Need input on Doxil

[katditty]

Hello again everyone.  Scans show disease has progressed: "plural effusions in the right lung, not previously seen" and "2 illiac lesions, one 1c, one 1/2c, not previously seen".  My Gyn Onc wants me to have a nuclear bone scan (injection of radioactive dye, wait several hours, then do the scan) and she also wants to change from the Topotecan/Avastin to Doxil protocol.  This is all scheduled to begin this coming Thursday at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance; we had to give up our hope of being able to get chemo closer to home.  So my questions are: Is Doxil usually given as a single agent, or is mostly used with another chemo drug?  How is the nausea and fatigue with Doxil?  And blood counts?  Am I going to lose my hair again (I don't care but in current living situation, if I'm going to lose it anyway, I think I will have my husband shave it like we did before, I hate the mess otherwise)?  What else have you all experienced with Doxil?  I admit, I'm a bit worried about these new lesions; we're sure the ones in the lung are cancer, but not the ones in my hips; I guess that's why she ordered the bone scan.  Any input is always appreciated from all of you Cancer Warriors out there!  Thanks!  Katherine

[katditty]

Thank you all so much for your input!  Armed with all the information you gave, plus the additional information at the websites suggested, I went into the first round of my Doxil chemo feeling a lot less nervous and a lot more optimistic than when my Gyn. Onc. first prescribed it.  My husband and I are being watchful about the PPE issues, as I do have peripheral neuropathyin my hands and feet from my initial Cisplatin/Taxol IP chemo.  This is my 3rd line of chemo and my disease keeps progressing so I am getting a little tired but am hopeful this will be the one to drop it in it's tracks, or at least hold it stable.  Won't know results of my nuclear bone scan for a couple of more days, so don't know if the new lesions in my hips are tumors or just more arthritis.  I'll keep you all posted, and thanks again for all your support; how could we get throught this battle without each other?

[crecco]

I had Doxil for several months. I did not lose my hair but I did get hand-foot syndrome on my feet pretty bad. A very good web site to go to that will basically answer all of your questions on just about any chemo drug you want know about is  chemocare.com  It was developed by figure skater Scott Hamilton  after begining his battle with cancer. It is devoted strictly to chemtherapy. I have found it very useful several times now.

[Jen Y]

My mother had 8 rounds of doxil and carboplatin as treatment for a first recurrence. She did not lose her hair. Her blood counts were suppressed but mainly due to the carbo. She had some mouth sores but no hand or foot issues. Use ice packs durıng treatment and stay out of the sun. Best of luck.

[rmarie]

I just finished 6 treatments of Doxil and carboplatin the combination did drop my counts, however I had surgery 5 weeks before I started and that may have contributed. I was on Procrit for 5 doses.  I followed the directions of tepid water and no heavy exercise walking or running 1 day before and 3 days after the treatment.  My hands get whitish in the creases however I did not get hand and foot syndrome.  I got a rash went I went into a chemically treated PT pool for back exercises, so I stopped that, rash cleared in 5 days with utterly smooth hand cream.  I did get a friction rash between my knees with the wrong pair of gym pants, took longer to go away, about 2 weeks.  I worked 5 days a week and went to the gym for 1 to 2 hours in the evening for 5 to 6 days a week.  My hair is thinner but still there. I had surgery to remove the cancer, so I was clear then, I am waiting for my scan to be sure I am after therapy, CA 125 does not rise.
Hope it works for you, and as Alan wrote they are using combinations.  All my best keep me posted
Marie

[SimplyStar]

Daughter is on Doxil  has had 4 infusions, single agent  so far, one of the things they didn't tell her to begin with,  to avoid foot and hand syndrome, insist on the cooling  during infusion, Leslee uses ice packs to hands and feet, avoid hot showers, hot dish water etc, hot foods, hot spices, hot tubs, excessive exercizes, she started on COQ10 to avoid the heart damage that occurs with Doxil, she did not lose her hair, has actually felt well enough to work without interruption so far. Also takes Vit C 2500 mg daily, Vit E, eats Dannon Activa yogurt, sage, ginger and green teas. Cranberry capsules. diet rich in fresh fruits and veggies. Less meat, less dairy products,  The Doxil web site has all the do's and don't  for following. Her CA125 is slowly going down now. she recurred with 3 small lesions on the abdominal wall.  Nothing seemed to happen with the CA125 untill after the 3rd infusion.  Good Luck

[alanpvegas]

check out www.doxil.com
Often used as a single agent, also in conjunction with another (Eloxatin w/doxil shows high response with ovca...ask for/about it).  Hair loss is not typical, but possible.  Low RBC and WBC typical/possible.