Friday, March 18, 2016

Quick Update - Staying on Xeloda

Just an update:

CT Scans showed improvement in lungs and no more cancer in my liver. primary tumor shrunk significantly. Overall regression & stability. My markers keep dancing around in the 40-50 range. My doctor is going by the scans for now.

We also changed my Bone Mets Drug from Zometa to Xgeva. I am staying on Xeloda.

Xgeva is a simple infection given via needle. No more transfusions. Since my bone mets have only been stable while on the Zometa monthly, we decided to try a newer Bone Drug. Studies show they have the same result, but at this point I feel I also need a medication that treats the bone tumors better. I may get radiation on the spots if they are there in June at my next scan (as long as my markers don't fly high)
Drug type: 
Xgeva is a monoclonal antibody that works as a RANK ligand (RANKL) inhibitor.  This medication is classified as a "bone-modifying agent". (For more detail see "How denosumab works" section below).
What Xgeva is used for:
  • Prevention of skeletal-related events (need for radiation, fracture due to cancer in the bone, surgery to the bone, or compression of the spinal cord) in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors. 
  • Treatment of giant cell tumor of the bone.