Update on visit to Oncologist

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fredswilma
fredswilma Member Posts: 185
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hi all
Good news we are now booked for the throat stretch for 17 June, so not to far away, eating is becoming more and more dificult for Mark, but he is maintaining weight. If you saw Mark you wouldn't think much was wrong with him, he is still working full time and able to do most things (other than the food stuff)unfortunately the scan results show that the tumor has grown again and his lungs have got loads of little tumors and a few more lymph nodes are affected, we have been offered another round of Chemo to start after the throat stretch this is going to be a drug called Taxol/paclitaxel alongside hercepten (if we get funding for the herceptin). This is an option we just have to decide whether or not to put Mark through this, he handled the first Chemo well and he is young and otherwise fit so we have been told we could try it and if it was too tough we could just stop. These decisions are so tough when you so want someone to be around as long as possible but you love them enough to know that quality is so important, we just don't know tough tough times. Has anyone here heard of Taxol or knows much about it I would love to hear from you.
Thanks
Ann

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  • jojoshort
    jojoshort Member Posts: 230 Member
    #2
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    Throat stretch
    Hi Ann,
    My hubby has Stage IVb with widespread lung tumors, and we are waiting to meet with the gastro guy about his narrowed esophagus. I'd be very interested in how the throat stretch goes. Ours is adenocarcinoma, so I'm not sure a stretch, being so far down in the esophagus, is as easy as one further up?
    Hope you get the funding for the chemo. Steve tolerated it well at first but elected to stop when side effects were too difficult. (Not taxol). It seemed to pause the cancer for a while and now we are enjoying some easier days.
    Please keep us posted,
    Jo-Ann
  • fredswilma
    fredswilma Member Posts: 185
    #3
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    jojoshort said:

    Throat stretch
    Hi Ann,
    My hubby has Stage IVb with widespread lung tumors, and we are waiting to meet with the gastro guy about his narrowed esophagus. I'd be very interested in how the throat stretch goes. Ours is adenocarcinoma, so I'm not sure a stretch, being so far down in the esophagus, is as easy as one further up?
    Hope you get the funding for the chemo. Steve tolerated it well at first but elected to stop when side effects were too difficult. (Not taxol). It seemed to pause the cancer for a while and now we are enjoying some easier days.
    Please keep us posted,
    Jo-Ann

    Hi Joanne
    Hey it looks like our hubby's are pretty similar, Marks is also adenocarcinoma, i used the word throat cause its easier to get it right and we spell oesaphagus with an o rather than an e, Marks tumor is at the junction of the stomach and the esophagus so very similar, will let you know how the stretching thing goes I have heard really good things about it with little side affects, still deciding about the chemo, really it is Marks decision I will back him whatever he decides, i dont think at this point there is a right and a wrong, so very difficult the only thing I can be happy about is that Mark's cancer has not spread further, hoping it doesn't. Thanks for your thoughts.
    Ann
  • Joel C
    Joel C Member Posts: 174
    #4
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    fredswilma said:

    Hi Joanne
    Hey it looks like our hubby's are pretty similar, Marks is also adenocarcinoma, i used the word throat cause its easier to get it right and we spell oesaphagus with an o rather than an e, Marks tumor is at the junction of the stomach and the esophagus so very similar, will let you know how the stretching thing goes I have heard really good things about it with little side affects, still deciding about the chemo, really it is Marks decision I will back him whatever he decides, i dont think at this point there is a right and a wrong, so very difficult the only thing I can be happy about is that Mark's cancer has not spread further, hoping it doesn't. Thanks for your thoughts.
    Ann

    six rounds of Taxol
    Hi Ann,

    I had six rounds of Taxol / Carboplatin pre-surgery along with 28 rounds of radiation for my stage 2B EC. From what I understand between the two poisons the Taxol is the one more likely to cause side effects. I went thru the treatment ok. The side effects I had were fatigue (pretty bad) and joint pain. I also felt pretty sick on the 3rd and 4th days after each treatment but never actually got sick, I had very little appetite during the “sick days”.

    I sympathize with you and Mark over the decision you have to make. I know this decision is impossible to make ahead of time but if and when I’m faced with it I really don’t think I’ll push any further. I hate this disease and what it has done to the good people on this board.

    Joel
  • cher76
    cher76 Member Posts: 292
    #5
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    Ann, I too am a stage IV
    Ann, I too am a stage IV wife. If you click on my name in the sidebar you can go to my "About me" page and read our story. My husband has had great difficulty eating off and on since diagnosed in Oct. 2010 and has lost over. 100 pounds. The first of May we went in to have a feeding tube placed to provide supplemental nutrition. The first attempt to place the tube was done using endoscopy, which was unsuccessful, however the good thing was that the doctor was able to stretch his esophagus at the ge junction. When the doctor got in there he said it was almost completely closed at the junction. He did not know how long the stretching would last but so far it was been working and Rickie is able to eat fairly well. He is currently on the chemo drugs Irinotecan and erbitux. Hope all goes will with you and your husband. I will keep you in my prayers.
    Cheryl
  • jojoshort
    jojoshort Member Posts: 230 Member
    #6
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    fredswilma said:

    Hi Joanne
    Hey it looks like our hubby's are pretty similar, Marks is also adenocarcinoma, i used the word throat cause its easier to get it right and we spell oesaphagus with an o rather than an e, Marks tumor is at the junction of the stomach and the esophagus so very similar, will let you know how the stretching thing goes I have heard really good things about it with little side affects, still deciding about the chemo, really it is Marks decision I will back him whatever he decides, i dont think at this point there is a right and a wrong, so very difficult the only thing I can be happy about is that Mark's cancer has not spread further, hoping it doesn't. Thanks for your thoughts.
    Ann

    Hi Ann
    Got our consult coming up re the esophagus narrowing on Tuesday afternoon the 7th. I will report what our camp here has to say about our options, too.
    Yes, we are in similar situations for sure. Steve also has mets to lungs. So far, after chemo, he is enjoying a welcome comeback and is out and about doing things and enjoying life.
    Peace to you and Mark,
    Jo-Ann
  • fredswilma
    fredswilma Member Posts: 185
    #7
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    cher76 said:

    Ann, I too am a stage IV
    Ann, I too am a stage IV wife. If you click on my name in the sidebar you can go to my "About me" page and read our story. My husband has had great difficulty eating off and on since diagnosed in Oct. 2010 and has lost over. 100 pounds. The first of May we went in to have a feeding tube placed to provide supplemental nutrition. The first attempt to place the tube was done using endoscopy, which was unsuccessful, however the good thing was that the doctor was able to stretch his esophagus at the ge junction. When the doctor got in there he said it was almost completely closed at the junction. He did not know how long the stretching would last but so far it was been working and Rickie is able to eat fairly well. He is currently on the chemo drugs Irinotecan and erbitux. Hope all goes will with you and your husband. I will keep you in my prayers.
    Cheryl

    Hi Cheryl
    Thanks for your
    Hi Cheryl
    Thanks for your thoughts so sad that you are also on this awful roller coaster ride, will pray for you both.
    Ann
  • fredswilma
    fredswilma Member Posts: 185
    #8
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    Joel C said:

    six rounds of Taxol
    Hi Ann,

    I had six rounds of Taxol / Carboplatin pre-surgery along with 28 rounds of radiation for my stage 2B EC. From what I understand between the two poisons the Taxol is the one more likely to cause side effects. I went thru the treatment ok. The side effects I had were fatigue (pretty bad) and joint pain. I also felt pretty sick on the 3rd and 4th days after each treatment but never actually got sick, I had very little appetite during the “sick days”.

    I sympathize with you and Mark over the decision you have to make. I know this decision is impossible to make ahead of time but if and when I’m faced with it I really don’t think I’ll push any further. I hate this disease and what it has done to the good people on this board.

    Joel

    Hi Joel
    Thanks for the
    Hi Joel
    Thanks for the input, I have been reading up on the side effects and they don't sound so good, really though it has to be Mark's decision, I will back him either way, I think at the moment he is thinking to give it a try, with the idea that if side effects are worse than he can cope with he will just stop, and yes i too hate this disease and what it does to really good people. Mark is the kindest, funniest Man who is so dependable a fantastic hubby and father he so does not deserve this.
    Ann
  • hopper52
    hopper52 Member Posts: 108
    #9
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    Chemo Side Effects
    Hi Ann,

    My name is Michael (diagnosed in April with T3N0M0). I have just completed about one-fourth of my radiation and chemo (Cisplaten and Xeloda [a pill form of 5FU]). I was supposed to Carboplatin and Taxol but I had a severe allergic reaction with the Taxol, hence the alternative treatment regimen.

    My side effects after two weeks......

    1. Loss of weight (about 12 lbs thus far) but from the nice people on this site I now have some recipies for some Hi Calorie input (Thanks Sherri)

    2. Loss of appetite (probably contributed to Number 1)

    3. After the first week of radiation it seems my swallowing difficulty is becoming a little worse but not significantly so (which is important because I have to be able to get the Xeloda down......Olive Oil and K-Y jelly are on standby)

    4. Some nausea but the meds they gave me for that has kept it in check. No vomiting.

    5. Overall tiredness (from the radiation I think). Of course I am also continuing to try and work, which is a warehouse in Florida, so at 93% inside on a 10 hour shift it's easy to tire regardless of radiation.

    Everyone's side effects will be different, even with the same chemicals but mine have not been as bad as I had anticipated........at least yet.

    Good luck and God Bless

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