Recycling chemos?

Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2018 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

So I have been on pretty much every chemo, probably on my last option now. Has anyone ever talked to their MO about reusing an old chemo that maybe worked for a year or 2 before progression?

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  • blainejennifer
    blainejennifer Member Posts: 1,848
    edited June 2018

    Yes! Just had that discussion with my MO on Friday. While I still have some chemo left (not bloody many, though), if I don't get in to a good trial, he'd like to try a taxane again. I had weekly taxol about 6 years ago. He is also keen on trying Faslodex again, with Verzenio (sp?).

    Personally, I need to talk to him about estrogen re-sensitization treatment, like they used to do in the old days.

    I've been at this for six years now, and am now what they call "heavily pre-treated". I've gotten a year out of each chemo I have tried, but the only hormonal therapy that ever worked for me was Faslodex.

    When we spoke of these maneuvers, he seemed to think that 4 years was a pretty good time chunk between old and new attempts.

    What are you thinking of re-trying?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2018

    Well, my current MO isn't keen on the idea and she says it is not evidence based. I would like to retry xeloda. It gave me 2 years and my original MO had mentioned it as an option. It was several years ago. I might have to pay for it out of pocket, but if it works, I will try.

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  • Celebrate_Life
    Celebrate_Life Member Posts: 103
    edited June 2018

    I have retried several chemos. I did well with faslodex. 2 years the first time, 8 months the second. I did xeloda too. Not as successful, but gave me more months. I have done taxol. The way we were doing it, was when my TM went up 3 consecutive months, we would change drugs. Then at a later date we would go back to it. I can tell you it has helped me. Almost 10 years of continued treatment.

    Therese

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  • Daniel86
    Daniel86 Member Posts: 271
    edited June 2018

    Have you talked to you doctor about trying chemos off label? I know some doctors might not be on board but it's worth mentioning if they are not willing to retry with past TXs.

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited June 2018

    My onc is on record (a talk he gave at SABCS two years ago) about re-trying hormonal therapy. He thinks after a few years the cancer would likely re-sensitize. We haven't discussed trying it yet as I'm only a year out from hormonal therapy plus I don't have biopsiable lesions. But in a couple of years I plan to try.

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  • sandilee
    sandilee Member Posts: 1,843
    edited June 2018

    I am recycling Faslodex that I took from 2011 through 2014. I am taking it with Verzenio. We hope that it will work again with the addition of the targeted therapy since it worked so well four years ago. Crossing my fingers.

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