Gemcitabine-Abraxane-Cisplatin
Those are the 3 main chemicals in this chemo treatment. I had surgery in 2022 and got the Fulfirnox chemo treatment which was good but didn’t affect the growth around my artery so it spread to liver as lesions. Usually in stage 4 they give you GAC because it’s not as harsh as Fulfirnox (which I had no trouble with by the way). I do see posts where plenty get Fulfirnox (modified) in stage 4, but maybe it’s just for those whose cancer was discovered at stage 4 and this is their first line of
treatment? As someone mentioned in some post, many drs line to follow protocol and that may just get you the safe, typical response. Don’t be afraid to get an oncologist who thinks outside the box, though! Hoping the best for you
@bceg1969 , I have no training in biology or medicine, so this explanation might not be perfect (or even adequate), but it's a quick answer others can clarify or correct if necessary.
You might be aware of how the DNA in your cells is a long chain of base molecules paired up in a certain order. When cells reproduce, the new cells are supposed to have the base molecules of their DNA in the same order. They usually do, but sometimes there's a biological "mistake" in the copying process that messes up the order or the way those molecules pair up.
That mistake represents a "mutation" and it will be passed on to new cells that reproduce from it, and possibly also to the offspring of the person carrying those cells. Not all mutations are harmful, but some are, and they may cause or allow the cells to grow out of control as they do in cancer.
The mutations have names based on where in the chain they occur and what life function they affect. In pancreatic cancer, the mutations you'll commonly see have names like KRAS, PALB, BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, and others. The ATM name comes from a condition called Ataxia-Telangiectasia that may develop in a child if both parents have an ATM mutation that is passed on to the child.
Different tests can identify whether you have these changes in your blood and/or in your tumor, and can often identify whether they were inherited from one of your ancestors or caused by something in your environment (like exposure to radiation, asbestos, chemicals, etc).
Some of the systemic cancer treatments (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, as pills or IV infusions) are believed to be more effective in patients with certain mutations, and systemic treatments are specifically designed to target cells with those mutations. The ideal situation is to have a drug which attacks and kills only cancer cells while leaving normal, healthy cells alone. Researchers are making good progress on this, but are still far from the holy grail of an answer.
Cancer cells try really hard to stay alive, and may adapt to their harsh new environment by developing new mutations that provide resistance to the drugs that are attacking them. Drug resistance typically requires switching to a different treatment.
GAC. If it doesn’t work effectively, then I’m hoping for a clinical trial. My drs tell me there are 2 specific to my other 2 pancreatic mutations (tp53 and tsc2) occurring in cities nearby so I’m hoping I’ll be a candidate for them.
@bceg1969 , I have no training in biology or medicine, so this explanation might not be perfect (or even adequate), but it's a quick answer others can clarify or correct if necessary.
You might be aware of how the DNA in your cells is a long chain of base molecules paired up in a certain order. When cells reproduce, the new cells are supposed to have the base molecules of their DNA in the same order. They usually do, but sometimes there's a biological "mistake" in the copying process that messes up the order or the way those molecules pair up.
That mistake represents a "mutation" and it will be passed on to new cells that reproduce from it, and possibly also to the offspring of the person carrying those cells. Not all mutations are harmful, but some are, and they may cause or allow the cells to grow out of control as they do in cancer.
The mutations have names based on where in the chain they occur and what life function they affect. In pancreatic cancer, the mutations you'll commonly see have names like KRAS, PALB, BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, and others. The ATM name comes from a condition called Ataxia-Telangiectasia that may develop in a child if both parents have an ATM mutation that is passed on to the child.
Different tests can identify whether you have these changes in your blood and/or in your tumor, and can often identify whether they were inherited from one of your ancestors or caused by something in your environment (like exposure to radiation, asbestos, chemicals, etc).
Some of the systemic cancer treatments (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, as pills or IV infusions) are believed to be more effective in patients with certain mutations, and systemic treatments are specifically designed to target cells with those mutations. The ideal situation is to have a drug which attacks and kills only cancer cells while leaving normal, healthy cells alone. Researchers are making good progress on this, but are still far from the holy grail of an answer.
Cancer cells try really hard to stay alive, and may adapt to their harsh new environment by developing new mutations that provide resistance to the drugs that are attacking them. Drug resistance typically requires switching to a different treatment.
@markymarkfl you’ve outdone yourself! Are you sure you weren’t a bio major??? Your explanation reminded me of my genetics 101 class (most of which I don’t remember)! That was such a thorough and easy to understand explanation. Thank you to you and all the others that contribute your skills and knowledge of this complicated disease to this online group!!
@markymarkfl you’ve outdone yourself! Are you sure you weren’t a bio major??? Your explanation reminded me of my genetics 101 class (most of which I don’t remember)! That was such a thorough and easy to understand explanation. Thank you to you and all the others that contribute your skills and knowledge of this complicated disease to this online group!!
Thanks, and LOL... I've read most of that content a hundred times over the past 3 years since my own diagnosis, but really I just copy/organize/reword/paste from other sources while hoping I don't insert any errors and praying I never steer anyone wrong. If I cited every reference I stole from, the posts would be unreadable.
STANDARD DISCLAIMER, EXPANDED: I almost failed 9th grade Biology 46 years ago, and only crammed enough to test out of BSC101 in college 4 years later on the 2nd try.
Everything I've learned since then came from researching a disease in family/friends/self, asking medical professionals a lot of questions, and following the posts and links provided here by @stageivsurvivor and others. Thanks indeed to all for sharing here!
I only speak with authority about electrons 🙂 and I've humbly learned that all the medical knowledge I've acquired is kindergarten-level (at best) compared to an actual oncologist or geneticist.
Connect
Connect
Like
Helpful
Hug
@bceg1969 , GAC is short for the 3-drug chemo combo of Gemcitabine + Abraxane + Cisplatin
Of the two longstanding chemo "Standard of Care" (SoC) regimens, Folfirinox is one, and Gemcitabine (aka Gemzar) is the common base of the other.
Gemcitabine is usually combined with one or the other (Gem more often than Cis, I believe) but sometimes both.
Cisplatin is "believed" to help patients with an ATM mutation.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionGemcitabine-Abraxane-Cisplatin
Those are the 3 main chemicals in this chemo treatment. I had surgery in 2022 and got the Fulfirnox chemo treatment which was good but didn’t affect the growth around my artery so it spread to liver as lesions. Usually in stage 4 they give you GAC because it’s not as harsh as Fulfirnox (which I had no trouble with by the way). I do see posts where plenty get Fulfirnox (modified) in stage 4, but maybe it’s just for those whose cancer was discovered at stage 4 and this is their first line of
treatment? As someone mentioned in some post, many drs line to follow protocol and that may just get you the safe, typical response. Don’t be afraid to get an oncologist who thinks outside the box, though! Hoping the best for you
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsThank you so much
I'll see which they put him on tomorrow
What did they give you for chemo for the liver lesions?
Thank you!
What is an ATM mutation?
@bceg1969 , I have no training in biology or medicine, so this explanation might not be perfect (or even adequate), but it's a quick answer others can clarify or correct if necessary.
You might be aware of how the DNA in your cells is a long chain of base molecules paired up in a certain order. When cells reproduce, the new cells are supposed to have the base molecules of their DNA in the same order. They usually do, but sometimes there's a biological "mistake" in the copying process that messes up the order or the way those molecules pair up.
That mistake represents a "mutation" and it will be passed on to new cells that reproduce from it, and possibly also to the offspring of the person carrying those cells. Not all mutations are harmful, but some are, and they may cause or allow the cells to grow out of control as they do in cancer.
The mutations have names based on where in the chain they occur and what life function they affect. In pancreatic cancer, the mutations you'll commonly see have names like KRAS, PALB, BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, and others. The ATM name comes from a condition called Ataxia-Telangiectasia that may develop in a child if both parents have an ATM mutation that is passed on to the child.
Different tests can identify whether you have these changes in your blood and/or in your tumor, and can often identify whether they were inherited from one of your ancestors or caused by something in your environment (like exposure to radiation, asbestos, chemicals, etc).
Some of the systemic cancer treatments (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, as pills or IV infusions) are believed to be more effective in patients with certain mutations, and systemic treatments are specifically designed to target cells with those mutations. The ideal situation is to have a drug which attacks and kills only cancer cells while leaving normal, healthy cells alone. Researchers are making good progress on this, but are still far from the holy grail of an answer.
Cancer cells try really hard to stay alive, and may adapt to their harsh new environment by developing new mutations that provide resistance to the drugs that are attacking them. Drug resistance typically requires switching to a different treatment.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsClarification where I can't edit the post above: Add the word "some" as below:
and SOME systemic treatments are specifically designed to target cells with those mutations.
GAC. If it doesn’t work effectively, then I’m hoping for a clinical trial. My drs tell me there are 2 specific to my other 2 pancreatic mutations (tp53 and tsc2) occurring in cities nearby so I’m hoping I’ll be a candidate for them.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@markymarkfl you’ve outdone yourself! Are you sure you weren’t a bio major??? Your explanation reminded me of my genetics 101 class (most of which I don’t remember)! That was such a thorough and easy to understand explanation. Thank you to you and all the others that contribute your skills and knowledge of this complicated disease to this online group!!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThanks, and LOL... I've read most of that content a hundred times over the past 3 years since my own diagnosis, but really I just copy/organize/reword/paste from other sources while hoping I don't insert any errors and praying I never steer anyone wrong. If I cited every reference I stole from, the posts would be unreadable.
STANDARD DISCLAIMER, EXPANDED: I almost failed 9th grade Biology 46 years ago, and only crammed enough to test out of BSC101 in college 4 years later on the 2nd try.
Everything I've learned since then came from researching a disease in family/friends/self, asking medical professionals a lot of questions, and following the posts and links provided here by @stageivsurvivor and others. Thanks indeed to all for sharing here!
I only speak with authority about electrons 🙂 and I've humbly learned that all the medical knowledge I've acquired is kindergarten-level (at best) compared to an actual oncologist or geneticist.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsIn my case yes. It depends on the type of cancer that you have.