AC Taxol questions

DanielleS · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:12 pm Post subject: AC Taxol questions

Hey everybody! My mom went today and found out about what kind of chemo she'll be getting. They recommend AC Taxol. They say it will last 5-6 months and have treatments every 2 weeks. But, last time we went, they said it would last 12-16 weeks and she will get treatment every 3 weeks. We're confused. Has anyone had this type of chemo. I know its pretty aggressive
If anyone has any information on this or experiences, please let me know. She will be starting it in about 2 weeks.

Thanks,
Danielle
_________________
My mom
She is 44
Diagnosed 3/7/05
Lumpectomy
Mastectomy 3/29/05
Lymph node biopsy 3/24/05
1 cm
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Stage IIA
Chemo started 5/5/05
AC Taxol (dose dense)
Neupogen shots every other day for 4 months
ER+

Cindy · Senior User Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 167

Hi Danielle. AC is different than Taxol. She will more than likely get the AC (Adriamycin and Cytoxan) first and then get the Taxol. The side effects are different. She will more than likely have nausea, with the AC. It is really doable, if she gets good anti-nausea meds. If they do not work well, ask the doc to change them. I took Kytril and just had queasiness. Painted my whole interior, while doing AC. She will lose her hair on AC, between days 14 and 19. It would be wise to pick out wigs or hats/scarfs, prior to the chemo, so they will be in the waiting. Crackers, toast, ginger Ale, Ginger caps, will help with queasiness. It is important for her to eat as best as she can, esp protein, as she will need the protein to help rebuild the cells. I ate good, all through chemo, even when I was queasy, because I knew my body really needed the nutrition to help me get through it.

Taxol will cause aches and pains in the muscles, joints and bones. She will have her treatment and on days three and four will "crash", whereby she will become very weak and fatigued. She will began to get her strength back on day 4. She may have some numbness in hands and feet. Tell her to ask her doc about vitamin B6 and glutamine, as it relates to neuropathy. I took vitamin B6 and didn't have any neuropathy, at all. Her tongue may become sore. They have some gosh awful tasting stuff called magic mouthwash that will numb the mouth. It was so nasty, I couldn't use mine, so I suffered through the days of "sore tongue". There are other mentionables, but I will let someone else chime in. My best to you and your mom.
_________________
Where is the cure???
www.truefacesofbreastcancer.org
www.diepbreastreconstruction.org
www.bcsisters.org/forum
www.mybreastcancerstore.com

3pturk · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:21 am Post subject: ac and Taxol

Hi Danielle,
I cannot answer all of yuor concerns. But I will be starting the same chemo protocol on May 11th. Sounds to me that she is getting "dose-dense" treatments, meaning more aggressive. AC every 2 weeks for 4 treatments and then Taxol every 2 weeks for 4 treatments. 16 weeks total treatment time.
I would like to hear from you as to your moms progress and how she handles the treatments. I am scared, as I am sure she is too. But everyone here says you can make it through fine. So I am relying on their support.
I will be following chemo with radiation therapy and then Tamoxifen for 5 years. I am premenopausal amd drs. talk about stopping the ovaries from producing estrogen during the Tamoxifen use either by meds, surgery to remove, or radiation. Has anyone out there had this done???
God Bless and be well...
Jill
_________________
Dx 3-17-05,breast cancer
40 yrs young, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, 2.5cm
ER+/PR+, Her-2/neu Negative, Grade and Stage 2
1 Sentinel node pos. 17 neg., chemo AC/Taxol ,
rad.tx

Muttsmom · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:26 am Post subject: Re: AC Taxol questions

I just wanted to let you know that shortly after I finished my chemo, which was different then AC/T, studies showed that there was a higher success rate with giving the AC/T every 2 weeks with weaker doses of the chemo, then every 3 weeks with full strength of the chemo and that was 3 years ago. Mine, is still given every 3 weeks, probably because I got 3 at the same time. So, since ya'll have been dx, they have made progress on finding better treatments Smile

Everyone responds to chemo different, where one may have nausea, someone else won't. I think fatigue is a given with any chemo, but don't assume it's going to be rough, because it may be easier on you then someone else and I pray it goes easy and I KNOW ya'll will do great through treatment.
Hugs
Nancy
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

MiaNC · Regular Joined: 20 Apr 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Georgia

I cannot add any more to the first very comprehensive post, esp bec I have not finished with Taxol yet. I got some excellent nausea med called EMEND. I literally had no nausea, no queaziness, no vomiting. The fatigue of course was there for days 3 and 4 after AC. After the Tazol it was day 4 and 5. I also took Vitamin B6 and Tonic water in case of neuropathy, none so far.
I drink a ton of fluids. The only liquid I can tolerate is boiling water with some dried SunMaid fruits that I get at the supermarket. It comes out not too sweet and not just watery taste. It keeps me going. SOmetimes I add some OJ with pulp really cold.
Hope this helps
MiaNC
49
Stage IIA, 1 cm tumor
2 sentinel nodes positive, 22 axillary negatives
E+ P+ Her.neu negative
_________________
MiaNC

DiO · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: AC Taxol questions

MiaNC,

It's interesting to hear about your boiled water/dried fruit concoction! I finished chemo a year ago this month, and found the only liquid that tasted good enough to be able to drink as much as I needed was either lemonade or the commercially made fruit2o. Good luck to all of you with the rest of your treatment.
_________________
God Bless, Di

IDC 12/03 at age 55
lumpectomy, SNB 12/18/03
2cm tumor, 1/6+node, stage 2, grade 2 er/pr+ her2nu-
4 AC, 4 taxol, dose dense
33 rads
Arimidex started 7/04

DanielleS · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject: thanks everybody

Thanks to everyone who responded. ya'll have us some great advice and encouragement. I would love to read more and more responses. I am very curious how everyone else responds to their chemo.
3pturk- My mom and I would also love to keep in touch with you to see how you are doing and to keep each other updated on how each of yall are doing. I wish you the best of luck. Both of you guys are going to get through this. I will be praying for you and you will remain in my thoughts and prayers. If you would like to keep in touch with email, my email is sweetieds85@hotmail.com. (anyone who would like to email me, feel free to. I love getting info on all of this)

Thanks everybody,

Danielle
_________________
My mom
She is 44
Diagnosed 3/7/05
Lumpectomy
Mastectomy 3/29/05
Lymph node biopsy 3/24/05
1 cm
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Stage IIA
Chemo started 5/5/05
AC Taxol (dose dense)
Neupogen shots every other day for 4 months
ER+

Marion · Experienced user Joined: 28 Nov 2004 Posts: 60

Hi, Danielle. I did the A/C and now doing the Taxotere. The two weeks vs three weeks is simply a difference of what they call dose dense treatment. The every two week regimen has been shown to be more effective and aggressive than doing the three week regimen.

During A/C I did extremely well -- very little nausea because I had some great nausea meds. I was able to take a treatment on Wednesday afternoon, relax around the house on Thursday and by Friday felt good enough to go shpping. Everyone is different but it is extremely doable. I found small snacks helped with the nausea. Your mom won't feel like eating but it will help get through the nausea, and drink plenty of liquids. for me it felt like coming down with the flu but after 2 days it was better. Your mom can do this.

After the 4 treatments of A/C, I did 30 radiation treatments and now doing 4 treatments of Taxotere. I have no nausea at all with Taxotere but tremendous joint pain that starts on about day 2 and lasts for 2 days and then gone. I have had no neuropathy. While the pain is exhausting, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Keep your mom focused on the success of the treatment and the fact that meds are so much better now than they used to be. All of the women here are winning this battle and your mom can too. Treatment goes fast. Your mom just have to mentally prepare herself. The more control she feels she has the better she will do. She already has you to support her and that's one of the most important things to have. Good luck. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your mom.

Marion
_________________
Age: 48
Dx 10/14/04
lumpectomy 10/26
1.6 cm
Stage IIA
SN biopsy 10/29
1/14 nodes +
4 A/C
30 Rads
Taxotere complete
Tamoxifen for 5 years

sgishelly · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:04 pm Post subject: Re: AC Taxol questions

I'll just add my 2 cents...

I did the Ac portion and am doing the Taxol now. The AC made me really sick the first treatment but they changed my nausea meds and the following times were much better. I had 4 treatments, 2 weeks apart, with a Neulasta shot the day after each treatment. I did feel really rundown for about 4-5 days beginning the 2nd day after treatment....so, I was a couch potato for a few days. Also, some foods that I really liked tasted horrible to me...ie. chocolate and beef. I did well with bland foods...potatoes and jello were staples for me during that time. My hair started falling out after 2 weeks. It's not so bad...much easier to get ready to go somewhere. My white counts never dropped.

I am now doing the Taxol...I'm having 1 treatment a week for 6 weeks and 3 more every other week. I'm also having 34 rads. I have had 3 Taxol so far and I have not noticed any side effects to speak of. I do get rosy cheeks and a red nose for a couple of days...but I've not had any problems with nausea, fatigue or numbness in my hands and feet.

I'ts not terribly fun but it is very "doable." Just tell your mom to take it easy when she feels bad and let others wait on her. Also, call the doctor if she has nausea...they have other meds they can try. Try to look for positives....every time I went for an AC treatment, I dreaded it big time...but I just kept telling myself that I'm one closer to being done.

Good luck!!
_________________
Shelly
Dx Nov 1, 2004 at 40 y/o
Right MRM, Left Simple Mast. - 12/9/04
Stage 2A IDC -
Primary tumor 1cm
3+ / 14 nodes, ER/PR+, HER2-
34 rads - finished 5/25
chemo - AC and Taxol FINISHED 7/6/05
beginning reconstruction 2/06
brain mets 4/06 - now stage 4

DanielleS · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 11:39 pm Post subject: Re: AC Taxol questions

Shelly

Thanks for responding. I let my mom read what you guys wrote, and I think it makes her feel much better about things. So how long is your total treatment time? They told my mom it would be about 5-6 months. Is yours that long, or anybody's??
I hope you are doing well. That is great that your body has responded so well to the chemotherapy!

Thanks again
Danielle
_________________
My mom
She is 44
Diagnosed 3/7/05
Lumpectomy
Mastectomy 3/29/05
Lymph node biopsy 3/24/05
1 cm
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Stage IIA
Chemo started 5/5/05
AC Taxol (dose dense)
Neupogen shots every other day for 4 months
ER+

DiO · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:51 am Post subject: treatment length

I started dose dense chemo Jan 23 04 with AC, my last taxol on Apr 29 04, then rads--last treatment July 1 04, so my chemo was just under 4 months, including rads made it almost 6 months. I was pleased with the time table, as my daughter's wedding was Sept 25 04 and was a weekend long affair on Mackinac Island, MI which we'd been planning well before my dx. I was feeling great and pretty much back to my old self by then.

Good luck to all of you!
_________________
God Bless, Di

IDC 12/03 at age 55
lumpectomy, SNB 12/18/03
2cm tumor, 1/6+node, stage 2, grade 2 er/pr+ her2nu-
4 AC, 4 taxol, dose dense
33 rads
Arimidex started 7/04

sgishelly · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: AC Taxol questions

Danielle,

My total treatmen time is about 5 months. My surgery was on December 9 and I began chemo on January 25 and will finish up with everything on June 20...if everything continues to go on schedule. I just had my 4th Taxol treatment today. I will have Taxol for a total of 12 weeks. I did 4 treatments of AC every 2 weeks. And my onco gave mea 3 week break between the two. My radiation is being done at the same time as the Taxol...it is 34 treatments and will take about 6 weeks and 4 days. I am on rad # 14. I'm beginning to see the light at the end of all this. Tell your mom to take it one step at a time...when she's on AC, tell her just to think about when it will be finished...and so on... For me Ac was the worst and it was also the shortest. Every trip I made to onco was getting me closer to being finished
_________________
Shelly
Dx Nov 1, 2004 at 40 y/o
Right MRM, Left Simple Mast. - 12/9/04
Stage 2A IDC -
Primary tumor 1cm
3+ / 14 nodes, ER/PR+, HER2-
34 rads - finished 5/25
chemo - AC and Taxol FINISHED 7/6/05
beginning reconstruction 2/06
brain mets 4/06 - now stage 4

Muttsmom · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:04 pm Post subject: Re: AC Taxol questions

Hi,
I just wanted to mention something to anyone going through chemo. I assumed that everyone was told, and I'm sure most or all of you have, but a lady on another support board was never told and she stayed SO sick. You need to drink 8 glasses of water the day of chemo and for the next 2 days at least. This flushes the chemo out. She wasn't drinking water and was ready to give up she felt so horrible. Once she started drinking the water like she needed to, her next treatment was MUCH easier and has no intention of giving up. You may get bloated, but I did that even mid treatments when I wasn't trying to drink a lot of water to flush the chemo out, but unfortunately that's part of it. Your onco might give you something for water retension. I would buy bottled water so I could keep track of how much I drank and it wasn't fun and I stayed tired but no bad side affects.
Take care
Nancy
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

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