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Gemcitabine Treatments
I have been fighting TCC in my bladder for 3-1/2 years. I’ve had 3 or 4 (lost track) round of BCG with no success. I just went through 6 intravascular treatments (one per week). My doctor says this is a new drug used for reoccurring TCC and every patient who has used it has not had any tumors return. Anyone out there have these treatments? Any side effects? Have you had any reoccurring tumors?
thanks
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11 Replies
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Hi Kim, I had been diagnosed with a T1G3 tumor as well as multiple superficial tumors 3 years ago. I failed 2 rounds of BCG and BCG with Interferon. Multiple superficial tumors continued to come back. My Dr. wanted me to get another opinion.
I found a Dr. who did the Gemcitabine & Mitomycin treatments. 1x a week for 6 weeks, they instilled the Gemcitabine via a catheter/bag, waited an hour, flushed, then inserted the Mitomycin for an hour and flushed again, draining into the bag. The only issue that I had was urgency & Frequency, just like I had with the BCG maybe a bit worse, but I felt fine.
After the 6 week treatment and a biopsy, I was to complete 1 treatment as above, once a month for a year. I only made it about 5 months, it became to painful. I wasn’t able to hold the medicine.
I just had a cystoscopy this week. All is clear. I have not had a recurrence since starting the Gemcitabine treatments 2 years ago! I have to say, it wasn’t fun sitting on the table for more than 2 hours, but it was worth it in the end.
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Mike.. I’ve read every article I could find when googling Gemcitabine but thank you for the information. My doctor was only speaking of “his” patients who had gone through Gemcitabine treatments instilled directly into the bladder. I didn’t take it as a guarantee, just informational. I’ve been fighting this battle with bladder cancer for 3-1/2 years so he knows I understand what he means.
jlllo… yes, this is what I mean. Instilled in the bladder only. Did you have any side effects from it? Did you have any reoccurrence of tumors after that treatment?
To the person who replied to me that he is stage 4 and received Gemcitabine systemically (sorry forgot your name!), I hope things are going well for you. Thank you for responding to me so quickly!!
Kim
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It has not only been used for a year according to this research. It is false that every patent who has used it has not had a reoccurrence. Maybe none of his patients have had a recurrence but that is different from all patients in general.
There have been a number of studies and it is a promising treatment option. This link is to a study where they researched prior studies going back to intravesicle treatments for noninvasive bladder cancer in 1947.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22259002You should read the whole article as it is informative and gives recurrence and progression facts based on a number of studies.
“Author’s Conclusion: A single dose immediately following surgery is ineffective based on one study. Gemcitabine may be more active than mitomycin C with a lower toxicity profile. Compared to intravesical BCG therapy, gemcitabine had similar effects in intermediate risk patients, less effective in high risk patient and superior in BCG refractory patients. However, each randomised trial identified represents a different clinical setting in NMIBC and therefore the evidence base is limited. Consequently these data should be interpreted with caution until further corroborative evidence becomes available. The aim of intravesical therapy in NMIBC is to prevent tumour recurrence and progression and to avoid the morbidity associated with cystectomy. Intravesical gemcitabine is a promising drug that may add to the urologist’s options in achieving this goal.”
If you Google “intravesicle gemcitabine” you will find lots of good information on studies. That have been done.
Mike
Age 54
10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
1/2014 ct scan results….distant mets
2/2014 ct result…spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph system
My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of ABLCS or anyone else. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.
Hi Kim, I had Gemcitabine treatments directly instilled in my bladder. Is this what you are looking for information on?
Thanks Sara for looking out for us. I didn’t mind you deleting my message. Thanks again!!
PC 7/2/12
T3a/N2/M0
Kim – Mine is T3a/N2/M0 stage 4. My chemo was systemic via IV each week, I did not have a port. Every 4th week I got a full day (8 hrs) of CIS as well. I’m not sure how to get me email address to you but I would be glad to email with you about all this. Ben
PC 7/2/12
T3a/N2/M0
Sorry, Kim. We cannot allow posting of individual email addresses on the Forum. Doing so would allow anyone access to your private address; we have had spammers and people trying to sell products and worse use this information. Therefore, to protect you and ourselves we had to decide not to allow it.
Sorry
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator
Hello,
So you had your Gemcitabine just in your bladder? And not systemic?
What grade is your TCC? Let me know if you want to chat through email. I am VERY interested to hear about your experience!
Thank you!
Kim
I had 3 cycles (12 weeks – one treatment a week) of GEM this past March 2012 – May 2012. In my case the first week I had the worst side effects. Some feelings of nausea for a couple days, tingling finger tips, food tasted different, fatigue, sleep pattern was off. Then I think I just started getting use to the feelings and what to expect so it wasn’t so terrible as time went on other than I got really tired of going every week. I worked everyday except about 6 days total. Some days around 1:00 I just felt like I hit a wall and needed to rest. My doctor said I tolorated chemo very well so maybe others can tell you more about the dark side. I drove myself 2 hours each way every week except for 2 chemo treatment visits. I’m 54 and in moderate shape (or was). Good luck!
PC 7/2/12
T3a/N2/M0
My doctor has not used it on many patients. It has only been used for about a year now for bladder cancer… so him saying no one has had reoccurance of tumors is NOT that big a deal… when you put it in perspective.
Gemcitabine is the drug.
Thanks!
Welcome Kim.
Sorry you have to be here, and that the BCG did not help. That is quite a bold statement by your doctor. I was wondering if they gave you the name of the drug?
Mark
Age 55
Diagnosed BC 12/20/2011 Ta No Mo 0a Non-Invasive At age 48
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