How long will Avastin keep ovarian cancer at bay?

Posted by jo72 @jo72, Apr 7 9:33am

I have Stage 4 cancer and I’m very unhappy with my oncologist. I live in a rural area and he’s my only choice unless I travel out of my community. I’ve been on Avastin only since last August. Chemo probably got rid of a lot of small tumors in my abdominal area but not some larger ones. In my last visit, my oncologist just said how lucky I am. Avastin usually only works for 6 months. He is really, really bad about answering questions and I think about giving adequate information. Does anyone have better information on this and what to expect?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Gynecologic Cancers Support Group.

parrot53 | @parrot53 | Apr 8 7:22am

Sorry to hear you are unhappy with your oncologist. Do you have a teaching hospital in your state? They often provide the best care. It sounds like you might benefit from a second opinion and a trip may be worth your time. Here is some general information on Avastin. You might also look up how long Avastin works for your kind of cancer.
Wishing you the best outcome possible on your journey.

://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/avastin#what-it-is

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 8 1:38pm

Hi @jo72, to help me connect you with others, can you please share the type of cancer you have?

jo72 | @jo72 | Apr 15 4:55pm

I have ovarian cancer, Stage 4

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 19 7:14pm

In reply to @jo72 "I have ovarian cancer, Stage 4" + (show)

Thanks for the additional information, @jo72. I moved your question to the Gynecologic Cancers support group here: connect.mayoclinic.org/group/gynecologic-cancer/

And am tagging members like @starko @katherinehayes @cancerback @rainna @rlg @corday7578 @katycot @jodimj @lathomasmd, who also have experience with bevacizumab (Avastin) as maintenance therapy for ovarian cancer.

Are you continuing with Avastin? How are you tolerating it?

jo72 | @jo72 | Apr 20 8:50am

In reply to @colleenyoung "Thanks for the additional information, @jo72. I moved your question to the Gynecologic Cancers support group..." + (show)

I’m continuing on Avastin so far. Chemo ended last August and I’ve been on just Avastin since then. My oncologist just told me how lucky I am because it’s stopped the tumors from growing longer than it usually does. He’d failed to tell me that before so that was a bit tough. But I just had my periodic CT scan and they’re still unchanged.

Thanks so much! 🙏🏽 I’m still trying to figure out how this works and how to connect to people.

val64 | @val64 | Apr 20 10:00am

When the best treatment available still isn't much good, many people probably don't want to know.

I know that the treatment I'm on is only delaying the inevitable by a matter of a few months. But I'm still imagining that once I progress on this treatment, I'm going to find a clinical trial that will actually help, even though realistically I know that's unlikely. I need the hope.

lathomasmd | @lathomasmd | Apr 20 11:56am

To jo72: I strongly recommend you get a second opinion. Sounds like it will mean major travel, but it is worth it. At best, you will be reassured that you are getting the best treatment from your local oncologist. At worst, you will learn of other treatments that may be even better.
Places to look for a second opinion: as mentioned above, the nearest medical school (teaching hospital). Also consider Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic,
M D Anderson Cancer Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital. Whichever is easiest to get to. Good luck!

jo72 | @jo72 | Apr 21 2:37am

In reply to @lathomasmd "To jo72: I strongly recommend you get a second opinion. Sounds like it will mean major..." + (show)

Thank you! I’ve been considering doing that. UC Davis Medical Center which is only an hour from me has a cancer center. But my husband and I adopted 2 children with physical disabilities. We used to take them to UC Davis Med Center but we were very dissatisfied with the clinics there so ended up going all the way to Stanford Medical Center which is about 3+ hours away for their speciality care. I think that negative history is making it harder for me to decide.

I’m coming to see my cousins in northern Minnesota in July. My sister was reminding me that my mom once came to visit our family there and while she was visiting, she went to your medical center for your diagnostic expertise. I’d love to do that too but that’s a bit far from California for continuing consultations.

I’ll make an appt. with my GP to see what she recommends. Thank you. 🙏🏽

jo72 | @jo72 | Apr 21 2:50am

In reply to @val64 "When the best treatment available still isn't much good, many people probably don't want to know...." + (show)

That’s the recently learned reality that I’m now trying to deal with. I’m trying to join our women’s cancer support group here to get more support but here in my rural area, besides not the best medical care, that’s been pretty much a bust as well.

Hope is a good thing. Even if not realized, it’s so much better for us than the alternative don’t you think?

I guess when Avastin stops working, there are 5 other chemo drugs they can try. I understand they have a far smaller chance of success. Can I ask if you’ve gone through that type of chemo treatment after your original?

val64 | @val64 | Apr 21 7:23pm

In reply to @jo72 "That’s the recently learned reality that I’m now trying to deal with. I’m trying to join..." + (show)

I have endometrial cancer, so I haven't tried the other ovarian cancer drugs (other than carboplatin+taxol). They do keep approving new ones. There's a new "antibody -drug conjugate" that was recently approved for ovarian cancer, and they're running trials on it for endometrial.

The longer the Avastin keeps working for you, the more options may show up.

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