Anyone with information about the use of the chemo drug Topecan to treat advanced small cell lung cancer?
My sister has very advanced small cell lung cancer. She has just started on the chemo durrg called Topecan. This is being used as a second line of chemo drugs. The first chemo durgs used were cisplatin and etoposide, then carboplatin and etoposide. The cancer has continued to spread, from the lung to the liver then the bones and now she just went through radiation for several brain tumors-she was diagnosed in November. What side effects should be expected? Is there any other options except clinical trials? At Southwestern, I was told that they had said to my brother in law that "the radiation would kill all the brain tumors." But it has really taken a toll on her strength, balance etc. Thank you for any information.
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3 comments
medhelp on July 26, 2010 at 6:21 am
She may consider some of the treatments at the site below before she gets any worse. They work better than chemo for reasons explained in the site.
quijibored on July 26, 2010 at 6:21 am
Sorry but your sister needs to have a realistic talk with her Drs about what the chemo can and can not do so that she has realistic expectations regarding treating metastatic small cell cancer . Maybe hospice would be of more benefit and then she could enjoy her remaining days without any further treatments but with the attention of her relatives and friends. sorry
bertojame on July 26, 2010 at 6:21 am
Advanced small cell lung cancer is a miserable disease. Your Sister is in a battle for her life. Sometimes a person with small cell lung cancer can live for some time with treatment; but often the treatment is in vain. Hope and pray that someday there will be a cure for patients with this type and all types of Cancer. In the meantime, Let God into your lives and follow Him in your decisions as questions about what you should do next come into being.