Oral Vidaza

[JennyB]

Does anyone have information on the oral formulation of Vidaza? My mother (age 76 w/MDS) is in the hospital fighting an infected port (for Vidaza and infusions)which was painfully removed today. Docs want to reinsert another port on the opposite side of her chest. I hate the thought of her getting an another incision when she is so susceptible. Hoping she can get her treatments orally.
PS- Thank you for this site.

[Birgitta-A]

Hi Jenny,
Oral Vidaza is still only in Phase I trials: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/N...itidine&rank=1. It will probably take years before it will be approved.

When Vidaza was approved they gave it under the skin - perhaps your mother will tolerate that kind of administration better at least for some time.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A

[nurseAngie]

My moms on the oral Vidaza trial and having problems with her counts. From what the doctor told us, the trial is in its second phase and being held at only four hospitals in the country-KU Med being one. I don't know the others. I'm thinking the drug is too strong for her. Wbc 0.6, hgb 7.3, platelets 9. She has three weeks to get her wbcs up or shes out of the trial. Neupogen inj lowered wbcs even more. Needless to say I'm worried.

[Birgitta-A]

Hi nurseAngie,
Too bad that your mother is getting so severe adverse effects from Vidaza. It is always a problem with trials that you don't get the dose that should be best for you. Your mother had perhaps very low counts when she started the trial and if her doctor had been able to decide the dose she should probably have received a lower dose.

I think many patients get too high doses of drugs - in the survey for MDS patients I have written exactely that because I often read about dangerously low counts at this forum. Why not start with a low dose and evaluate the result.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A