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.
Thanks for your response. To clarify: his treatment was adjunctive. At the time they saw no sign of cancer outside the lung. Now, however, after 4 rounds of chemotherapy the disease seems to have spread during treatment with taxotere and cisplatin: it's now in the liver, bones and adrenal glands. His original tumor was EGFR positive that is why Tarceva came up as a viable second step.
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.. no surgery/ no chemo/ no radiation. Has anyone out there had a similar diagnosis and is there any hope for him. I want a second opinion but do not know even where we could go.?
m doing research as quickly as I can to help she and her husband make an informed decision about what to do...if anything. The local drs are recommending 4 weeks of full brain radiation followed by tarceva. Prior to the finding the mets, they were planning 6 weeks of radiation to the right lung in combination with etoposide and cisplatin.
I'd appreciate any feedback. My thanks in advance to all responses....
My father who is now 83 yres old is diagnosed with non small cell cancer with a large 3 inch mass in his upper right side. They state it is somewhere between a stage 2 and 3 due to the size. He is schedules to start radiation treatment in a week. However, they did state he is fit enough to have sugery but there is not guarantee he would not have complications from this. We are struggling to determine what is the better path to take. Will the surgery give him a better chance vs the radiation.
Hello I am a caretaker. My client was diagnose with lung cancer stage IV. 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....
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 has done very well with chemo and radiation until recently. She was started on Tarceva about 3 weeks ago. Recently, she has been experiencing a lot of confusion. I cannot find anywhere that this is a side effect of Tarceva (it is the only drug she is on at this time). Is it possible that she has a brain metastases? If not, what are the likely causes.
In lung cancer, there are assays for quantitative testing of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR), which confers sensitivity to some drugs used in lung cancer like Iressa or Tarceva. The cost of testing can range from a few hundred dollars (e.g. ER/ PR assays) to around 3800 dollars for the Oncotype DX test.
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...
He started Tarceva this January but it seems it did not work as the cancer spread to brain…. 9 mets were identified in the initial MRI 2 weeks ago but the subsequent MRI right before yesterday’s gamma knife procedure (which removed 7 mets) evidenced numerous other tiny/small tumors spread all over the brain….He has been in relatively good condition (eating well, no weight loss) until these new mets emerged (which affected his walking and reading ability)….
WOW, this is the first time I've ever been on a site and started writing to total strangers. Its kinda cool! I SO appreciate all of the advice! Well, I should come clean with something...last Sept I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Inoperable, i was given 6 months to a year to live... with treatment. I've THANKFULLY made it past a year. i guess the LAST thing i should be worried about is my weight, right? The pain i get daily is from my chemo medicine, Tarceva.
Hi,
Your concerns are valid. Lung cancer is afterall, the biggest cause of cancer mortality. For this post, I can only work with the stage information, your doctor likely has better estimates.
Much of the answer here depends on how much the disease is affecting her daily living. If she stays in bed most of her waking hours, then treatment may only make an impact on symptom improvement. If she is able to maintain a fairly active lifestyle – then treatment may help extend survival .
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.
Hi, My 69 year old Dad has stage 4 Lung nsc cancer that he has been battling for over 2 years with good results from first Tarceva, then Chemo and prior to that radiation to mets to his brain. He is an otherwise healthy, robust, nonsmoking person. Last month he started experiencing problems walking, nausea and headaches. He was referred to a Neurologist who recommended a Shunt to help regulate the fluid in his brain. It has been a nightmare ever since.
The 2 radiation treatments were in middle two weeks of December. I believe the other drug beside the platinol is taxol. Avastin is the drug they won't give her because of possible brain bleed. Does this tell you anything?
I have just been diagnosed with Stage IV NSCL lung cancer with advanced lymph node involvement. Inoperable so I was told but then this was contradicted with "well we could operate but it would not take it away"! Have been offered chemotherapy Gemcitabine plus Carboplatin... or clinical trial BTOG2 currently in phase III in the UK of Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin 80mg versus Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin at 50mg versus Gemcitabine plus Carboplatin AUC 6.
I lost my mother to pancreatic cancer on April 20th, 2008. We found out on her birthday on January 10th, 2008 that she had stage IV metastatic adenocarcinoma of the the pancreas that had already spread to her liver. We found out because she was up visiting me in Knoxville and she had a gallbladder attack. They thought it was just her gallbladder and that it was going to have to come out.
Iam a recent cancer survivor im 19 years old i was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 16 in 2012 leukemia is a blood cancer,my treatment just ended in june 2014 so u could only imagine how much chemotherapy ive taken to my body also i over dosed on accident with my prescription meds.. And also had 2 strokes due to medication also i almost died with an allergic reaction to a type of chemo luckily i was at the hospital when that happened.
Hi my names Hailey and I had a weird kinda painful when you press on a certain spot in my breast I'm scared I have breat cancer the pain goes away it just kinda hurts to press on the top of my boob for about 5 days this is the second time it has came and both times have been in the same spot of SO SCARED its breat cancer please give me an answer I'm like shaking
Anybody finished with Incivek and now has cancer...im only 44 by the way.
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