Please remember that these discussion boards are a public forum, which means open to the public (i.e. non-CSN members) and the content can be found via internet search engines. Members are strongly advised not to share personal identifiers such as real names, email address, telephone number, street address, etc. This information can be used to identify you and link you to the content you provide. Other areas of CSN are restricted to members only and cannot be found by search engines.

Colorectal Cancer

Archives for December 2005

Treatments..Finally
Hi everyone.. I first posted on Nov. 7th about having rectal cancer and mets to the liver, finally I will start chemo - radiation on Tuesday Dec. 13th..I had a new cat scan on Wednesday and today the Dr. compared it to the one taken on Oct. 12th and the tumors have grown and we counted 7 in the liver..This is the first…
Erbitux, dry skin and vitamin E
Hi all, I'm on Erbitux for the past 22 weeks and the dry skin thing is getting me. My rash isn't too bad anymore, it's moved to my legs but the cracked fingertips bug me. Has anyone taken Vitamin E to help with the dry skin. I've heard it's good for skin but have not tried it yet. I see my Onc on monday to go over last…
Bad Week at Work
Hi all - just venting! I think I have handled things really well since my Stage IV diagnosis in late May 2005. I seem to be going on with life and mostly managing to be relatively upbeat. BUT, I find I have seriously reduced tolerance for what some might indelicately term "bull ****"! This was a horrible week at work -…
CEA counts
I completed my chemo in April. Had my follow up colonoscopy (my tumor had been too large to complete the initial colonoscopy in August of 2004), it was clear. I went in for routine blood work and my CEA count came back at 17. We retested my blood and a week later it had jumped to 21.9. I am now scheduled for a PET on the…
Cancer news good, liver bad
Hello, all. I haven't been in here or posted for some time. I was hospitalized in November after throwing up for 5 hours only to find that I had fluid in my abdomen. After CT scan, liver/spleen screen, and a paracentesis (they use a big needle to drain the fluid), I was BACK in the hospital again this whole past week.…
xmas greetings
Hullo dear friends.At this time of year I travel away to help my son at work so I have not been able to post. Jen and I wish you all the very best for xmas and the coming new year. We also hope with all our hearts that those of you who are struggling at the moment in treatment will be able to tell us of good and positive…
your best diarrhea treatments?
taking a survey to see how you all manage diarrhea and cramping. The oxaliplatin is really doing a job on me. the diarrhea starts about 2 days after the infusion. It lasts 3-4 days. The cramping is really uncomfortable. I'm up to 8 imodium per day and pulled out some lomotil that i had left over from 2 years ago(i know, I…
what to expect at a PET scan
My oncologist has recommended a PET scan as part of my follow-up tests. I just had a chest x-ray and a colonoscopy and they were good, but I have never had a PET scan. What can I expect?? Thanks, Arlene
Palooza 4 ~ Halifax, NS Canada
Palooza 4 Dear fellow semi-colons as we say goodbye to 2005 Andy & I would like to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and good health & prosperity in 2006. 2006 Semi-Annual Palooza's . Palooza 3, Austin Texas in late April , further details to be announced... Palooza 4, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. So set…
Female Radiation Side Effect
***Question for women!!!**** You've been warned! Hi, I finished radiation to my pelvis are to treat rectal cacner on July 11th. I haven't felt comfortable remaining sexually active since my rectal cancer diagnosis, so I used a vaginal dilator to try to minimize narrowing and closing off of the vagina which can happen from…
My husband
My husband, Dale, died on Tuesday morning from pneumonia. He was fighting to recover from the surgery that drained the abscess compressing his spinal cord and was just overwhelmed with infection. He was diagnosed with rectal cancer in January 2002 and discovered the lung metastasis in October 2003. Erbitux was effective in…
blood transfusion tomorrow
Hi everyone, I hope you are all feeling well. I will be having a blood transfusion tomorrow because of low counts. I know that this will make me feel better as I've been extremely wiped out, but it is very frustrating to have to spend all day sitting at the hospital tomorrow. Yuck!!!!!!!!!! I finally had a day with no…
Fatigue/Nausea
Hi to everyone on this board--I've been reading your posts for a bit and you seem like a great group. In October, I was diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer in October, had resection surgery and the cancer was staged at IIIA (3/15 positive lymph nodes). (I'm 28, a vegetarian and in good physical shape with no family history…
possible changes to my chemo
Last week, I posted how I was worried about by care. I have been on Erbitux and Camptosar for eight weeks because of recurrent liver metastases (6) and peritoneal lymph nodes (4). I had a scare last week as my CEA went to 49 and my onc. freaked. She said that she wanted to stop taking CEAs and CAT scans and just continue…
5 FU -- supply run out??
I just received a call from my oncologist telling me that the hospital's supply of 5FU has run out! He says the only factory producing the drug no longer manufactures it because the patent is running out, etc. I only had 2 additional tratments scheduled (6 weekly treatments followed by 2 weeks off X 4=32 weeks) and he felt…
my granny is gone
hello all. my granny passed away on sat morning. she was a fighter and at 80 yrs old she took some pain with little complaing. i was blessed to take care of her even at 2 am on fri but i knew she was slipping away. i have taken the next 2 treatments off as i am exhausted and just need a break. i am still waiting on scans…
thanks
thanks to everyone who responded to my Folfiri/Avastin questions. I start tommorrow morning better equipped & informed thanks to all of you. Love, bud/Nanuk
night sweats
In answer to some of my posts a few people have mentioned night sweats..I wonder how common they are and how much it has to do with liver/lung mets?..or the chemo. My husband has had 2 treatments of folfiri and avastin and both times the night of the treatment he wakes up 2-3 times with drenching night sweats... please let…
My mom
My mom had the bile duct unclogged and a stint in today. She is so relieved that she can start feeling better. We are so glad we got the 2nd opinion!
Common thread for metastatic cured
HERE'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE!!!!!! A review of all the people in the world who have had metastatic colon cancer and have had no evidence of disease for 5 or more years. I would like to know what they believe contributed to their success. I personally know only one person who fits this description, but I understand there are…
oxaliplatin is it changing the stats?
When my husb. Tim was diagnosed stage 3 colon cancer with 8 positive lymph nodes I looked up all the information and stats I could find. The infor was grim and scarry. The info was also pre oxaliplatin for first time cancer patients. Does anyone have good news for me about survival rates for a 52 year old in Tim's…
Dry eyes at night - why?
I have taken most of the different kinds of chemo currently aimed at metastatic colon cancer to my lungs and liver. I have also had the colon surgery, liver surgery, and surgery on both lungs and also 4 stents placed in my bile duct. All of this began about 3 years ago. I wake up to go to the bathroom most night at about…
Mucus Drainage
OK, the totally "anal" one is back. I haven't been here for a while. I've checked out every Med web site on the internet and could find nothing on my problem, then I thought WOW, check with the PROs. So here goes--The end of last Jan. I developed a radiation ulcer in my anus.(caused by the internal radiation treatments) My…
Still waiting on scans....
Belated Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had some good food and shared some love with great people. I know my blessings have been kept close to heart since diagnosis. To still be here, having the opportunity to fight, never having achieved a remission is such a blessing. I know how lucky I am and give thanks every day.…
Folfiri plus Avastin
I start Folfiri/Avastin next week, which I believe consists of 5fu, Irinotecan-(CPT-11), Leucovarin + methotrexate, & Avastin. Side effects seem to run the gamut, from Congestive heart failure to severe nausea & diarrhea, low blood counts,bleeding, & death.. Is there anyone out there who has had this protocol w/o side…
chemotheapy delivery
Has anyone ever heard of a box that the surgeon inserts under the skin that delivers chemo on a time release system?
BMS-582664
Anyone know anything about this trial or plan to be involved? Also what are your opinions on doing a phase one trial? Thanks!!!
stage 1V's please respond
Well my hubby had his second folfiri plus avastin treatment..during which time the Onc finally shared the results of his CAt scan that he had before the trial (he thought the referring Dr had spoken to him- but it turns out he hadn't had a full CAT- just an abdominal one previously)- but anyway it showed a met in the lung…
Need help for friend with Lower Rectal Cancer
My friend has cancer of the rectum very close to his anus (large mass). I'd appreciate any words from those out there that have/had this condition, treatments they are doing/have had, where they're at now and/or anything else that may be useful to my friend. He is not going to any support group which I think would be good…
erbitux and avastin
My mom's new onc. has suggested ironetecan + erbitux + avastin. Anyone used this combo?

Colorectal Cancer

Discussion List