Avastin

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cherryames
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 3:47 pm

Avastin

Postby cherryames » Mon Jan 01, 2007 1:59 pm

I would like to hear from anyone who has had Avastin as to what side effects you experienced. I may be chosen to have it as part of a clinical trial, but I've heard of several side effects that scare me, and I wonder if it's worth it to take the risk.

Lifes2short
Posts: 549
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Postby Lifes2short » Mon Jan 01, 2007 8:43 pm

If you are generally healthy then there's likely no reason to worry and only something to gain. Many people swear that Avastin has extended their lives and stopped their cancer.

I'm a Stage IV rectal cancer patient with mets to the liver. I read about the side effects and chose to forego the Avastin at first. My first oncologist didn't care at all and was fine with my decision. My new oncologist is a great guy, well informed and up on the latest stats. He talked me into adding Avastin to my regimen. I did not experience any obvious side effects - no increase in fatigue or nausea. However, I have a rectal incision that became infected after surgery last March. It had to be opened and healed very slowly. By fall, I had only a small opening in the incision and occasional minor draining. When we added Avastin to my chemo regimen, the incision opened more, drained more and became much more painful. I had eight weeks of radiation and I fear fistulas. The fact that my rectal incision OPENED with Avastin scares me and makes me worry about the possibilty of future fistuals. I've removed it from my regimen. I believe it's a good drug for most people. Just not appropriate for me.

Becca
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Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
Contact:

Postby Becca » Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:03 pm

Hi there! I took Avastin as part of my 1st cycle of chemo & am on it again. (I just started treatment again on the 18th of Dec...) I had no ill effects from tha Avastin. It worked for me. I started it 6 weeks after my colon resection surgery & I had another surgery 7 weeks after I finished treatment. I had no issues with healing. I suggest that you give it a try, as my Dr. swears by it. If you have issues, you can go off of it. Good luck!

ketel
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:48 am
Location: San Francisco, California

Postby ketel » Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:52 am

As the prior replies suggested, the main issue/complication with Avastin is around wound healing. Typically, if you have recently undergone surgery you will not be put on Avastin right away until you have completely healed from the surgery. Avastin has been attributed with slowing recovery and even re-opening wounds that have not completely healed.

As to the other side effects, most patients on Avastin report few side effects. There is, however, a reported increase in incidents of stroke and cardiovascular events for patients undergoing Avastin. That said, you and your onc doc have to weigh that with your circumstances and the state or your disease. Typically, if you are fairly young and healthy, you are much less likely to experience a cardiac or stroke event and you doc will probably approve the drug for you.

ketel

Magnolia
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Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Postby Magnolia » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:46 am

I'm on Avastin as part of a clinical trial and all I have is nosebleeds. Mostly very mild. I had a few drippy ones when I was on the whole chemo combination, probably because my platelets were a bit low, but now I'm on Avastin alone and just have a bit of an ooze now and then. I had my MediPort removed a few weeks ago and the wound is healing slowly. That's expected. Some people have elevated blood pressure. I was on Norvasc for my BP before I started and we just monitor it carefully. So far no problems. Some older patients have had strokes, but my doc says he has not seen or heard of it in non-elderly patients, and it's uncommon even in older folks.

People are very excited about Avastin. I'm Stage III, so we're looking at preventing recurrance in a fully resected tumor rather than treating a measurable tumor. That's what my trial is about. It looks like Avastin may be the next wonder drug if people can tolerate it. I've heard of a few folks who've had to stop because of hypertension and one because of post-op complications with her incision. Oxaliplatin was a big breakthrough, now Avastin and Eribitux are a new generation of great new options.

sevenyear
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:59 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Avastin

Postby sevenyear » Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:04 pm

Only had slightly elevated blood pressure (took with Xeloda) It shrank my liver mets and abdominal wall met slightly & lowered CEA for about six months; then quit working-best result I've had from any chemo (except Xeloda by itself) over last seven years.

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pjpeace
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Location: Mt.Vernon, IN
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Postby pjpeace » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:23 am

been on it for 10 cycles and just have the drippy nose and blood in my nose. not like gushing or anything. i'm 31 so at least i've got my age to help too. i am on a blood thinner for my port (not a really high doseage or anything). i know blood clots are a worry. but nothing so far so good! after round 4 my tumor shrunk like 30% then it went down to 50%. Also, on the typical 3 chemo drugs for the rest of my treatment.

i'd recommend it though. whatever it takes to get rid of this stuff! and your Oncologist will know what's best for you too in your case.

Best Wishes to you!
Paula
"When you've been abandoned in the desert and the vultures are circling and squawking at you...raise you fist at them and yell "I'M NOT DEAD YET!!!"
Stage IV @ 30 yrs. 6/06 Ms. April 2008
Recurrence to pancreas 2/09 & 6/10

ashwell

Postby ashwell » Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:08 pm

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kgmarcum

Avastin

Postby kgmarcum » Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:41 pm

I take Avastin and I have no side effects whatsoever. The only one that I have extreme side effects from is CPT11 or Camptosar. It is awful but it is saving my life.

bbennett

avastin

Postby bbennett » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:33 pm

I was put on avastin a month after it was approved, I feel that it did indeed saved my live, it did shrink the tumors in my liver so I could have a liver ablastion and then a liver resection. I did not have any sidde effects form the Avastin.

Dress In Blue Girl

avastin

Postby Dress In Blue Girl » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:57 am

I have had avastin through all my treatment. stage 4 .I have been ned for 15 months and my dr has kept me on avastin every other week as a single agent.
the only side effects are runny nose. Im going to stay on maybe another year.
trials arent out yet on its use as a single agent but we are trying it along with others around the country. good luck

bud
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:02 am

Postby bud » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:40 am

see my reply to MPA this date. bud
bud

bud
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:02 am

side effects

Postby bud » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:49 am

I guess you have to weigh the benefits against the possible side effects; no one will know how the drug will affect you if you don't use it, and you can always quit it if side effects are intoerable.
Unfortunately the question is always a difficult one, and ultimately we are the only one who can decide, and the consequences are always ours.
Arm yourself with as much information as possible-(which you are doing) and go forward. You'll never know if you don't.
I've had elevated BP, dry skin, runny nose, joint aches, etc. and I'm presently on a vacation from the drug until these things resolve. I've been on and off it twice, and it has stopped the growth of my tumors. I take it with Panitumumab, which produces a rash. It's not a cure, but then what is?
bud

Magnolia
Posts: 1514
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: Virginia

Postby Magnolia » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:06 pm

bud, You had joint aches from Avastin? I've had joint aches too, but I have a long history of arthritis. Since Avastin it's been worse. My oncologist doesn't think it's related. I do. It's not bad enough to stop treatment. I have only a few more treatments to go. Just wondering.

bud
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:02 am

Postby bud » Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:01 pm

Magnolia: I also have a long history of back pain, arthritis, etc. and although Avastin/Panitumubab has shrunk the tumors-(lung) I believe they have contributed to the joint/back pain.. we agreed that I should take a two month vacation and wait & see.

I'm not familiar with this site yet; I guess even if you get an e-mail that someone has responded to a post/reply, you still have to log in to reply...?
bud


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