I know Gem/Doce is not used in the UK, but BCG involves a similar 6 week initiation, if that’s the right word.
After my third Gem/Doce instillation, I contracted a UTI and was treated with an antibiotic for 10 days, which meant I missed two instillations. After the 4th, I got a UTI again, so treatment was stopped awaiting antibiotic treatment. This will mean two, two-week breaks in treatment. I am wondering how these breaks could affect the treatment efficacy.
Thank you.
Hi Maclean57
Thanks for getting in touch on our Online Community, I’m Sue one of the cancer information nurse specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.
I’ve noticed you have also joined the head and neck cancer and bladder cancer forums, we hope you are finding these helpful and supportive spaces.
I’m sorry to hear you have struggled with UTI’s after having Gem/Doce (Gemcitabine/Docetaxel) treatment and it’s understandable you may be wondering if the breaks in your treatment will impact how well it works.
Intravesical chemotherapy ( given directly into the bladder) is often used when intravesical BCG either doesn’t work, or isn’t available due to a shortage.
It’s really important when having this type of treatment that someone is not feeling unwell, or as in your case, has a urinary tract infection (UTI) . If this happens treatment will be delayed until antibiotic treatment is given to treat the infection.
There can be many reasons why someone may need to have changes in their chemotherapy plan, including treatment being postponed until they are well enough to continue. People often have treatment delays without impacting the effectiveness of treatment, but it’s natural to want to know the effect this may have.
Although chemotherapy treatment is individually planned to be most effective at the specific dose and regime prescribed, that person has to be well enough to continue the next session. As it’s not always possible for this to safely happen, due to things like infection, treatment plans often have to be changed.
We would encourage discussing this further with your consultant or clinical nurse specialist at the hospital as they are best placed to answer your specific questions or concerns you have about your treatment.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email, webchat or phone. The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm. You can also visit our Online Community, where you can talk to others who have been affected by cancer.
Sending best wishes and take care, Sue
Ref: LR
Thank you, Sue. I will also ask my oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Hospital, Tampa, but as an expat Brit, I also wanted a UK opinion
