Irinotecan + Xeloda

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Daughter718
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Location: New York

Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby Daughter718 » Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:59 am

Hi,

I'm pretty new to this board, but was hoping to get some info. My mom recently underwent HIPEC and is recovering. She was told that she would be starting Irinotecan and Xeloda in the near future. Does anyone have any insights on what to expect? Side effects? How to avoid them? (She did twelve rounds of Folfox last year)
Daughter of 69 year old mom
Stage IV, February, 2013
Hemi Colectomy February, 2013
Folfox, 12 Rounds
Hipec, October, 2013

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BrownBagger
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Location: Central NYS

Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby BrownBagger » Wed Jan 22, 2014 12:15 pm

If she handled 12 rounds of Folfox, the Irinotecan and Xeloda shouldn't be a big problem. Hard to say, but I find that combination (I'm on Iri/Ebritux/Xeolda at the moment) a lot easier to tolerate than Xelox (I only had 4 rounds). I don't get the cold sensitivity or the screwed up taste buds and smell. I do get nausea and diarrhea, but can handle them with the usual remedies. Fatigue is a factor, of course.

I'd say that she should do whatever she did to cope with the Folfox. That's a good place to start. Then, adjust as needed.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

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O Stoma Mia
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Duplicate post

Postby O Stoma Mia » Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:22 pm

Duplicate post
Last edited by O Stoma Mia on Tue Mar 03, 2015 2:45 am, edited 2 times in total.

NWgirl
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Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby NWgirl » Thu Jan 23, 2014 11:24 am

BrownBagger wrote:If she handled 12 rounds of Folfox, the Irinotecan and Xeloda shouldn't be a big problem. Hard to say, but I find that combination (I'm on Iri/Ebritux/Xeolda at the moment) a lot easier to tolerate than Xelox (I only had 4 rounds). I don't get the cold sensitivity or the screwed up taste buds and smell. I do get nausea and diarrhea, but can handle them with the usual remedies. Fatigue is a factor, of course.

I'd say that she should do whatever she did to cope with the Folfox. That's a good place to start. Then, adjust as needed.


Ditto. I was on Xeloda, Irinotecan and erbitux; we recently dropped the Xeloda. Hand/foot syndrome can be worse on Xeloda so make sure she has some heavy duty cream for her hands/feet -Bag Balm or something similar. Nausea isn't quite as bad as FOLFOX but it's still a problem for me. Fatigue of course is always an issue.
Belle - "Don't Retreat - Reload"DX 10/07 Stage III Rectal
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Daughter718
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Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 3:11 pm
Location: New York

Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby Daughter718 » Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:01 pm

Thanks all - that was helpful info. I have read that hair loss is common - did all of you lose all of your hair?
Daughter of 69 year old mom
Stage IV, February, 2013
Hemi Colectomy February, 2013
Folfox, 12 Rounds
Hipec, October, 2013

lisandrov12
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Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:55 pm
Facebook Username: lisandro.verino

Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby lisandrov12 » Fri Jan 24, 2014 1:10 pm

I lost all my hair with irinotecan, even eyebrows and eyelashes. But now, two months after my last infusion, it´s growing back normally.
Apr/2012) Dx Colon cancer pT4b N1a, 35 yo. Sigmoid colon resection
Jun/2012) FOLFOX4+Cetuximab
Oct/2012) Switched to CAPIRI
Oct/2013) HIPEC, reversal, hernia correction
Dec/2013) Obstruction (adhesions)
Apr/2014) Anastomotic stenosis

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mstults
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Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby mstults » Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:01 pm

I'm on Irinotecan and Avastin. It's much easier than Folfox or 5-FU and Avastin. Most people get diarrhea with Irinotecan but the Atropine they give you keeps it in check for me. Actually it tends to keep me constipated. I'm not nearly as fatigued with Irinotecan as the other chemos.
Male Age 53. Dx CC with numerous liver mets 6/23/12. Colon res 6/24/12. Started folfox 7/24/12. Added avastin 8/27/12. CT 12/27/12 still showing shrink. Took 17 rounds of FOLFOX. Then 5-FU + Avastin. Switched to Irinotecan for 1 yr. CEA rose to >400. Switched to Vectibix 2/18/15. CEA decreasing. Scans show some growth in liver mets. Lung Mets stable to shrinking.

https://www.facebook.com/michael.stults2/about?ref=home_edit_profile&section=work

Badass
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Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby Badass » Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:16 pm

I have had 7 out of 12 irinotecan infusions and I have kept my hair. I notice a lot more comes out and clogs the drain when I shampoo, but not enough to make a noticeable difference in my appearance. I am optimistic that it will be a non-issue since I have made it this far.
R.C. 12/23/11 at age 52 T3N0M0
3/1/12 completed Xeloda and radiation
5/4/12 LAR & Ileostomy
6/7/12-10/4/12 6 rounds Xelox
11/27/12 Reversal
7/13/13 1 liver met
8/13 Met resection /hai pump
4/14 Chemo completed (Irinotecan/5fu/fudr in pump)

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abuttigi
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Re: Irinotecan + Xeloda

Postby abuttigi » Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:39 pm

My dad had more fatigue on Irinotecan. He also had the hand, foot, and mouth that bothered him. For the hand and foot part, we used Udderly Smooth cream, a recommendation I got here. My dad loved it! It worked really well, and it got my mom to give him a foot massage, which he took advantage of :lol: We bought the cream online: http://www.uddercream.com/
For his dry mouth, he used biotene spray and biotene gum that you can buy at your local grocery store. These helped keep his mouth lubricated and seemed to make him more comfortable.

Hope that helps!

Angie
Daughter to George (64)
Dx'ed Jan '11 Stage IV CC liver and peritoneum, KRAS mutant
Folfox
Folfori, Avastin
SIRT
Aug '12- progression in liver, mets to lungs
Oct '12- mets to bone, Regorafenib
Nov '12- Hospice
12/10/12- Became my beautiful angel in heaven

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O Stoma Mia
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Location: On vacation. Off-line for now.

Side effects management under XELIRI

Postby O Stoma Mia » Tue Mar 03, 2015 2:30 am

Daughter718 wrote:...She was told that she would be starting Irinotecan and Xeloda in the near future. Does anyone have any insights on what to expect? Side effects? How to avoid them? (She did twelve rounds of Folfox last year)


Hi Daughter718 - Irinotecan + Xeloda is sometimes referred to as XELIRI. Here are the side effects for XELIRI

  • XEL-IRI

    XEL = Xeloda (Capecitabine) side effects
    https://portal.nursing.iupui.edu/index.php?seq=_002_005_001_070#5
    http://www.drugs.com/sfx/xeloda-side-effects.html
    http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/Xeloda.aspx
    http://uk.news.yahoo.com/cancer-drug-xeloda-linked-severe-skin-reactions-030032670.html

    IRI - Irinotecan (Camptosar) side effects
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR600805/DSECTION=side-effects
    http://www.drugs.com/sfx/irinotecan-side-effects.html
    http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/irinotecan.aspx[/quote]
    .
  • Side effects log -
    _MON____TUE_____WED____THU____FRI_____SAT____SUN__
    .AM PM...AM PM....AM PM...AM PM...AM PM....AM PM...AM PM.
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Diarrhea
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Vomiting
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Nausea
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Mouth Sores
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Hand-and-foot syndrome (HFS)
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Fever or infection
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Stomach area pain
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Pain (other)
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Fatigue
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Constipation
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Loss of appetite
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Dehydration
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Skin problems
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Hair loss
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Dizziness
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Headache
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Insomnia
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| Taste problems
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| etc..
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...|
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...|
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...|
    |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...| |...|...|
    .
  • Medications for each side effect - For each of the major expected side effects, you should have a plan for treating the side effect at three possible levels of intensity, for example:

    1. Mild level - Home remedies or over-the-counter preparations
    2. Moderate level - Mild prescription medications or over-the-counter preparations
    3. Severe level - Strong prescription medications

    It would help to have the options identified in advance at these three levels for each major type of side effect (and approved by your doctor), although it may not be necessary to purchase everything in advance. Some products may be hard to find, so it may be wise to do some research in advance to determine where you are going to obtain the products in case you ever need them.

    It is important to be pro-active and start treating the problems early, as soon as they start to appear. There is a reason for this: Under chemotherapy, the immune system becomes somewhat compromised and a bit dysfunctional. It takes a bit longer for medications and treatments to take effect, so you need to start the treatments early, at the first sign of a problem. If you decide to wait until the problem becomes almost unbearable, then this might be a bit too late for your immune system to step in, catch up, and quickly solve the problem. In a way, there is no point in taking a 'macho' approach by trying to be a hero by toughing it out. Now is the time when your body needs tender loving care by giving it some form of treatment whenever something starts going wrong.
    .
  • Consent form - If you have not done so already, you will need to read and sign the hospital's "Chemotherapy Informed Consent" form. This is a form that describes the major risks and benefits of the treatment procedure. I would recommend that you read your form thoroughly before you sign it, and be sure that any questions you might have are answered before you sign. Also, ask for a photocopy of the form that you have just signed. A sample template of such a form can be downloaded from the link below. Click on the link, and use the SaveAs option to save the file to the Windows Desktop. Then after the download is complete, open the file and look at its contents, in particular the section on "Risks/Side Effects of Proposed Treatment". This is where the main side effects of your treatment (XELIRI) will be listed on the particular form that they give you to sign. Chemotherapy Consent Use and Discussion Guide
    .
  • Book - I would recommend reading the following book, which gives a general introduction to chemotherapy without focusing on any particular drug. The emphasis is on how to deal with the main side effects that are common to most all chemotherapy regimens, i.e., nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, neuropathy, etc. It is a good guide for someone who has had no prior experience with chemotherapy
    "Chemotherapy Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Get through Treatment ", by J. McKay and T. Schacher, (2009)
.


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