Tarceva - anyone hear of it?

stacydl · 02-21-2005, 08:14 AM

Hi everyone. My name is stacy and I am writing on behalf of my grandmother who has been battling non small cell lung cancer for about 3 or 4 years now. She has had multiple chemo sessions and she will be starting an oral chemo called Tarceva in a week or so. Has anyone ever taken this?
Bless you all who are battling cancer.
Stacy

keithblum · 02-22-2005, 12:57 PM

My mother was dianosed w/ NSCLC last Nov. and her doctor put her on Tarceva as a first line treatment. Her cancer is isolated to both her lungs, and the Tarceva did it's job according to our doctor-after 3 months of taking it the cancer never spread. However, her doc. took her off it b/c the cancer was growing. She has now started chemo (alimta and carboplatin) and has stopped taking Tarceva. While on Tarceva the only side effect she had was acme and a rash on her chest. Nothing too severe. I hope things work out for you!!

stacydl · 02-22-2005, 03:59 PM

Thank you for your reply. Best wishes to your mother. I hope the chemo works. Thats good that the Tarceva worked to keep the cancer from spreading for three months. I hope my grandmother has similar results. Her cancer is also localized to both lungs. The chemo she was on prior kept the cancer from spreading and the tumors didn't get any bigger since the last treatment, so I am a little confused as to why he wanted to try something different. But I know she hasn't been feeling that well lately, she has a lot of trouble breathing. It's just such a horrible thing to see someone who was once so active suffering so. I hope your mother does well with her next treatment.
Thanks again.
Stacy

keithblum · 02-22-2005, 05:11 PM

Since your grandmother's cancer is isolated to both her lungs, has she been staged as a 3 or 4. Our doctor has never told us, although we haven't asked. The good thing about Tarceva, at least for my mother, is that the side effects are minimal, if at all. The best of luck to you!!!!!!!!

tnmynatt · 02-25-2005, 12:43 AM

Stacy,

My husband has been on Tarceva for 5 weeks. He seems to be doing better. Only problem is acne. He will have scans in March to see results. Hope your grandmother has good results. Take care.