game changer. And just a side thought, because you have metastatic disease, you could likely get get TDM-1 if you choose, which attacks Her2+ tumor cells in a new and dynamic way from Herceptin and Perjeta (maybe think of it as Herceptin-Advanced). Keep fighting the good fight! 

  • carolsue63
    carolsue63 Member Posts: 126
    edited April 2014

    Thanks for the suggestion -- that's Kadcyla, isn't it? I've heard it mentioned but don't know much about it. I assume that will be in my MO's bag of tricks down the road.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2014

    My wife (de novo stage 4) just started THP, and doing OK with it so far SE-wise.

    As I see some of you have Carboplatin added in to the mix, I was wondering if some here knew about the rationale for THP vs. TCHP oncologist choice. Can't find much literature on this, but I suspect there must be a prognosis/response reason for having it or not.

  • carolsue63
    carolsue63 Member Posts: 126
    edited April 2014

    I've been curious about that, too. I'm getting TCHP. Since I had TCH 4 years ago, I didn't think much about just adding Perjeta this time. But seeing some people get only THP has made me wonder. I go for my last round of TCHP this Friday and will ask about it if I get a chance. (I don't always get to see the doctor on chemo day.)

  • Kite
    Kite Member Posts: 265
    edited April 2014

    I'm doing this cocktail too. Just had my first round last week. It's been rough with the SE. My first round of chemo (2012) I did TCH and now it's THP. I've looked all over the internet and I've seen nothing but good outcomes with Perjeta. I will hopefully get my scans back from how much radiation shrank my bone mets next week. Then I'll have another scan when my treatments are over. I am learning over all it's they Taxotere that sucks the life out of you. Not the perjeta. 

  • Lovemysons
    Lovemysons Member Posts: 31
    edited April 2014


    Had an MRI today.  I've had two cycles of THP chemo and there hasn't been any change.  I was really hoping to see some reduction.  Looks like the onc will probably be adding carboplatin to the next round.  So far I've tolerated the side effects well but what can I expect from adding this new drug?

  • Kite
    Kite Member Posts: 265
    edited May 2014

    I had carbo with my first diagnosis but I also had taxotere with it so I don't know how it was on its own. I know it all just makes you feel awful. I did have to reschedule some infusions because my counts were so low. My once said the carbo does that. But taxotere does too.... 

  • srdc2013
    srdc2013 Member Posts: 25
    edited May 2014

    I did 3 treatments with TCHP and today had my 4th with just THP.  We dropped the carbo b/c I am experiencing hearing loss.  Apparently that NEVER happens with breast cancer patients.  I'm that one in a million I guess.  I was on schedule to do 6 TCHP treatments and then surgery but since we dropped the carbo I am having surgery in 2-3 weeks and then more chemo.  She doesn't even know which cocktail to use post surgery since I'm off the treatment plan now.  We'll just have to wing it.  I have many of the same SE's - the first week is dreadful.  I get sore from head to toe (warm baths in epsom salts help enormously), depression, fatigue and then the diarrhea hits.  It's 10-14 days of diarrhea due to the taxotere and perjeta but it's more manageable each cycle.  I started acupuncture after my second treatment and it's helped alot both with the diarrhea and my low red counts.  Last go around I was able to go back to work during Thursday of the second week.  It had been the third week each time before.  I had an ultrasound and mammogram last friday and my tumor was gone!  So that's good news at least!  

  • Kite
    Kite Member Posts: 265
    edited May 2014

    srdc-That is awesome the tumor is gone! I got some results that were good too! My pelvic tumors are gone and my spinal ones have shrunk a lot.

    Sorry about the nasty SE. I'm not happy you have had to put off work but I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one who seems to be getting their butt kicked by this cocktail. Ugh!  

  • Skoolgirljen
    Skoolgirljen Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2014

    Has anyone had to deal with hot flashes on this cocktail? I'm not taking any hormone therapy, because my tumor isn't hormone receptor positive. No major sweats, just hot flashes pretty frequently. It's horrible on top of feeling crappy since my treatment on Friday.  I just had treatment 5 of 6, then on to surgery this summer. I can't wait to have this all behind me!

  • Kite
    Kite Member Posts: 265
    edited May 2014

    Skool- I have night sweats really bad. Now I've only had one treatment so far so I'm not sure if it's the drugs but that's my guess. Round 2 is tomorrow. I remember after the first one I had to change my sheets because I was sweating so badly. My tumors aren't hormone positive either. 

  • srdc2013
    srdc2013 Member Posts: 25
    edited May 2014

    Yes on the hot flashes for me too.  They don't cause me to sweat but it's like a fire gets lit all over - it's crazy!   

  • wifessupport
    wifessupport Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2014

    Yeah my wife has hot flashes. She finished her THCP regimen last week and she used to sweat a lot all of a sudden.  

  • Kite
    Kite Member Posts: 265
    edited May 2014

    yay for your wife!! How is she feeling now? 

  • carolsue63
    carolsue63 Member Posts: 126
    edited May 2014

    I would wake up soaking wet the first few nights after TCHP, but luckily it stopped after that.

  • Kite
    Kite Member Posts: 265
    edited May 2014

    I just had my 2nd round. So far the rash is stayed away. My eyes and nose are dropping like crazy though. Much worse then last time. My eyes actually sting and are very red. Hoping for no diarrhea! I'm getting my Neulesta shot today and going for a bag of fluids tomorrow. I've found that having those extra fluids really helps. I learned this little trick from my many trips to the ER. 

  • carolsue63
    carolsue63 Member Posts: 126
    edited May 2014

    I'm with you, Kite. I was amazed how much it helped to get fluids! I discoveredc that on my 5th tx. I went in for fluids twice during the week after chemo. I'd get chemo on Friday, drink Gatorade all weekend, then get fluids on Monday when I went for my Neulasta shot, and again on Wednesday. It was kind of a pain, but oh so worth it!!

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