MRF-Logo2019-Horizontal-RGB
Bone mets not responding to Tafinlar/Mek combo
REGISTER
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content within the patient forum is user-generated and has not been reviewed by medical professionals. Other sections of the Melanoma Research Foundation website include information that has been reviewed by medical professionals as appropriate. All medical decisions should be made in consultation with your doctor or other qualified medical professional.

Bone mets not responding to Tafinlar/Mek combo

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Bone mets not responding to Tafinlar/Mek combo

  • Post
    • June 10, 2014 at 12:23 pm
    melfighter
    Participant

      Hi, my husband started with stage 4 with tumors everywhere, liver, lungs, bones & brain (14 lesions), on the report, it says "innumerable" number of lesions throughout his body. He has been on Tafinlar/Mek combo for 16 weeks also WBR to his brain and radiation to his back due to severe lower back pain, due to L3 compression. First sets of scan after 12 weeks show a mixed bag. Tumors on soft tissues showed marked improvement with the bigger tumors shrinking and small ones disolving, but new lesions are showing up on the bone scans, so the combo has not worked on the bones. His brain also showed good results from the radiation.

      Will the combo eventually work on the bone? I read from another post that it takes longer on the bone but the combo has shown to be effective on the bone?  The radiation on his lower back has resolved a lot of his pain but he now complains that his hip is in pain and that the pain moves around between his femur and hip?

       

       

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • June 10, 2014 at 4:10 pm
        Mat
        Participant

          Sorry to hear about your husband's situation.  I started with a heavy tumor burden which included several bone mets.  The combo had shrunken or eliminated the bone mets by the first scan (around the 8 week mark last Sept/Oct) and my doctor seemed surpised with this quick result–suggesting that the combo does take longer to work on bone mets.  I've heard about folks adding Zometa (sp?) or an alternative drug (don't recall the name) to the combo.  Not sure that these additonal drugs act on bone mets, but rather they act to strengthen the bones.  You might inquire about this.

          • June 10, 2014 at 4:10 pm
          Mat
          Participant

            Sorry to hear about your husband's situation.  I started with a heavy tumor burden which included several bone mets.  The combo had shrunken or eliminated the bone mets by the first scan (around the 8 week mark last Sept/Oct) and my doctor seemed surpised with this quick result–suggesting that the combo does take longer to work on bone mets.  I've heard about folks adding Zometa (sp?) or an alternative drug (don't recall the name) to the combo.  Not sure that these additonal drugs act on bone mets, but rather they act to strengthen the bones.  You might inquire about this.

            • June 10, 2014 at 4:10 pm
            Mat
            Participant

              Sorry to hear about your husband's situation.  I started with a heavy tumor burden which included several bone mets.  The combo had shrunken or eliminated the bone mets by the first scan (around the 8 week mark last Sept/Oct) and my doctor seemed surpised with this quick result–suggesting that the combo does take longer to work on bone mets.  I've heard about folks adding Zometa (sp?) or an alternative drug (don't recall the name) to the combo.  Not sure that these additonal drugs act on bone mets, but rather they act to strengthen the bones.  You might inquire about this.

                • June 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm
                melfighter
                Participant

                  Thanks Matt for the info. We asked the doctor about Xgeva and the doctor is now getting approval for the injection. My husband is to check with a dentist first before he starts the injection.

                   

                  • June 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm
                  melfighter
                  Participant

                    Thanks Matt for the info. We asked the doctor about Xgeva and the doctor is now getting approval for the injection. My husband is to check with a dentist first before he starts the injection.

                     

                    • June 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm
                    melfighter
                    Participant

                      Thanks Matt for the info. We asked the doctor about Xgeva and the doctor is now getting approval for the injection. My husband is to check with a dentist first before he starts the injection.

                       

                    • June 13, 2014 at 4:17 pm
                    arthurjedi007
                    Participant

                      I was on the combo for 8 weeks. That scan showed all the bone mets except for one had either stayed the same or shrank a little. The huge bone met in my left shoulder blade grew with the soft tissue involvment from 6cm by 4cm to 8cm by 6cm. Plus it spread to one lymph node which was the first time that happened.

                      So yes the combo does work on bone mets.

                      I have also been on Xgeva since February. It is similar to Zometa but I had a bad reaction to Zometa. Basically both these medicines are supposed to strengthen the bones, prevent fractures and some other things.

                        • June 19, 2014 at 4:02 am
                        melfighter
                        Participant

                          Thanks Arthur for the reply, did you experienced any negative side effects from Xgeva? my husband is waiting for insurance approval. I am worried that he is already taking a tons of medicines for pain and now they are adding another medicine, wonder how his body will be able to handle so much drug in his body.

                          • June 19, 2014 at 4:02 am
                          melfighter
                          Participant

                            Thanks Arthur for the reply, did you experienced any negative side effects from Xgeva? my husband is waiting for insurance approval. I am worried that he is already taking a tons of medicines for pain and now they are adding another medicine, wonder how his body will be able to handle so much drug in his body.

                            • June 19, 2014 at 4:02 am
                            melfighter
                            Participant

                              Thanks Arthur for the reply, did you experienced any negative side effects from Xgeva? my husband is waiting for insurance approval. I am worried that he is already taking a tons of medicines for pain and now they are adding another medicine, wonder how his body will be able to handle so much drug in his body.

                            • June 13, 2014 at 4:17 pm
                            arthurjedi007
                            Participant

                              I was on the combo for 8 weeks. That scan showed all the bone mets except for one had either stayed the same or shrank a little. The huge bone met in my left shoulder blade grew with the soft tissue involvment from 6cm by 4cm to 8cm by 6cm. Plus it spread to one lymph node which was the first time that happened.

                              So yes the combo does work on bone mets.

                              I have also been on Xgeva since February. It is similar to Zometa but I had a bad reaction to Zometa. Basically both these medicines are supposed to strengthen the bones, prevent fractures and some other things.

                              • June 13, 2014 at 4:17 pm
                              arthurjedi007
                              Participant

                                I was on the combo for 8 weeks. That scan showed all the bone mets except for one had either stayed the same or shrank a little. The huge bone met in my left shoulder blade grew with the soft tissue involvment from 6cm by 4cm to 8cm by 6cm. Plus it spread to one lymph node which was the first time that happened.

                                So yes the combo does work on bone mets.

                                I have also been on Xgeva since February. It is similar to Zometa but I had a bad reaction to Zometa. Basically both these medicines are supposed to strengthen the bones, prevent fractures and some other things.

                            Viewing 5 reply threads
                            • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
                            About the MRF Patient Forum

                            The MRF Patient Forum is the oldest and largest online community of people affected by melanoma. It is designed to provide peer support and information to caregivers, patients, family and friends. There is no better place to discuss different parts of your journey with this cancer and find the friends and support resources to make that journey more bearable.

                            The information on the forum is open and accessible to everyone. To add a new topic or to post a reply, you must be a registered user. Please note that you will be able to post both topics and replies anonymously even though you are logged in. All posts must abide by MRF posting policies.

                            Popular Topics