ct report

eibod
eibod Member Posts: 160
Received ct report today on husband's stage 4 colon/liver. The liver spots have reduced
in size but still there. There is also ascites noted. Next week is his last regular chemo but she will keep him on erbitux every 3 weeks. Question: if erbitux is maintenance, does
this mean he is in remission? How could that be since the cancer is still in the liver
and the colon? Just wondering and confused. He still wants to stay in bed all day, and
never feels good. So how is he better?

Comments

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    He's In the Fight...
    Right now, the good news is that the spots are shrinking, but obviousy, if they are still there, he is not in remission. He's involved fighting the biggest fight that there is - and that's for life.

    I'm not sure why the onc is discontinuing chemo if the spots are shrinking. My only guess is that the regular chemo has become less effective and Erbitux or Vecitibix is another chemical agent that can be used when regular chemo has failed.

    I cannot tell you why chemo has been discontinued, but I would ask this question to my onc.

    As far as him being tired, I've had many days I just wanted to be in bed, so I don't think that's anything abnormal - afterall, he's swalled some very toxic doses of chemotherapy and they are cumulative and build up with each cycle done.

    Good news - spots reducing.....question to onc, why is chemotherapy being discontinued? Does she plan to start up chemo again at a later date?

    -Craig
  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    Erbitux
    Was he already on it? Erbitux is one of the newer agents, and should be very effective, not sure it should be considered a maintenance chemo.
  • eibod
    eibod Member Posts: 160
    Sundanceh said:

    He's In the Fight...
    Right now, the good news is that the spots are shrinking, but obviousy, if they are still there, he is not in remission. He's involved fighting the biggest fight that there is - and that's for life.

    I'm not sure why the onc is discontinuing chemo if the spots are shrinking. My only guess is that the regular chemo has become less effective and Erbitux or Vecitibix is another chemical agent that can be used when regular chemo has failed.

    I cannot tell you why chemo has been discontinued, but I would ask this question to my onc.

    As far as him being tired, I've had many days I just wanted to be in bed, so I don't think that's anything abnormal - afterall, he's swalled some very toxic doses of chemotherapy and they are cumulative and build up with each cycle done.

    Good news - spots reducing.....question to onc, why is chemotherapy being discontinued? Does she plan to start up chemo again at a later date?

    -Craig

    Hi Craig, thanks for your
    Hi Craig, thanks for your comments. She said after this last treatment it would be
    6 months of the chemo and she felt his body wouldn't tolerate any more. (This is his
    second round of chemo). I don't know if he would get a third round later or not?????
    It is all a guessing game and keeps you so confused. I thought I read on this site,
    that liver mets didn't respond to a third round of chemo too well. How long after the
    last treatment of chemo would be normal to get some energy back? Thank again, Brenda
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    eibod said:

    Hi Craig, thanks for your
    Hi Craig, thanks for your comments. She said after this last treatment it would be
    6 months of the chemo and she felt his body wouldn't tolerate any more. (This is his
    second round of chemo). I don't know if he would get a third round later or not?????
    It is all a guessing game and keeps you so confused. I thought I read on this site,
    that liver mets didn't respond to a third round of chemo too well. How long after the
    last treatment of chemo would be normal to get some energy back? Thank again, Brenda

    HI Brenda
    When you say rounds are you saying the "different times" he has had to do chemo? Or just a total amount of times he has done it.

    I've done chemo 3x but have done 51 cycles of it - that's what I was trying to understand.

    There are 2 different cocktails that most of us try at one time or the other. The first is Folfox with Oxaliplatin - and the other is Folfiri with Irinotecan.

    Both of these chemos are good at shrinking tumors, so I cannot see how she can base that his body can't take anymore - of course, she may be deriving this information from his bloodwork and labs on to how well he is handling things.

    There really is no timetable for feeling good during any kind of treatment - we all vary in to how we respond to these treatments. It's really hard for me to remember, because for the past several years, I have felt more bad than good.

    I'm about to come off my current chemo and I would expect to feel somewhat better in about a month as the chemicals wean themselves out of my system. I mean I should see some kind of improvement, even if it's very small.

    Time, time, time, will always helps us get better, so I imagine every passing day past that without treatment, will only make him feel better.

    Keep us posted!

    -Craig
  • eibod
    eibod Member Posts: 160
    Sundanceh said:

    HI Brenda
    When you say rounds are you saying the "different times" he has had to do chemo? Or just a total amount of times he has done it.

    I've done chemo 3x but have done 51 cycles of it - that's what I was trying to understand.

    There are 2 different cocktails that most of us try at one time or the other. The first is Folfox with Oxaliplatin - and the other is Folfiri with Irinotecan.

    Both of these chemos are good at shrinking tumors, so I cannot see how she can base that his body can't take anymore - of course, she may be deriving this information from his bloodwork and labs on to how well he is handling things.

    There really is no timetable for feeling good during any kind of treatment - we all vary in to how we respond to these treatments. It's really hard for me to remember, because for the past several years, I have felt more bad than good.

    I'm about to come off my current chemo and I would expect to feel somewhat better in about a month as the chemicals wean themselves out of my system. I mean I should see some kind of improvement, even if it's very small.

    Time, time, time, will always helps us get better, so I imagine every passing day past that without treatment, will only make him feel better.

    Keep us posted!

    -Craig

    Not too sure how many
    Not too sure how many cycles? He had chemo for 6 months first of 2010, than 6 months
    again ending with next week, 3 surgeries in between. Last 6 months of chemo at 60% because of his reactions to it. I admire your strength for being through chemo 3 different times. You must have a great attitude, I think that has so much to do with it.
    Take care, Brenda
  • eibod
    eibod Member Posts: 160
    Buckwirth said:

    Erbitux
    Was he already on it? Erbitux is one of the newer agents, and should be very effective, not sure it should be considered a maintenance chemo.

    Yes he has been on Erbitux
    Yes he has been on Erbitux for 6 months. I think "in place of Evastin". I have learned
    a lot from you guys on this site, but still learning. Don't know why she said maintenance, I just assumed it was to try and slow growth since she was taking him off chemo.