STAGE III COLORECTAL CANCER - ADJUVANT CHEMO/RADIATION THERAPY

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  • Gavin63
    Gavin63 Member Posts: 98 Member
    YoVita said:

    Hey Gavin

    Remember this happened almost 4 years ago.  It was the recommended treatment at the time for rectal cancer given my situation.  Please do not base your decision on my situation.  I suggest you ask your surgeon why he's not recommending radiation.  I'm sure there's a sound reason for it.  We're all different and treatment plans have changed a lot even in a few years' time.  My nodule has been removed with clear margins and a follow-up clear ctscan since so I'm in pretty good shape.  Thank you for your concern.  Good luck to you!    

    Hello YoVita,
    Thank you. Glad

    Hello YoVita,

    Thank you. Glad to hear that your CT scan is clear since the removal of your nodule & pray that you continue to be in good health. I have done my own research as well as gone through opinions of GI Surgeons / Oncologists & decided that I will go through the Chemo (Xeloda) / Rad & then more Chemo (Capox) total of 8 cycles. I also listen to my heart & made the decision & am confident that this is the best way forward for me. Any advise on side effects that you faced during the treatment (Cemo / Rad followed by Chemo) would come in handy though I know that side effects cay vary from person to person even with the same type of treatment.

    Good luck to you too. 

    Gavin

  • Gavin63
    Gavin63 Member Posts: 98 Member
    Sooker55 said:

    Hi Gavin,
    i was diagnosed in

    Hi Gavin,

    i was diagnosed in June but have not begun treatment because I am getting conflicting advice from respectd oncologists.  One says chemoradiation now followed by surgery, the other says surgery and then adjuvradiation radiation if needed, depending on staging. My stage is not yet pathologically proven. Lymph nodes are prominent, hence suspicious. i am glad to have a contact with someone doing chemoradiation after surgery cuz the docs at Univ of san francisco tell me that results in poor bowel outcome as opposed to neoadjavant therapy,and then surgery. I think a lot depends on the skill of the surgeon.  I would very much appreciate hearing how you are tolerating the treatment. 

    Hi Sooker55,
    I hope you are

    Hi Sooker55,

    I hope you are progressing with your treatment plans. Going in for many Opinions is good. But don't delay much in taking your decision as you are dealing with a deadly decease & the earlier you start with your treatment the better. I have decided to proceed with Chemo / Rad followed by more Chemo up to 8 cycles. I did go in for opinions. But decided on my own as to what is good for me. Sometimes it is hard & feeling loss when you hear conflicting opinions. But do listen to your heart too when you make up your mind & it will give you a whole lot of confidence on whatever the treatment plan that you choose. I did it & going to start my treatment next week.

    Good luck to you on whatever the decision that you make. Stay in touch.

    Gavin

     

     

             

  • Gavin63
    Gavin63 Member Posts: 98 Member
    DD3 said:

    Gavin

    So sorry for your diagnosis.  My wife has stage IIIA.  She went through 28 treatments of chemo (xeloda)/radation.  Then surgery (had roughly ten inches of her colon removed) clean margins.  Now we are on treatment 8 of 12 of Folfox chemo. 

    This being said.  The surgeon pretty much knew radiation wasn't going to disolve the tumor entirely.  But, shrink it to a more manageable size for surgery.  It did.  She had clean margins. 

    She now has "tempe."  That is the name of her temporary illeostomy.  I believe it has made going through FolFox easier. No dirrehea (sp?) and is able to manage output pretty well.  She has actually put some weight back on.   She does look forward to her reversal though.

    Anyways, one step at a time.  You got this......

    Hi DD3,
    Thanks for your word

    Hi DD3,

    Thanks for your word of care & sharing the experience of your wife. I am also stage IIIA. My 1st day of the diagnosis was a toug hone. But it lasted only overnight & the very next day I was up with lot of energy deciding to fight this deadly decease & began my journey in end of July. I feel good with the suport of my darling wife & family. Coming back to my next line of treatment, I have decided that I will go through Chemo (Xeloda) / Rad & Chemo (Capox) again. I did consult surgeons, Medical & Radiation Oncologist & added what my heart felt. I am now positively looking forward to my treatment plan.

    I wish your wife progresses steadily without any complication & good luck to you all in further treatment ahead.     

    Gavin

  • robval30
    robval30 Member Posts: 13
    Bee bee said:

    Gavin63 and Sooker55

     I'll share what I've learned so far.

    Per my colorectal surgeon, rad onc & med onc, they all agreed that it depends on what specific type of cancer and what stage. 

    I am stage IIIB rectal cancer with 5 lymph nodes involved. The standard of care is usually neoadjuvant chemo (Xeloda or 5FU) concurrently with radiation, followed by surgery, followed by adjuvant chemo (5-FU, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin).

    i have completed the first phase- chemorad. For me, the side effects from radiation were worse than chemo and I fear that I will have long-term or permanent harmful side effects. Rather than repost, see my recent post regarding my experience. I did the rad despite knowing possible side effects due to the size of my tumor 5cm & extremely close location near the sphincter. I read about the clinical trials showing better outcomes for those having chemorad before, rather than after surgery, and this corroborated all my docs' advice to me. I should also note that all of my docs are not in the same group, rather independent practices, so there is no collusion together to convince me of one treatment over another.

    i agree with john23 & Laz that you need to get more opinions on why you need radiation after surgery. My surgeon said that during surgery, he would remove not only the tumor, but also radiated and necrotic cells or tissue which ideally should not remain in your body. I'm not sure how it works if you have radiation afterwards. I don't see how it would be any more helpful than future  surgery or chemo if you have recurrence.

    Sooker, I was diagnosed around the same time as you and have finished chemorad. I know you are exploring treatment options, but please try not to delay any longer if you can. i think sometimes cancer spreads more quickly than docs think and you need to give yourself the best chance to fight this as early as possible. I already have lymph nodes involved. I would give anything to not have had it spread even there.

    if either of you are inclined, you may want to do on-line research in addition to the forums. This is my own life and health at stake and I am treating it at least like a part-time job to educate myself as much as possible about my cancer and treatment. 

    I also was just recently diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer, tumor low in rectum (June 2013), possibly one nymph node involved. I just completed 5 weeks of 5FU (continuous infusion pump Mon to Fri)  and radiation every morning Mon to Fri. I spoke with a local Oncologist, and went to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, and MD Anderson in Orlando, FL (satelite of MD Anderson in Houston). All stated the same protocol of Neo Adjuvant Radiation and Chemo therapy for 5 weeks, surgery and then Adjuvant Chemo Folfox after. 

    As far as side effects, I have nausea on Wednesday's and Thursday (ate an apple and banana in the morning which helped a lot), no diarrhea, but at the end of the third week started the pain during bowel movements from the radiation. Its been 10 days since my last rad treatment and I am definitely tell my body is healing, as bowel movements are not as painful as before. 

    I also have National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practical Guidelines in Oncology for Rectal Cancer and NCCN Guidelines for Patients with Colorectal Cancer in PDF if anyone wants a copy PM me and I will send you an copy (my brother is a Pharmacist and got them for me). The guidelines breaks down recommended treatments for each stage of Colorectal cancer, very informative. 

    I hope this helps,

    Rob

  • Gavin63
    Gavin63 Member Posts: 98 Member
    robval30 said:

    I also was just recently diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer, tumor low in rectum (June 2013), possibly one nymph node involved. I just completed 5 weeks of 5FU (continuous infusion pump Mon to Fri)  and radiation every morning Mon to Fri. I spoke with a local Oncologist, and went to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, and MD Anderson in Orlando, FL (satelite of MD Anderson in Houston). All stated the same protocol of Neo Adjuvant Radiation and Chemo therapy for 5 weeks, surgery and then Adjuvant Chemo Folfox after. 

    As far as side effects, I have nausea on Wednesday's and Thursday (ate an apple and banana in the morning which helped a lot), no diarrhea, but at the end of the third week started the pain during bowel movements from the radiation. Its been 10 days since my last rad treatment and I am definitely tell my body is healing, as bowel movements are not as painful as before. 

    I also have National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practical Guidelines in Oncology for Rectal Cancer and NCCN Guidelines for Patients with Colorectal Cancer in PDF if anyone wants a copy PM me and I will send you an copy (my brother is a Pharmacist and got them for me). The guidelines breaks down recommended treatments for each stage of Colorectal cancer, very informative. 

    I hope this helps,

    Rob

    Hi Rob,
    Just seen your post &

    Hi Rob,

    Just seen your post & many thanks for the information. I replied your post in my post (Chemo/Rad after surgery) . We both are diagnosed almost at the same time & same stage. Difference is that I had surgery 1st & then Chemo/Rad followed by Chemo again verses your chemo/rad followed by surgery. My treatment plan is Capox. Please do keep posting your progress in this journey. I would love to have a copy of the NCCN guide line for CRC & shall PM you.

    Good luck to you again.

    Gavin 

     

  • robval30
    robval30 Member Posts: 13
    Gavin63 said:

    Hi Rob,
    Just seen your post &

    Hi Rob,

    Just seen your post & many thanks for the information. I replied your post in my post (Chemo/Rad after surgery) . We both are diagnosed almost at the same time & same stage. Difference is that I had surgery 1st & then Chemo/Rad followed by Chemo again verses your chemo/rad followed by surgery. My treatment plan is Capox. Please do keep posting your progress in this journey. I would love to have a copy of the NCCN guide line for CRC & shall PM you.

    Good luck to you again.

    Gavin 

     

    Go See Surgeon on October 15

    Gavin,

    I will definitely keep in touch and let you know my progress. 

  • bamaje
    bamaje Member Posts: 4
    Gavin63 said:

    Hi YoVita,
    Thank you for

    Hi YoVita,

    Thank you for sharing your experience. In my case, my surgeon knew exactly where the tumour was. Report of my colonoscopy & the CT scan that was done before the surgery established the tumour location. CT scan confirmed that no metastation in other organs & that was a concelation. He too was confident of removing the Tumour without having to shrink it (any was it was only the size of a large Cherry) I had my full confidence on him & he did an exceilent job with the surgeory. Though he said that I have to go through the Adjuvant Chemo Therapy followed by the surgery, was never in favour of Radiation. He predicted that I would end up stage III with Nodes positive & the post surgery pathology report confirmed it. It's my Oncologist who suggested to go for an opinion of a radiation oncologist. 

    May I ask you as to why your surgeon was strongly recommending you to go for the radiation treatment ? Since the case of yours & mine is very similar I would love to hear from you on this matter as that is the area I am debating with myself whether to go for Chemo / Radiation or only do the Chemo. Anyway I will be taking a decision soon as to whether I will go for Chemo Radiation or only Chemo. 

    Sad to hear that you had a nodule in your lung. I hope & pray that your medical team will successfully deal with it & am sure they will do. My prayers are with you. All of us are having a common goal to fight this ruthless decease & survival is the name of the game. Please do stay in touch.

    Gavin     

     

    If the size was of a large

    If the size was of a large cherry (I'm assuming about 2cm/1inch) what made him think it was Stage III is it by the appearance of the the growth or where it's located and why did he think lymph nodes were involved?  I'm just curious as I had 2cm growth in my sigmon but they never said anything about what stage they felt it was etc, the CT scan he said the lymph nodes all apeared normal without any enlargement but was told the only sure way to see is to do resection surgery before it could be staged or not.  I had a clear margin underneath the polpy (which was 90% cancer cells) but it was removed during the colon scope and was stated "benign appearance" which later prooved not to be true. 

  • Gavin63
    Gavin63 Member Posts: 98 Member
    bamaje said:

    If the size was of a large

    If the size was of a large cherry (I'm assuming about 2cm/1inch) what made him think it was Stage III is it by the appearance of the the growth or where it's located and why did he think lymph nodes were involved?  I'm just curious as I had 2cm growth in my sigmon but they never said anything about what stage they felt it was etc, the CT scan he said the lymph nodes all apeared normal without any enlargement but was told the only sure way to see is to do resection surgery before it could be staged or not.  I had a clear margin underneath the polpy (which was 90% cancer cells) but it was removed during the colon scope and was stated "benign appearance" which later prooved not to be true. 

    Hi Bamaje,
    Yes the tumour was

    Hi Bamaje,

    Yes the tumour was around 2.5 cm in size. It was by appearance, my surgeon said it could turn out to be stage III with few surrounding Lymph Nodes being involved.  As he predicted, Post surgery pathology report confirmed that it was a stage III CRC with 4 to 6 Lymph nodes being involved. Now I am going through the Chemo Rad which requires following with more Chemo.

    Good luck to you on your journey. Stay connected with this wonderful caring forum & it is a huge strength for all of us fighting this dreadful decease.

    Gavin