Choosing Sprycel vs Tasigna- Sharon

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

Before Sprycel and Tasigna were approved, they were in trials at

various centers. Some hospitals had only one of the drugs in trial,

while others had both drugs in trials. Some trials had more money so

they accrued more patients for one drug over the other. Some trials

filled up faster than others so sometimes there wasn't a choice for a

patient to pick one over the other. It didn't have as much to do

with how effective the drugs were but more to do with the logistics

of running each trial.

Tasigna took a bit longer to get approved so when patients failed or

couldn't tolerate Gleevec anymore, Sprycel was widely available

before Tasigna which is why many went on to Sprycel first.

Now that both drugs are approved, patients have a choice which drug

to choose from. Doctors can sometimes recommend one drug over the

other but other times they just flip a coin. Some mutations do

better with one drug more than the other so that would be a reason

for choosing one over the other. Side effect profile is another

factor that will influence why someone would choose one drug over the

other.

One drug isn't necessarily better or worse than the other, there are

several factors to consider and one drug may be better for one person

and the other drug better for another.

The great thing is that we have these choices! When one isn't

working or is intolerable, there's another one we can try. This was

nothing more than a pipe dream 5 years ago.

Tracey

>

> Hi All

>

> What I want to know is Sprycel and Tasagna both came out at the

same time.

> Sprycel was from Bristol Meyers and Tasagna is from Novartis. I was

on

> Sprycel for 1 to 2 years before it was FDA approved. I was in a

study when I

> was on it. I want to know if and what the difference between these

two

> are??? Why do some go right from gleevec to Tasigna and others

(like me)

> from gleevec to Sprycel to Tasagna. I wonder why my Dr. chose to

have me

> take Sprycel instead of Tasagna? They were both out when I went to

Sprycel.

> Not FDA approved.

>

>

>

> I have been on it now for 10 days. The only thing I find is---I am

full of

> energy in the morning (very chatty) and then as the day goes on I

get

> tireder and tireder and my legs and muscles ache. Especially in the

legs.

> But I know this will pass.

>

>

>

> Sharon

>

>

>

> _____

>

> From: [mailto: ] On Behalf

Of

> mtmaynor@...

> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 4:13 PM

>

> Subject: Re: [ ] Tasigna patients

>

>

>

>

> I also think we need to begin to test and come up with options

> that alleviate some of the more common side effects, like the

> pioneers did for us with Gleevec.

>

> Maybe we could email outside of the board and come up

> with something that we could have Zavie and Tracey read

> and possible send out with new patients who start Tasigna,

> much like they do with the newbies on CML. (Welcome to

> the club that no one wants to be a member....)

>

> I am also aware that there are now studies to make Tasigna

> a first line medication, instead of one that is used for people

> who fail or do not tolerate Gleevec.

>

> Matt

> Florida

>

>

>

> In a message dated 3/21/2008 7:06:22 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

> utfin93 (DOT) <mailto:utfin93%40> com writes:

>

> I'm really glad we're getting a little group together here myself!

Good luck

>

> to all! I'll keep posting as well as things change/or don't change.

> Rick

>

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