1. < Pancreatic Cancer

Anyone on Gemcitabine with Abraxane? How long? Effective?

Posted by helenar @helenar, Aug 17, 2022

Hi, I'm Helena from South Africa. I have been diagnosed with PC, stage 4, in March. Tumour between body and tail and with one lesion on my liver.
I have been on Folfirinox for 3months, but it had no effect, allthough my markers came down from 3091 to 357, the tumour increased in size and there is another lesion on my liver.
I have started Gemcitabine with Abraxane.
Has anyone been on Gemcitabine/Abraxane?
If so, how long and how effective is this treatment?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Pancreatic Cancer Support Group.

cathyras | @cathyras | Dec 4, 2022
In reply to @carol1951 "Had to lower my husbands dose after first session. He is on his 6 session of..." + (show)
@carol1951

Had to lower my husbands dose after first session. He is on his 6 session of 2 on 1 off. He started with C-19-9 of 16,000. Now down to 187. It went up last month by 70 points

Jump to this post

You have to know that CA 19-9 alone is not an indicator for cancer. It can go up or other reasons. I myself have struggled with this. Mine goes up and down. What my doctor told me is to look for a pattern of increases. Best wishes.

REPLY
1 reply
pendesk8 | @pendesk8 | Dec 5, 2022

I have been on that treatment for 4 months starting on 5th month.My tumor went from 17.9 to 5.My Dr would not recommend surgery because she is against the surgery.So I went for a 2nd opinion and that Dr said theres no reason I cant have the surgery.Now looking for someone that does it by laprascopy.Much less invasive and a easier recovery.

REPLY
2 replies
sprinter345 | @sprinter345 | Dec 5, 2022
In reply to @cathyras "You have to know that CA 19-9 alone is not an indicator for cancer. It can..." + (show)
@cathyras

You have to know that CA 19-9 alone is not an indicator for cancer. It can go up or other reasons. I myself have struggled with this. Mine goes up and down. What my doctor told me is to look for a pattern of increases. Best wishes.

Jump to this post

I knew it commonly went up the first couple cycles of treatment but hadn’t heard of up and down later on. Thank you

REPLY
cathyras | @cathyras | Dec 5, 2022
In reply to @pendesk8 "I have been on that treatment for 4 months starting on 5th month.My tumor went from..." + (show)
@pendesk8

I have been on that treatment for 4 months starting on 5th month.My tumor went from 17.9 to 5.My Dr would not recommend surgery because she is against the surgery.So I went for a 2nd opinion and that Dr said theres no reason I cant have the surgery.Now looking for someone that does it by laprascopy.Much less invasive and a easier recovery.

Jump to this post

Good luck. Glad you got a second opinion.

REPLY
mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Dec 5, 2022
In reply to @pendesk8 "I have been on that treatment for 4 months starting on 5th month.My tumor went from..." + (show)
@pendesk8

I have been on that treatment for 4 months starting on 5th month.My tumor went from 17.9 to 5.My Dr would not recommend surgery because she is against the surgery.So I went for a 2nd opinion and that Dr said theres no reason I cant have the surgery.Now looking for someone that does it by laprascopy.Much less invasive and a easier recovery.

Jump to this post

pendesk8,

Given staging that allows resection, why would a surgeon be against the only course of action that has potential as a cure?

Laparoscopic Whipple procedures are performed at several medical centers in the US, including Mayo.

REPLY
2 replies
pendesk8 | @pendesk8 | Dec 6, 2022
In reply to @mayoconnectuser1 "pendesk8, Given staging that allows resection, why would a surgeon be against the only course of..." + (show)
@mayoconnectuser1

pendesk8,

Given staging that allows resection, why would a surgeon be against the only course of action that has potential as a cure?

Laparoscopic Whipple procedures are performed at several medical centers in the US, including Mayo.

Jump to this post

She wanted me to continue on chemo until death,yes really.She didn't know she had a fighter.She said if I had the surgery it would just come back anyway.I told her if I even got two years thats two years more.Thanks for the info.

REPLY
1 reply
mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Dec 6, 2022

pendesk,

OK, so it was staged as non-resectable. Sorry, I misunderstood.

REPLY
1 reply
pendesk8 | @pendesk8 | Dec 9, 2022
In reply to @mayoconnectuser1 "pendesk, OK, so it was staged as non-resectable. Sorry, I misunderstood." + (show)
@mayoconnectuser1

pendesk,

OK, so it was staged as non-resectable. Sorry, I misunderstood.

Jump to this post

Thats what she said but if I wouldn't gotten on pancreatic .org I would of never known any different.my cancer is in lymphnodes only ,not in any other organ,which means after responsive chemo and maybe radiation that you can have the whipple.She is against the surgery completely.

REPLY
1 reply
mayoconnectuser1 | @mayoconnectuser1 | Dec 9, 2022
In reply to @pendesk8 "Thats what she said but if I wouldn't gotten on pancreatic .org I would of never..." + (show)
@pendesk8

Thats what she said but if I wouldn't gotten on pancreatic .org I would of never known any different.my cancer is in lymphnodes only ,not in any other organ,which means after responsive chemo and maybe radiation that you can have the whipple.She is against the surgery completely.

Jump to this post

pendesk,

So, to be clear, the cancer started on your pancreas and has spread to lymph nodes?

REPLY
1 reply
pendesk8 | @pendesk8 | Dec 10, 2022
In reply to @mayoconnectuser1 "pendesk, So, to be clear, the cancer started on your pancreas and has spread to lymph..." + (show)
@mayoconnectuser1

pendesk,

So, to be clear, the cancer started on your pancreas and has spread to lymph nodes?

Jump to this post

yes,3 to be exact.Last pet scan showed no cancer in lymph nodes.

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.