Zaltrap - anyone on it?

[Kathryn in MN]

Anyone else here on Zaltrap? I was on Avastin for 14 months with FOLFIRI, and then with just Irinotecan. I had a treatment break and now I am back on Irinotecan and trying Zaltrap instead of Avastin. My second treatment of this combo was pretty tough, but we think it might be that my Irinotecan dosage was a little higher. My BP is reacting just as it did on Avastin - going up to normal, instead of being really low. I've been lucky in that regard - I know many people had bad problems with BP and had to take meds to control it while on Avastin. As I understand it, Zaltrap usually causes that problem too. I am just starting to have a bit of blood when I blow my nose. I had that issue with Avastin, and over time it got pretty severe - to where I woke up with blood all over me from nose bleeds several times.

Since this drug was only approved less than 2 months ago, I know there aren't a lot of people on it yet. Just wondering if anyone else here is, and what your experience has been so far.

[KarMel]

Me...but I think you know that from FB?

I started a regorefinb experience thread and Someone on that thread asked me about Zaltrap so I gave a lil summary.bp was a big issue at first for me. Now it has stabilized.

[Suze]

I noticed that Kathryn in on Zaltrap and irinotecan only, and KarMel is on folfiri and zaltrap. I am curious about that. It seems like eliminating the 5Fu would make it easier to tolerate, but is it as effective? I am assuming that both of you have failed on 5Fu and irinotecan, but still get it now because zaltrap is never given as a single agent. Is that correct? i have been off chemo since April, having failed all standard chemos. I have felt great all summer, but am now become symptomatic. Part of me wants to back on chemo in order to get a little more time, but part of me thinks that with a little oxycodone, I can live out my remaining days comfortably, and let it go at that, so to speak. I guess I am looking for a chemo regimen with minimum disconfort with some benefits. Any info would be appreciated. Susan

[Kathryn in MN]

I am using it off label. I have not failed on Irinotecan. It is approved for use with FOLFIRI, after being previously treated with an oxaliplatin based chemo. 5-FU causes a lot of problems for me, and actually doesn't seem to do anything for me - I got everything under control winter 2010/2011 after going on FOLFIRI and Avastin. We went to "maintenance" of just 5-FU and Avastin for a few cycles and I had progression. Added the Irinotecan back in and got it back under control. Dropped the 5-FU and the cancer still shrunk and did not spread. So it has been decided, no more 5-FU for me.

I had a long treatment break, but I had spread to many distant lymph nodes and several bone mets. I could have gone back to Irinotecan and Avastin, but my oncologist and I both agreed that I might as well try Zaltrap, considering it targets more than one growth factor (3 separate) while Avastin only targets one.

[Kathryn in MN]

If you failed on FOLFIRI, you wouldn't get FOLFIRI again, just to get Zaltrap. Regorafenib would be a new option for you.