Xgeva for bones, and Avastin (pain, chemo, treatment, remission)
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Has anyone here been on Xgeva to help slow cancer that spread to their bones? Can you tell me your experience with it? If not Xgeva, what drug did they put you on?
Anyone on Avastin, a monoclonal antibody? Has it helped? Made a difference?
Location: Finally the house is done and we are in Port St. Lucie!
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I'm on 5FU + Avastin to treat my colon cancer metastasis. The Avastin did a fabulous job of getting rid of the ascites that built up on my belly. If I understand my oncologist correctly, the Avastin helps the chemo get to the cancer cells better.
From my latest CT scan, I have a MARKED RESPONSE TO THE THERAPY since my last CT scan in August.
The cancer on my liver has gone. I'm now just dealing with the peritoneal cancer.
I'm on 5FU + Avastin to treat my colon cancer metastasis. The Avastin did a fabulous job of getting rid of the ascites that built up on my belly. If I understand my oncologist correctly, the Avastin helps the chemo get to the cancer cells better.
From my latest CT scan, I have a MARKED RESPONSE TO THE THERAPY since my last CT scan in August.
The cancer on my liver has gone. I'm now just dealing with the peritoneal cancer.
I have no experience with Xgeva.
Thank you for the reply. The cancer (endometrial) has spread to my hip bone, that's why the Xgeva. I finished the 6 months of Carbo-Taxol. The Avastin/Xgeva will be used now on. I'll get the next scan some time next month to see how well the chemo worked.
My mother had her cancer spread to her hip, and to her spine. This was before Xgeva was being used as widely. They treated her bones with one of the more traditional bisphosphonate medications - Zometa. It shares some similarity to Xgeva, but they have slightly different modes of action. Their side effects overlap.
Overall, she tolerated it pretty well and it was very effective. Her cancer in her bones stabilized. Never progressed. No new bone mets popped up. No fractures.
The one side effect was flu like symptoms for a day or two. And she had a more rare side effect that is important to know that the doctors did not know about. She had known osteoarthritis for many years. It was in her knees, hips and hands, but her knees were the most advanced. She saw a rhematologist regularly, and sometimes had injections in her knees to help with the discomfort. When she received the zometa, the next day her arthritic knees swelled up and were extremely painful. She could barely stand, nevermind walk. She was otherwise active and completely independent. Her rheumatologist treated her with injections as soon as we could get her in. It improved quickly.
So for my mom, she needed to take anti-inflammatory medications the day of and the days after her Zometa dose to help prevent these severe side effects. Also, they slowed down the time taken to give the infusion of the Zometa. This helped A LOT. I can't remember exactly, but something like instead of infusing it over 1 hr, then did it over 2 hours.
She had very advanced cancer (pancreatic) that had spread everywhere before it was even diagnosed. But her bone mets were never a problem and she has treated with Zometa the entire time of her illness. At the very end, she did have more pain in that hip, so they tried radiation at that point to help the pain.
Good luck with your treatments. Let us know how it goes.
Make sure you have a comprehensive dental exam prior to starting these medications. It can be a disaster if you ever need teeth removed after taking these medications. Some of them stay in the body for 11 years even after you stop taking them.
She had very advanced cancer (pancreatic) that had spread everywhere before it was even diagnosed. But her bone mets were never a problem and she has treated with Zometa the entire time of her illness. At the very end, she did have more pain in that hip, so they tried radiation at that point to help the pain.
Good luck with your treatments. Let us know how it goes.
The Xgeva caused too much pain in my jaw. We were afraid I would get that well known jaw-necrosis from it. Although they stopped it over a month ago I still get fleeting pain in my lower jaw.
The PT scan was NED which means the radiation and chemo knocked it back into another remission. That was the good news but they are not sure exactly what is causing the continued pain in my groin and weakness in my right leg. The cancer was in my pelvic bone in that area.
And now I'm having some problems in my feet from the 6 yrs of Arimidex an anti-estrogen, so I was taken off anti-estrogens.
Make sure you have a comprehensive dental exam prior to starting these medications. It can be a disaster if you ever need teeth removed after taking these medications. Some of them stay in the body for 11 years even after you stop taking them.
My Onc' made sure the root canal was done and I got clearance from that dentist before starting the Xgeva. I have fleeting pain in both sides of my lower saw since the a few days after the 1st dose. He stopped the Xgeva. I take a calcium-magnesium-zinc supplement for my bones. He also stopped the Avastin after the PET scan showed NED.
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