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?

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etto | @etto | Nov 6 2:09pm

In reply to @tomrennie "@etto Good luck with the CT next week. Please let us know how it goes?" + (show)

@tomrennie
Thanks for the kind ask. First CT after starting gemsidabine/abraxane
showed slight reduction in the only met we know of so far (2.5 cm on right ascending colon) and CA19-9 down 300pt, though still very high. So we'll see. Amazing that some here have been on this regime for several years!

lvtexas | @lvtexas | Nov 5 4:22pm

Hi! I was on gem/abraxane for four 1/2 months, every other week. Never had a fever, slight fatigue. I did need the white blood cell boosting shot(s) before every infusion (started with second infusion). And somewhere along the way, I became anemic so I had one blood transfusion and a few iron infusions to deal with anemia. I got pretty weak/dizzy and hemoglobin was very low. I found it "easier" than Folfirinox from 2022. I did do the Paxman Scalp cooling so my hair on my head thinned a bit but never completely fell out. On this chemo, most lose all their hair. No steroids were needed, and not a lot of extra meds to handle side effects. I did lose weight on it.

martyp01 | @martyp01 | Nov 3 9:39am

In reply to @shscott "@martyp01 How high did your temp go?" + (show)

@shscott My temp got up to 102.

deniselb3 | @deniselb3 | Nov 1 11:23am

Hi,
Gem Abraxane worked for me.
6 months. Then targeted radiation. Stable. 3 top oncologists have nothing to give me at the moment. Hope Kras inhibitors and vaccines will come to the forefront sooner than later.

carrie40 | @carrie40 | Nov 1 9:14am

To Helena: For me, an 85 year old 90 pound woman (now), it's working great. My CA marker went from 1100 to 143 and I no longer have abdominal pain. No hair, including eyebrows; some fatigue but that is it. I think I have a reduced dosage (which I asked for) and the infusions are every other week. I was unable to tolerate folfirinox almost 3 years ago and quit; had a Whipple in May 2023; came back to chemo when I was diagnosed with peritoneal carcinomatosis about 5 months ago. I hope you have success with this chemo--don't hesitate to work with your oncologist for a treatment that works for you. I am just grateful for the additional--relatively pain-free--years. Courage, Carrie

shscott | @shscott | Oct 31 6:16pm

In reply to @martyp01 "@shscott Yes I was on gemcitabine and abraxane and got fevers for few days after treatment...." + (show)

@martyp01
How high did your temp go?

shscott | @shscott | Oct 31 9:57am

In reply to @gsterle "@shscott i’ve had four rounds of gem/abrax with heavy fatigue but no fever. Lost all my..." + (show)

@gsterle
Thank you for your response.
He too has lost most of his hair and has fatigue and joint pain

shscott | @shscott | Oct 30 4:43pm

In reply to @joealp1 "@shscott I've been on gemcitabine and abraxane, biweekly, for the past two months, 4 treatments so..." + (show)

@joealp1
Thank you for your response. Fatigue and flu like symptoms have been my husbands main side effects but fever seems to follow on the 3rd or 4th day after treatment.

Turkey, Volunteer Mentor | @tomrennie | Oct 30 4:37pm

In reply to @etto "Ditto. Biweekly, 4 treatments so far. Joint pain, especially in hips. Fatigue is a biggie, no..." + (show)

@etto Good luck with the CT next week. Please let us know how it goes?

etto | @etto | Oct 30 2:18pm

Ditto. Biweekly, 4 treatments so far. Joint pain, especially in hips. Fatigue is a biggie, no fever, hair is mostly gone. I'm icing hands and feet during abraxane and so far minimal neuropathy. Generally fatigue and joint pain are better by a day into week 2 each time. CA19-9 has been steady, CT next week - we'll see if this is helping. Yes, good luck to all.