Failed Vidaza

[bobweinberg]

I posted on Sept 27, 2007 that Vidaza (started in April 07) had raised my hgb count to 14.6 after nine years of transfusions. The response was not as long as I would have liked. Thereafter, my count dropped steadily over two months to 8.9, and this week I had my first tx in 5 months. The doctors now say that I “failed” Vidaza. The question now is whether to switch to Dacogen or try a combination of therapies. Has anyone failed Vidaza and then successfully taken another drug, either to replace Vidaza or in conjunction with it? Any thoughts are welcome.

[daughter searching for answers]

Bob
If you read vidaza.com, it states that a partial response is improvement to at or “close” to normal holding for 4 weeks is a partial response. I would ask your doctor about this as Vidaza states to continue with treatment as long as there is an improvement. My Father has an appt Tues and will discuss this same thing with doctor as we held for 4 weeks then decreased 6 weeks until he had to have transfusion. Will let you know what he suggests.

[kami]

What about revlimid, or thalidomide…?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

hi bobweinberg,
i was actually checking many forums and it seems lots of ppl switch around if one failed – i.e. to/ from dacogen or vidaza. for sure, combined may work sometimes. at the end, it seems vidaza’s data is better (which they just released few days ago) – i.e. surivive day is longer. dacogen seems picking up.
For Kami, i am not sure revlimid is ok. again, i was reading news few weeks ago that the result was disappointed. at least if dacogen and vidaza works, i guess that would be better? again, chk doc first….
the only thing that i hope someone can help me with is i want to see what really the difference is between vidaza and dacogen….. i am just too confuse on which one is better to be used….cost-wise, and also the drug-benefits….
thx!!!!

[cherylm]

Hi Bob,

My dad failed vidaza as well. We were thinking about trying dacogen but decided to check out a clinical with a new drug called clorfarbine. We have an appointment with Dr Eric Feldman at Weil Cornell/Presbyterian Hospital NYC on Thursday of next week to see if my dad is a candidate. something you might want to look into….

Cheryl

[gj]

Bob

Vidaza failed me, had a reaction to it and was switched to Dacogen. Planning on round 6 this coming Monday. Another patient with the same doc and I are follwing the same route. My continuing problem is that my blood counts continue to run low, usually just outside the realm of normal, as my new norm. It has dropped my blasts and kept them down, so I guess things are working.
Best of luck to you.

[bobweinberg]

Thanx to all for your responses. I have been advised to wait until 4 weeks from my last round of Vidaza, have a bone marrow biopsy taken and then let the doctors make their recommendation as to where to go next. My hem/onc buttonholed an expert at the ASH conference last week who said that taking Dacogen after Vidaza failed would not be useful.

Bob

[Kirby]

I’m aware on one patient in Oklahoma who failed Vidaza and is now responding to Dacogen. His counts have improved and no TX for several months.
Seems like all MDS patients respond differently.
Dacogen might be worth a try, hope it works.

[jaxem]

bob
how many rounds of vidaza have you had? takes at least 4 rounds for it to do anything.

[Author]

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