About My Treatment

I have gone through the first treatment on Tuesday (9 Sep) - Targeted Therapy.

Targeted Therapy has 2 types of drugs

1) Tarceva : Taken orally daily. Slows or stops the growth of cancer cells

Possible side effects
- Rash - face,neck, chest, back and arms
- Diarrhoea
- Mild nausea and vomiting
- Eye irritation
- Cough, shortness of breath
- Sore mouth
- Tiredness (fatigue) and general feeling of weakness

2) Avastin : Slow infusion into a vein (Once every 3 weeks). Stop some cancers from developing new blood vessels. This reduces the cancer's supply of oxygen and nutrients, which causes the tumour to shrink, or at least to stop growing.

Possible side effects
- High blood pressure
- Skin rashes and itching
- Fever or chills
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle cramps and painful limbs
- Dehydration
- Diarrhoea
- Anemia because of low red blood cell count
- Increase risk of infection because of low white blood cell count
- Increase risk of bleeding because of low platelet count

The above side effects are due to a reduction in bone marrow function. The effects can begin 7 days after treatment. The Full Blood counts usually reach its lowest point at 10-14 days after chemotherapy. It will then increase steadily and return to normal within 21-28 days. The degree of changes of your blood counts also depends on the dosage of the drug and other combination drugs that is taken together.

Less common side effects
- Pain in the area of the tumour
- Slow wound healing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness on standing
- Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Circulatory problems
- Headaches
- Loss of appettite
- Tiredness and a general feeling of weakness
- Changes in the way heart works - chest pain, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the ankles (water retention)
- Reproductive organs may be affected by your drug treatment. This may cause birth defects.