Caelyx

Hi MRH24, and welcome to our friendly little group, though I'm so sorry you find yourself here and in such a difficult situation. Also I must apologise as I have no experience of Caelyx, but I'm in pretty much the same situation, no treatment for 7 months as they weren't working and with my cancer "prostate," now spreading rapidly, and told chemotherapy offers a 25% chance of some benefit, next oncology appointment Aug 3rd, so a difficult choice for the both of us. The guys I've know take Pacitaxel, my option, side effects have varied from very mild to debilitating, which seems to be usual with many chemo treatments at end of life, but I can't speak for Caelyx my friend. Though I hope some of the wonderful people on here are able to help.

Eddie 

Please don’t apologise, it was very kind of you to reply.   Yes it is very hard to decide what to do when there is so little chance of success.  NICE guidelines state 27% of patients see an improvement.  My inclination is to go ahead at the moment as there is 100% chance of it not working if I don’t and I’ve had lots of different chemo treatments including Pacitaxel twice and generally feel I have tolerated them well.  If I try and if it’s too hard I can stop and am in no worse position than I am now.  But I’m still not sure.  Let me know how you get on please Eddie and thanks again.

Mary

Hi Mary and thank you, but my chemo is cabazitaxel and not pacitaxel, aye another gift from treatment a poor memory at times, and I'm 100% with you that any chance of success is better than none my friend, my issue with chemo is how my heart will cope, I've had 5 stents, not emergency one's, over the last couple of years to improve my EF high enough to minimise risk which have worked well, so I was good to start until I  developed severe anaemia 7 weeks ago, I'm on weekly transfusions red blood cells and iron, + pills which are working well, so hopeful, I'm concerned that my cancer marker PSA, having risen from 10 to 96 in 9 weeks will scupper things, I've got the option of Radium 223 too, that's good to see you tolerate chemo better than most and hope your Caelyx is no different, but more importantly your one of the 27%, I shall have everything crossed for you  Mary. I see my oncologist on Monday so will let you know what happens, and I would grateful if you could share a little of your treatment my friend.

Eddie 

I think your reasoning is perfectly sound. I had adjuvant (post surgery) chemotherapy some years ago which was said to offer an extra 5 percentage points to long term survival chances and used exactly the same reasoning.

I wish you all the best whatever your final decision.

Derek.

Good luck on Monday Eddie, fingers crossed it goes well for you - sometimes we just need a break! My appt is Tuesday so I’ll probably make my final decision Monday night.  

Thank you

Mary

Well sweetheart good luck to the both of us on Monday, if it's ok with you I'll say a prayer for you as well, can't hurt. Hey I  was given a couple of kittens to care for until their old enough for their new home, a lovely distraction xx

Hi MRH24 

I don’t have experience of Caelyx but I have been in a position where my only real option had a low likelihood of working on my cancer and a heavy payload of risk. I didn’t think doing nothing would sit right with me, even if it ended up giving me some good quality time before the inevitable. As it happened my gamble paid off in that I got a good cancer outcome alongside a shedload of complications. No regrets. 

Hood luck in whatever you choose. 

Thank you, yes I think it’s worth giving it a try and I’m sorry to hear pleased you have no regrets despite the complications.  Take care

Mary x

Good luck MRH24  and eddiel , Hope your appointments on Monday go well and enable the difficult decision somewhat easier to make. I wonder if you could try the chemo at a lower dose such as 80% then scale up if tolerated? 

BW

Stella x