Gemcitabine and Carboplatin

My wife has been on them since late May and she's getting excellent results. She had very large, confluent liver mets as well as bulky abdominal nodes. They have decreased significantly. This is her sixth line of treatment (Taxol, Ibrance, Exemestane + Everolimus + Ribociclib, Xeloda, Halaven) and we were a little nervous as Xeloda and Halaven pretty much never worked. She's tolerated side effects very well, although when she was on the two weeks on, one week off schedule she regularly had to skip a week as her platelets were often too low to proceed with treatment. Also, after resisting it for two years of treatment, she needed to get a port as the gem did no real number on her veins. Ultimately, she was either blowing her lines or the nurses just couldn't find her veins. Overall, gem carbo seems to be working really well.

I did this combo for five cycles over five months. Side effects are extreme fatigue and bad blood counts, red, white and platelets. And not sure is due to chemo but I am also very irritable and depressed. After the third cycle I took a week break to have a vacation to go see whales. After the fifth cycle when I also got fed up, the marker was also at its lowest, and way in the black. So the oncologist and I decided to surgically removed the infected nodes. Now I am on faslodex and happy. Heading to japan to see autumn colors in two weeks. Wish you allsuccess With this combo.

Hi I’m new to the thread but not to stage IV I had bone mets for four years and it just progressed to liver so doc put me on Gemzar only starting next week. I know nothing about Gemzar so I’d appreciate any info you could give me.

Thank you

Aurora

My mom is also having gemicitabine+docetaxel drug combination. She was diagnosed with mbc 2/28/2017. Doc prescribed taxol+Carbo. It worked pretty well. As the treatment stopped the lung mets started progressing again. Again doctor prescribed gemicitabine +docetaxel. She only had one cycle (every other 21 days-day 1(gemicitabine +docetaxel) & day 8(gemicitabine only). Hope this combo works. She is only ER+

I was changed to Gem/Cisplatin and am responding for now. Was having low ANC counts so changed from 2 on 1 off to every other week. Hoping to keep ANC up so I dont miss any more treatments. So far so good.

Combo Gem/Cisplatin. Have done only gem when numbers were not good but wanted to get a treatment in. Cisplatin is what is knocking my numbers.

Looks like I will be starting next week, he is going to hit me with big Carbo on week one. Scanning tomorrow for starting next week.... Not to worried as we are changing regardless. Just want to get started.

I'm starting this chemo tomorrow. Looking forward to beating up some cancer, but dreading the chemo procedure itself. I have PTSD about my last chemo experiences. I've refused a port this time. I still have a 1x1 inch scar where the last one was.

My mom will be starting this combo on 4/11/18. Her ONC is super hopefully that this combo will stop the growth as she was just on a trial, and the drugs didn't work. At all. UGH!

I will give you an update as I have them!

Love, positive vibes, healing thoughts, and good energy to all!

I have been on Gemzar/Carboplatin regime for one year. Regimen is Day 1: Carb/Gem, Day 8: Gem + neulasta (on-site arm injector), Day 15: off. Premeds are dexamethosone (Day 1 and Day 8- which makes me very sleepy!) and Aloxi (for nausea) on Day 1. CT scans every 3 months. Great response- all tumors have either shrunk significantly or have disappeared.

Side effects are very manageable. My treatment is on Friday- Saturday is fine and Sunday, I am just a bit out of sorts and don't feel like doing anything. Don't really ever feel too nauseous- just mildly queasy. Not too fatigued. Biggest side effect is on my blood. Neulasta keeps my white count acceptable, but my Hemoglobin slowly drops. I've had 3 transfusions after Hb values of 7.3, 6.9. and 6.7. Needless to say dizziness and fatigue were remarkable!

I don't like having to have a doctor's appointment and infusion for 2 weeks out of every 3 weeks and I don't like getting transfusions (every 3 months or so-takes all day!)- but the drugs are doing their magic and quality of life is good. I've had every drug regimen used for TNC since diagnosis in 2006 so my response to Carb/gem was unexpected. I can't complain (too much!). Life is good.

I wish you luck when you start this treatment. I hope your response if as good as mine has been.

I'm having same sleep issues but I'm on dexamethason for my brain Mets. Last cycle I lost weight too I go in on Thursday worked really hard at eating because I don't have weight to loose.

Has anyone had problems with rising liver enzyme levels on this chemo? Mine have been going up every week since I started. They're way high. I'm wondering when they start considering that the chemo is causing liver damage. Is there a certain point?