https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/564#M198 Afternoon all We found out yesterday from the onco that Tarceva was approved on Friday for PBS subsidisation. It was also the first we'd heard of this drug. Has anyone else heard of it and/or been put on the trial?  We hopped onto health.gov.au website etc and found out that it is a new drug that has been a successful third line treatment for advanced lung cancer patients, pancreatic cancer patients and another type of cancer (can't remember) where chemo etc has failed to manage symptoms, pain etc. We don't that much about it yet but from what we can gather you can be put on the trial if two cycles of chemo fail.  It appears it isn't a miracle drug ie you won't be cured, but it can significantly increase quality of life / length of life and the trials so far have good results apparently. Roche are manufacturing it and there's a ton of information on the Roche website.  We also found a Tarceva website where patients using it can login. My mum-in-law had a bit of a rollercoaster yesterday and the onco convinced her to have a crack at chemo (she previously didn't want it after seeing what it did to her hubby 5yrs ago). We're off to the planning with her on Friday then her first cycle is on Monday.  We've got the hang of radiation and what its all about but she's apprehensive about the chemo and side effects (she has a bad run with radiation).  The home based palliative care nurse is coming around this afternoon for an assessment - it will be good having someone on the other end of the phone at all hours of the night if needed (hopefully not!).  She is having to cope with a lot in a small space of time, plus that she probably won't be able to live on her own again, so there's all that to get her head around on top of facing chemo on Monday. Take care all Zoe Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:02:37 GMT ArnZo 2009-03-11T01:02:37Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/564#M198 Afternoon all We found out yesterday from the onco that Tarceva was approved on Friday for PBS subsidisation. It was also the first we'd heard of this drug. Has anyone else heard of it and/or been put on the trial?  We hopped onto health.gov.au website etc and found out that it is a new drug that has been a successful third line treatment for advanced lung cancer patients, pancreatic cancer patients and another type of cancer (can't remember) where chemo etc has failed to manage symptoms, pain etc. We don't that much about it yet but from what we can gather you can be put on the trial if two cycles of chemo fail.  It appears it isn't a miracle drug ie you won't be cured, but it can significantly increase quality of life / length of life and the trials so far have good results apparently. Roche are manufacturing it and there's a ton of information on the Roche website.  We also found a Tarceva website where patients using it can login. My mum-in-law had a bit of a rollercoaster yesterday and the onco convinced her to have a crack at chemo (she previously didn't want it after seeing what it did to her hubby 5yrs ago). We're off to the planning with her on Friday then her first cycle is on Monday.  We've got the hang of radiation and what its all about but she's apprehensive about the chemo and side effects (she has a bad run with radiation).  The home based palliative care nurse is coming around this afternoon for an assessment - it will be good having someone on the other end of the phone at all hours of the night if needed (hopefully not!).  She is having to cope with a lot in a small space of time, plus that she probably won't be able to live on her own again, so there's all that to get her head around on top of facing chemo on Monday. Take care all Zoe Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:02:37 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/564#M198 ArnZo 2009-03-11T01:02:37Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/565#M199 Hi Zoe... I am following up on some more info for you. Please feel free to ring Helpline and ask to be put through to NSW. We have Support and Information for you and your Mum-in-law. Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:03:37 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/565#M199 2009-03-11T01:03:37Z https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/566#M200 Hi Helen Thanks for your msg. I've finally gotten around to ringing the helpline and the lady I spoke to was very helpful. She's sending out the info on Tarceva, trials etc and in the interim I'll ring the lung care coordinator at the Cbr Hospital (her onco is on leave at present). cheers Zoe Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:04:37 GMT https://onlinecommunity.cancercouncil.com.au/t5/Treatments-and-side-effects/Erlotinib-Tarceva-trial/m-p/566#M200 ArnZo 2009-03-11T01:04:37Z