To chemo or not to chemo

Buckwirth
Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
edited March 2011 in Colorectal Cancer #1
At Graci's suggestion, I am reposting this as a separate topic:


I was dx'd a little less than a year ago as stage IV due to "distant" lymph node involvement.  12 rounds of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation and one bright red colostomy later and I have no idea of how I am.  I do know that my secondary oncologist at USC Norris has been upfront with me from the start that my treatment was palliative not curative.

Surgery was in January, and I finally got around to seeing my oncologist on Tuesday.  He wants to start me on Erbitux, and I want to wait.  For some strange reason I would like to have six months or so of normal, or something like it.

If I have no active tumors, what does continuing treatment buy me?  6 months on the back end?  More?  Less?  What do I trade for that?  Do I give up trying to work (and all that brings with it)?  An all expense paid trip to Europe? Most of the things I thought of as my "life" a scant year ago?

And what will the back end look like?  Will I be healthy enough to make the most of it?  Or will it just be one last brutal round of treatments?

Would I be better off waiting for the cancer to metastasize somewhere and treating it then, rather than burning out this treatment option where there would be no visible results?

I see these as tough choices, and they require a frank conversation with my oncologist, as well as more testing to see where I, and my alien guest, actually are.  The first of those, my CEA, just came back at 5.8, down from the original 54, but up from my post chemo low of 1.5...

So, in my shoes, what choice would you make?

Comments

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #2
    Interesting question
    I was in your shoes, or nearly so. Just before Christmas 2009 I found out I had rectal cancer tumor. What with the holidays and my own reluctance I had surgery March 2010 which gave me perm colostomy, no rectum or anus and a total hysterectomy.

    A week before surgery my doc said that if I wanted I could do temp colostomy, radiation and chemo to shrink the tumor and if successful a reversal of the colostomy. I chose to go with the surgery as planned.

    After surgery, my doc wanted me to see an onc about chemo as an insurance for a 'cure'. I opted not to do that. My reasons, I was 63 years old... with no spouse or significant other ...didn't beleive that there really was turely a way to keep it from recurring ...wanted to spend the rest of the days/weeks/months/years living the best I could without being sick from treatments...oh and there was the fact that I have no insurance.

    I guess what all this means is that for every person, it is their own life situations which help to make the decision. Each and everyone of us brings all of these things to the table when we have to determine the right fork in the road to take. And you know what? Which ever one we take is the correct one.

    Hugs and I hope the answer to your decision becomes clearer to you.

    Marie who loves kitties
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #3
    Lovekitties said:

    Interesting question
    I was in your shoes, or nearly so. Just before Christmas 2009 I found out I had rectal cancer tumor. What with the holidays and my own reluctance I had surgery March 2010 which gave me perm colostomy, no rectum or anus and a total hysterectomy.

    A week before surgery my doc said that if I wanted I could do temp colostomy, radiation and chemo to shrink the tumor and if successful a reversal of the colostomy. I chose to go with the surgery as planned.

    After surgery, my doc wanted me to see an onc about chemo as an insurance for a 'cure'. I opted not to do that. My reasons, I was 63 years old... with no spouse or significant other ...didn't beleive that there really was turely a way to keep it from recurring ...wanted to spend the rest of the days/weeks/months/years living the best I could without being sick from treatments...oh and there was the fact that I have no insurance.

    I guess what all this means is that for every person, it is their own life situations which help to make the decision. Each and everyone of us brings all of these things to the table when we have to determine the right fork in the road to take. And you know what? Which ever one we take is the correct one.

    Hugs and I hope the answer to your decision becomes clearer to you.

    Marie who loves kitties

    Chemo ,I would do chemo , and you can jump some weeks
    in case you got a nice plan! as per I know Erbitux has not big site effects, beside rush problems.
    But as Marie say which ever decision you take is going tone the correct one!
    I know it is not very useful but no better ideas to offer you!
    Hugs!
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #4
    Lovekitties said:

    Interesting question
    I was in your shoes, or nearly so. Just before Christmas 2009 I found out I had rectal cancer tumor. What with the holidays and my own reluctance I had surgery March 2010 which gave me perm colostomy, no rectum or anus and a total hysterectomy.

    A week before surgery my doc said that if I wanted I could do temp colostomy, radiation and chemo to shrink the tumor and if successful a reversal of the colostomy. I chose to go with the surgery as planned.

    After surgery, my doc wanted me to see an onc about chemo as an insurance for a 'cure'. I opted not to do that. My reasons, I was 63 years old... with no spouse or significant other ...didn't beleive that there really was turely a way to keep it from recurring ...wanted to spend the rest of the days/weeks/months/years living the best I could without being sick from treatments...oh and there was the fact that I have no insurance.

    I guess what all this means is that for every person, it is their own life situations which help to make the decision. Each and everyone of us brings all of these things to the table when we have to determine the right fork in the road to take. And you know what? Which ever one we take is the correct one.

    Hugs and I hope the answer to your decision becomes clearer to you.

    Marie who loves kitties

    Chemo ,I would do chemo , and you can jump some weeks
    in case you got a nice plan! as per I know Erbitux has not big site effects, beside rush problems.
    But as Marie say which ever decision you take is going tone the correct one!
    I know it is not very useful but no better ideas to offer you!
    Hugs!
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    Tough
    It is a very tough but personal choice to make. I'm hoping that whatever choice you make, that you come to peace with it before that path is taken and never hesitate to look back and say hindsite was 20/20 and should of would have could have. Thinking of you and hoping you come to peace with it and it's the best for you.

    Kim
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #6
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Tough
    It is a very tough but personal choice to make. I'm hoping that whatever choice you make, that you come to peace with it before that path is taken and never hesitate to look back and say hindsite was 20/20 and should of would have could have. Thinking of you and hoping you come to peace with it and it's the best for you.

    Kim

    Buck.....remember, you asked..
    Lemme put it to ya this way so that both of us can relate to it...If you and I go to the extreme of having our azz sewn shut and all the pain and suffering that goes with it, and there was "distant" lymph node involvement...Not yes, but Hell yes I would do it....I did it thinking that there were no nodes involved. Its evident that I was wrong or the lymphatic fluid allowed some cells to get loose and go dormant during the chemo barrage and yeah I reoccurred but I would do it again if I have a bad node or not clear margins. I just think that if I had opted to not do it would I have thought that by not that the met in my lung would not have come up...Thinking that I had done that to my children would be incomprehensible for me, so yeah I will do it every time I think it deems itself necessary, but I'm not you, I'm just an old guy that cares about ya....but whatever you decide to do I will be right beside you in your decision, and whatever you decide will be right.....Yours in good health buddy..........buzz
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #7
    Blake
    It seems we are both wrestling with the same questions. I am preparing for surgery that was supposed to be a reversal and hernia repair but, with the latest tests it has now turned into a probable resection again due to new growth in my colon.

    I can't do anymore FOLFOX so we have decided to wait until after the surgery to determine what the next chemo will be for me. There is this very real part of me that just wants to have the surgery and skip chemo after so that I can go back to work and back to "life"

    All of the questions you pose are ones that I have posed to myself also but, have yet to determine what the right answers are for myself. But, I will say that no matter which way I go, I can always change my mind. The same is true for you.

    I wish you all the best and totally understand where these improtant questions are coming from. I wish I had the answers but, I haven't even discovered the right answers for myself yet. May you find the insight you need to make the choices that you are comfortable with.

    HUGS to you Blake.
  • Hastings
    Hastings Member Posts: 9
    #8
    To chemo or not to chemo
    Did they get all the cancer? My surgeon and oncologist were hot to start me on chemo 6-7 weeks after my colostomy on 12/1/10, and I was reluctant. 6 months of chemo;treatment every 2 wks for 6 months. Same reasoning as yours....I'm 74, I already lost the last 6 months after diagnosis, another 6 months takes a year out of my life, without knowing if it works. They said this is the "standard of care."

    However the oncologist found a recent, major Italian study-Nov/Dec 2010-which concluded that there is "no apparent benefit" from chemo after surgery for patients who are in remission or are cancer free after surgery. As a result the doc recommended that I not proceed with chemo. Don't know if this applies to your situation but I would ask. I've since discovered that the treatment is standard for colon cancer, but no one had done extensive studies on rectal cancer. They just figured it is similar and "couldn't hurt."
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #10
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Kathy.................................
    That is the best description of where I am at right now and what I needed to hear to get me kick started on a new regimen of treatment...I honestly think that my re occurence was exactly that. A microscopic cell that buried up and stayed dormant until the chemo was over then decided to make a spectacle out of itself. My eating habits are horrid and my exercise plan is nil.....I think its time I get off my patoot and do something about my lifestyle...I have always read your posts and taken them as great wisdom....Thank you young lady....I'm going to start in the morning..........love to you, buzz
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #11
    Buzzard said:

    Kathy.................................
    That is the best description of where I am at right now and what I needed to hear to get me kick started on a new regimen of treatment...I honestly think that my re occurence was exactly that. A microscopic cell that buried up and stayed dormant until the chemo was over then decided to make a spectacle out of itself. My eating habits are horrid and my exercise plan is nil.....I think its time I get off my patoot and do something about my lifestyle...I have always read your posts and taken them as great wisdom....Thank you young lady....I'm going to start in the morning..........love to you, buzz

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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