Edema (fluid accumulation in any body part, resulting in swelling) has been reported as an adverse event in 37% of pancreatic cancer patients taking Tarceva, although this side effect has not been reported in lung cancer cases.
However, the type of edema associated with Tarceva use is either generalized or involves a swelling of both legs. Swelling in only one leg may not be due to this drug. Unilateral leg swelling may be due to a local infection (cellulitis) in that area.
Asians, women, non-smokers, and those with adenocarcinoma histology. This drug still has been found to benefit males, smokers, and those with squamous cell histology, but to a lesser extent.
This resembles acne and primarily involves the face and neck. It is self-limited and resolves in the majority of cases, even with continued use. Interestingly, some clinical studies have indicated a correlation between the severity of the skin reactions and increased survival though this has not been quantatively assessed.
When the words first-line and second-line are used- this is usually in the setting of known (and usually measurable) disease. So if the liver lesion represents cancer - we are looking at first-line chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic disease. This means that the chemotherapy that would likely be recommended would be conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy with or without avastin.
Drugs like Tarceva do have known benefit in the 2nd-line setting.
My husband was diagnosed with a Pancoast tumor on his lung. He went thru chemo/ radiation and finally had surgery to remove the tumor. It was successful. He had more chemo for precaution. After one year, the cancer came back into his Adrenal Gland. It is also in his Lymph Nodes. They put him on Tarceva( a pill he took everyday) And after 6-7 weeks, he had tests done which showed it didn't do anything.. the tumor has grown. They said there is no other options..
If the patient improves with the radiation, or maintains adequate strength or performance status(sufficient strength is usually defined as able to remain up and about at least half of the waking hours), you may wish to discuss other options aside from tarceva - such as the original plan of cisplatin and etoposide. This is because there is a known benefit for these drugs in terms of survival when used as first option among good performance status patients.
It has already spread to the spine, both lungs and the lymph system. Doctors triede Tarceva for 3 weeks but her body had a very bad reaction. For the spine they did radiotherapy. But since she was diagnose 3 months ago she has lost aalmost her voice. she is using oxygen for the major part of the day but doctors don't wan't to talk about time. no more medes will be given and she was reffer to hospice....
He has been through several chemo and radiation treatments and is now starting on Tarceva. It has been a long road so far and he has his good days and bad days. I don't think there's any way even the doctors can tell us how much time they have left specifically. His doctor said it could be a year, 5 or even 10, but of course we are all hoping and praying for at least 20 more with him.
Hi There...
I have had a upper right lobectomy on Sept 14 2001.Stage 1A BAC lung cancer...no chemo or no radiation..clear margins and no lymph node involvement.. ..it's been a little over five years now. cancer free. PRAISE GOD...and thou I realize that 5 yrs is maybe the magic number for most lung cancer survivor's...is it also meant for BAC Lung Cancer...I have heard not so....
Thank you for any information you can give me....
She is not a candidate for treatment and is refusing even palliative tx such as Tarceva. PET Scan showed no evidence of cancer in brain, liver or bone. Because she is experiencing no symptoms she is hesistant to participate in a home hospice program. What symptoms are generally experienced and if possible a general timeline for disease progression.
Started off as a knot on the back of my head right where necks start on the bottom of head.. then I noticed I had a tiny knot in my neck. Did some research and cancer started to pop up on the Internet.. I freaked out and anxiety went into overdrive.. doctor examined me and thought it was due to allergies.. got cat scan and the side with knot the lymph nodes and glands was bigger but they said they didn’t see anything wrong ..
Whereas in the past, the “face” of head and neck cancer was a man in his 60s with a history of heavy smoking and alcohol consumption, the men diagnosed with HPV oropharyngeal cancer do not smoke heavily and may still be in their 50s or younger, although older men are also affected.
Dr. Wirth explains that HPV cancers show a specific pattern as to where they arise.
You raise a great question, but the jury is still out on this issue. The effects of cellphone radiation on head and neck tumors has not been shown but also not been extensively studied."
to my follow up question re 'can we test for this' and could there be a relation to the head jerking, he said:
"There's no way to test for this, and I certainly don't think it has any relation to your head jerking."
how would you feel?
Hi all,
Has anyone ever heard of breast cancer (IBC or other) spreading up the neck to cause neck, ear, and head pain on that side? I have a swollen axillary node and pain in my breast and up my neck to my ear and head and nobody can figure it out, even breast specialists. Does this sound famiiar to anyone?
Thanks so much for any info.
In 2005, he had Tarceva. In 2008 they discovered metastasis to the liver (3 lesions) and he underwent chemo again (I think Avastin) and he finished the treatment in March. The doctor said the tumors in both the lungs and liver were smaller.
For the past 3 weeks he´s been vomiting, but sporadically. There is no pattern. It doesn´t matter if he eats lightly or heavily. Some days he vomits once, some days nothing.
He went to see a Gastroenterologist. They did a sonogram...
have like 5 in my neck and 2 each side of my collarbone and one in each armpit...
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