chemo-radiation

Options
JoyceCanada
JoyceCanada Member Posts: 134
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Is there a "standard" number of rounds of chem/radiation with 5FU administered. I've had 20 (taking a break). Radiation Oncologist mentioned 28 t0 32, for stage IIIx2 node rectal. Just wondering how many others have had?

Comments

  • Moesimo
    Moesimo Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    Options
    I had 25 radiation treatments for stage 3 rectal cancer, with 2 positive nodes. I had the radiation preop and did not found out the actual stage until surgery and the pathology was done then.

    Maureen
  • JoyceCanada
    JoyceCanada Member Posts: 134
    Options
    Moesimo said:

    I had 25 radiation treatments for stage 3 rectal cancer, with 2 positive nodes. I had the radiation preop and did not found out the actual stage until surgery and the pathology was done then.

    Maureen

    my therapy is being done post-op. I've had 2 rounds of Folfox and 20 rounds of 5fu/radiation so far. I was just wondering if there is a set number of radiation treatments because they are making me very sick :-(
  • suezav
    suezav Member Posts: 42
    Options
    my daughter had 25 radiation treatments and 2 "pinpoint" treatments at the end without a break except for the weekends. at first they had her hooked up to the 5-fu 7 days a week. she was smart enough to question why she needed the pump over the weekends if she wasn't having the radiation for those 2 days. they then unhooked her every friday and hooked her back up on monday mornings. that made her feel a tiny bit better. she is only 23 and says the radiation/5-fu was the worst part of her treatment. hang in there if you can. she recovered fairly quickly as soon as she finished. susan
  • suezav
    suezav Member Posts: 42
    Options
    sorry, forgot to say my daughter was dx with stage 3 rectal with 6/16 nodes positive. she had the radiation/5-fu post-op. susan
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    Options
    Hello, dearheart, I'm sorry to hear of your struggles.
    I was (PAST TENSE 4ever, I hope) StageII, rectal. I had 2 sessions, 4 days in a row of 5FU/Cisplatin chemo (5fu was 24-hour pump) and 25 days (M-F) radiation. This was all pre-op. Nothing after surgery. But all the removed stuff was cancer-free. This stuff was heck, but it worked!
    Stay VERY HYDRATED...I didn't, and landed in the hospital for dehydration...after I increased my fluids, even the side effects disappeared faster!
    MAJOR Hugs, Kathi
  • nanuk
    nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    Options
    radiation is cumulative; each individual has a lifetime amount they can tolerate, ask your Dr how
    many Rads/Gys you have received, how much is received from CT/x-ray, etc, and add them up. Ask him/her what your total number is, and what will result from going over that amount. (in addition to the above, you receive additional radiation from various sources everyday,,) bud