Anyone ever had this cancer cocktail?

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bigal88
bigal88 Member Posts: 14
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I had colon re-section on May 13 and biopsy of lymph node on right side of my neck. The results are adenocarcinoma in colon and lymph node in neck.Ct scan also shows numerous bb size nodules in both lungs.dr says it probably is also cancer. I start treatment in about 2 weeks.It will be Oxaliplatin,5-fu,Avastin and leu ovarian.I will have treatment at oncologist then wear pump for 46 hours.I will do this every 2 weeks for? Anyone taken this combination? If not what about separately? Just curious about different peoples side effects and effectiveness. Please respond thank you.

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  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #2
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    Dear Friend,

    I am very sorry for your diagnosis. It is harder when the cancer has spread. What you are getting is what almost everybody with colorectal cancer gets. Probably it is the most effective combo. The main side-effects are, tiredness, diarrhea or constipation, bad taste in the mouth, mouth, finger, toe sensitivity for cold, skin redness of fingers and toes. So start using lotion on your hands and feet now and make it a habit. 

    I ate pickled ginger or ginger candy for bad taste and nausea and used Bio-oil on my hands and feet from Target. Manage your diarrhea or constipation with medicin. Use eye drops for itchy, burning eyes.

    i may have forgotten some things but others will chime in. unfortunatelly you are not alone with this condition, but these people will help you to get through it.

    I wish you strength and the best outcome.

    Laz

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #3
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    You'll see that combo as "Folfox + Avastin"

    It's the most common colorectal cancer cocktail.  I had it, as did many others in this group.  You'll want to watch out for issues with anything cold, touching, eating, breathing, for the first few days (from the Oxaliplatin.)  Neuropathy can be an issue.  Nausea is also an issue for some.  Make sure to tell your dr about any and all side effects.

    I had severe neuropathy.  I also had "first bite pain" - a less common, but well known (amongst those of us who've had it) side effect, where the first bite of food causes a spasm or shooting pain in the jaw.  We all have lots of suggestions for dealing with this chemo.  I worked through it.  Some people get incredibly tired.  It's different for each of us.

    Keep asking questions.

    Alice

    PS - My last chemo was 7 years ago!

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #4
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    Oh yea. Had it. That is the

    Oh yea. Had it. That is the standard first cocktail.

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #5
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    5FU - No, make it 6FU's

    Sorry to hear of your dx. As others have stated, that's the standard cocktail that's given now. Interesting, 5FU was first "discovered" around 1957 and is used often for many cancers. The Avastin first came out around March of 2004, a month after my dx so I did 5 out of 6 months with it. That played a major part in my being here today. It shrunk my liver tumors so I became a candidate for surgery...the rest is history.

    ...11 years and counting

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    #6
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    That Is Mine

    Folfox without Avastin for me.  Every two weeks, with my 7th hook-up yesterday, so pump is on right now.  From what I am told, the Avastin may not be effective for me due to the results from a DNA test on a tumor.  Will get into it a bit more my 8th session after the scan.  But I do know the results showed some treatments are probably off the table for me.

    It looks like everyone covered a wide range of the issues.  I have been (knock wood) pretty good with this all, though things build up.  Have been walking in the house with Adidas shoes with the little nubs during first week of cycle and bought shiatsu inserts for my sneakers.  Since using them (started second or third cycle) the peripharal neuropathy in my feet is pretty much non-existent except for first two days if my feet get cold.  But even then minor.  (John212, though I think informally he may go by John ;))  posted a thread about neouropathy here  

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/292502

    Something to keep in mind.  I have some tingling in the left hand.  The tired is building up for me each session, where it lasts longer.  Starts for me the day after disconnect, which is usually Weds.  Usually by Sunday I was ready to do things easier.  Now it is lasting more.  My sessions got thrown off a bit due to Memorial Day, so had two 17 day cycles and will monitor what happens this time.

    The cold sensisitivty issue has been weird.  It seemed to be building up and lasting longer, but this time (only second day) it is less ALOT less than what I am used to at this point.  Maybe it will kick in more.  That is the fun of all this, sort of a surpirse from week-to-week and treatment to treatment ;)

    Good luck with it all.

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #7
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    I just finished the second treatment

    of that combo- except  I get levoleucovorin (Fusilev) rather than leucovorin. I am also receiving  the chemo before surgery  in an effort to shrink  my rectal tumor & liver mets.  The antiemetics  palonosetron and fosaprepitant are infused before I get the Oxaliplatin, Avasin and Fusilev to   help prevent nausea.  I also have the   46 hour  pump for the 5 FU.  To add to what Laz  advised, I was told to avoid reaching into the  fridge or freezer unless I was wearing gloves, to avoid eating or drinking anything cold, to drink plenty of water, avoid  direct sunlight and  do some form of light exercise, like walking,  if possible. So far  my main side effect has been fatigue- and it seems to have hit earlier and harder following the second treatment.  I  had constipation  after the first treatment and  diarrhea after the second, but they are easily controlled with otc meds like PeriColace for constipation and Imodium for diarrhea.  The chemo isn't fun,  but for me it's manageable so far, although   the effects may be cumulative and hit me later.  Everybody seems to react differently, and I hope you are one of the ones who is able to  escape  most of the side effects. I can't speak to effectiveness yet but there are  qite a few long term survivors here  who  will probably address that.  Best of luck with your treatment.

  • John212
    John212 Member Posts: 116 Member
    #8
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    Side FX

    The earlier posts have covered just about all of the most common side effects from the FOLFOX regimen. I am not familiar with how the addition of Avastin might chage or affect the side effects as it wasn't a part of my plan. One possible effect that you might experience that hasn't been mentioned is that, like me right now (literally) you may find yourself developing some mental fogginess. Honestly, when I started this post I had thought of an additional side effect but that thought disappeared in less than a minute. Start carrying a small notebook (the pen and paper kind) to make notes on things you decide to do - as in "empty the dishwasher, call my brother" - and for jotting down questions you'd like to ask your medical team the next time you see them - as in "why am I forgetting things so easily? - because I can just about guarantee that at some point you'll need the help for your memory.

     

    Edited to add: what I'd forgotten was a suggestion I had received from a friend: take strong mints along wheneven you do anything involving your infusions. The first moments of any infusion will almost always put a harsh taste in your mouth. It's weird, but you can "taste" the saline solution that's being injected into your blood stream and a good strong mint will mask that odd taste. Some of the other drugs will "taste" bad as well, so having a tin of Altoids was my go-to defense against these dark arts.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    #9
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    John212 said:

    Side FX

    The earlier posts have covered just about all of the most common side effects from the FOLFOX regimen. I am not familiar with how the addition of Avastin might chage or affect the side effects as it wasn't a part of my plan. One possible effect that you might experience that hasn't been mentioned is that, like me right now (literally) you may find yourself developing some mental fogginess. Honestly, when I started this post I had thought of an additional side effect but that thought disappeared in less than a minute. Start carrying a small notebook (the pen and paper kind) to make notes on things you decide to do - as in "empty the dishwasher, call my brother" - and for jotting down questions you'd like to ask your medical team the next time you see them - as in "why am I forgetting things so easily? - because I can just about guarantee that at some point you'll need the help for your memory.

     

    Edited to add: what I'd forgotten was a suggestion I had received from a friend: take strong mints along wheneven you do anything involving your infusions. The first moments of any infusion will almost always put a harsh taste in your mouth. It's weird, but you can "taste" the saline solution that's being injected into your blood stream and a good strong mint will mask that odd taste. Some of the other drugs will "taste" bad as well, so having a tin of Altoids was my go-to defense against these dark arts.

    This

    Edited to add: what I'd forgotten was a suggestion I had received from a friend: take strong mints along wheneven you do anything involving your infusions. The first moments of any infusion will almost always put a harsh taste in your mouth. It's weird, but you can "taste" the saline solution that's being injected into your blood stream and a good strong mint will mask that odd taste. Some of the other drugs will "taste" bad as well, so having a tin of Altoids was my go-to defense against these dark arts.

    Good idea.  The smell/taste of starting the infusion, and the saline/heperin shots on disconnect, sends s strange taste/smell for me.  In all this, for some reason this part sort of hits me as "Oh man, yeah something is up" more than most of the other things.  

  • Steve444
    Steve444 Member Posts: 105 Member
    #10
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    NewHere said:

    This

    Edited to add: what I'd forgotten was a suggestion I had received from a friend: take strong mints along wheneven you do anything involving your infusions. The first moments of any infusion will almost always put a harsh taste in your mouth. It's weird, but you can "taste" the saline solution that's being injected into your blood stream and a good strong mint will mask that odd taste. Some of the other drugs will "taste" bad as well, so having a tin of Altoids was my go-to defense against these dark arts.

    Good idea.  The smell/taste of starting the infusion, and the saline/heperin shots on disconnect, sends s strange taste/smell for me.  In all this, for some reason this part sort of hits me as "Oh man, yeah something is up" more than most of the other things.  

    Taste

    Is it odd that I love that taste?

  • sflgirl
    sflgirl Member Posts: 220 Member
    #11
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    Steve444 said:

    Taste

    Is it odd that I love that taste?

    Hahahaha, yes it might be

    but more power to you.  It just creates PTSD in me lol.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    #12
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    Steve444 said:

    Taste

    Is it odd that I love that taste?

    Freaky Dude

    ;)  

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    #13
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    Steve444 said:

    Taste

    Is it odd that I love that taste?

    Sorry

    Steve, yeah it's weird you love that taste : )

    Easyflip/Richard

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