Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#21416 10-28-2006 10:41 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 12
Member
OP Offline
Member

Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 12
I am looking for opinions on Erbitux.What is the success rate? Side effects? How does it make you feel in general?
Jennifer

#21417 10-29-2006 04:25 AM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 720
Likes: 1
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Offline
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 720
Likes: 1
You can start by searching this forum (the link is at the top of each page in the center) to search for Erbitux on all the message boards. Make sure you search in "all open forums."

There is also a search function on the main part of the OCF website.


Leslie

April 2006: Husband dx by dentist with leukoplakia on tongue. Oral surgeon's biopsy 4/28/06: Moderate dysplasia; pathology report warned of possible "skip effect." ENT's excisional biopsy (got it all) 5/31/06: SCC in situ/small bit superficially invasive. Early detection saves lives.
#21418 10-29-2006 05:10 AM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 720
Likes: 1
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Offline
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 720
Likes: 1
Also, if you look in the "Medications, treatments, procedures" part of these message boards, there's a lengthy thread devoted to the questions you're asking. (It's a little more than halfway down on the first page.) You could send e-mails or private messages to the people who have posted there.

All the best,
Leslie


Leslie

April 2006: Husband dx by dentist with leukoplakia on tongue. Oral surgeon's biopsy 4/28/06: Moderate dysplasia; pathology report warned of possible "skip effect." ENT's excisional biopsy (got it all) 5/31/06: SCC in situ/small bit superficially invasive. Early detection saves lives.
#21419 10-29-2006 05:15 AM
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 378
"Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Offline
"Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)

Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 378
Hi Jennifer,

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom. Basically, Erbitux is a drug that was developed for colon cancer that has been found to have good reactions with head and neck cancers that have recurred or have not responded to other chemos. It was approved by the FDA in 2006 for use in head and neck cancers based on the success of the clinical trials that have been done. You can read a much better explanation of the drug on this website home page and by doing a search of the patient forum responses as Leslie has suggested. You can also send private emails to members of this forum by clicking on the icon to the right of the posting date to ask them specific questions about their experiences with Erbitux. There have been a lot of posts on this therapy that you will find by doing a search.

One of the things that I have found very hard to deal with is the uncertainty of this cancer. I'm an RN with 35 years of experience in home care and hospice, I've worked with cancer patients/caregivers for my entire career, and Jack's cancer makes me feel stupid on a daily basis.

As much as we know and are continuing to learn, no one can actually tell how any medication will act in every single case. There are just too many individual differences in all our cancers, our medical history, and our overall health status that interacts with treatments and affects the outcome. There are no guarantees on anything, just promising leads and a body of information that tells us how treatments work in most but not all circumstances.

We don't know why Erbitux works in some cases and not others but it's a great new option that has been added to the fight. The side effect that seems to be most common is skin rash and there are creams etc. to help deal with that.

It's worth a conversation with the oncologist to hear the rationale for or against Erbitux in your Mom's case. Then she can make an informed choice on what the next steps should be for her -based on how she truly feels and her specific prognosis. This is a difficult situation and we are here to help you with our experiences so you can go back to the medical team treating your Mom or make a decision to get another opinion.

Just remember, in the end it's about how your Mom feels and what she chooses to do and you try to deal with it all as a family.

Regards JoAnne


JoAnne - Caregiver to husband, cancer rt. tonsil, mets to soft palate, BOT, 7 lymph nodes - T3N2BM0, stage 4. Robotic assisted surgery, radical neck dissection 2/06; 30 IMTX treatments and 4 cycles of cisplatin completed June 06.
#21420 10-29-2006 05:15 AM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 90
Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Offline
Supporting Member (50+ posts)

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 90
Jennifer,
You will see my post regarding Erbitux when you do your search but my father received it the past Spring and the side effects were minimal when compared with other chemo drugs used in this fight. It is a targeted therapy which is different than traditional chemo drugs. Keep us posted on your mother.
Take Care
Kim


Caregiver to Father:Stage III unknown primary; modified left side neck dissection 2/2006; 8 wk trmts of Erbitux 3/2006 with-37 radition treatments; 11.2010; biopsy of base of tongue results questionable. 9.2013 tumor on left side of tongue; squamous cell cancer. 10.2.2013 Hemiglossectomy(1/2 tongue removed) with reconstruct tongue using left thigh tissue;surgery included IORT.
25 additional IMRT radiation trtmts & 5 wks/chemo. Carbo & Taxol combo.NPO;100% PEG depend;aspiration pneumonia 3/2014

Link Copied to Clipboard
Top Posters
ChristineB 10,507
davidcpa 8,311
Cheryld 5,260
EzJim 5,260
Brian Hill 4,912
Newest Members
Jina, VintageMel, rahul320, Sean916, Megm37
13,103 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums23
Topics18,166
Posts196,921
Members13,103
Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020
OCF Awards

Great Nonprofit OCF 2023 Charity Navigator OCF Guidestar Charity OCF

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5