update

nanuk
nanuk Member Posts: 1,358 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
this is my 4th attempt to post..here goes; just finished my 8th round of folfox 6, and Onc had
originally told me that it would be 8 rounds, 16 weeks..they then informed me that it could be as much as
12 rounds.
I asked for a break, and they took me off for 3 months! My CT shows "3 or 4" spots left on lungs out of an
original 20+..they instructed me to get a CEA once a month, and if it rises, consider CT and/or re-starting
chemo. If no rise, a CT is scheduled in August, then decide what to do.
I'm a little concerned about the length of the break..has anybody experienced anything similar? They didn't
tell me that I had to flush the port monthly-found that out accidently by talking to another patient.
Input from my on-line extended family please... Bud

Comments

  • KrisS
    KrisS Member Posts: 229
    Bud- It is great to hear that you have had good response to the chemo. You certainly have had some rough times with your treatments.

    Somewhere in the last few months I saw a summary of a report from a European study comparing people who were kept on continuous oxaliplatin versus those getting a break. Unfortunately I can't find it and I can't recall whether these people were in complete remission, or had good partial responses. I also can't remember the length of the break, but I remember that there was a very small difference in how they did. You might want to ask your oncologist about it.

    Best wishes,

    Kris
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    KrisS said:

    Bud- It is great to hear that you have had good response to the chemo. You certainly have had some rough times with your treatments.

    Somewhere in the last few months I saw a summary of a report from a European study comparing people who were kept on continuous oxaliplatin versus those getting a break. Unfortunately I can't find it and I can't recall whether these people were in complete remission, or had good partial responses. I also can't remember the length of the break, but I remember that there was a very small difference in how they did. You might want to ask your oncologist about it.

    Best wishes,

    Kris

    Hy Bud--hang in there m8.Next time you give us an update I wanna see less than 3 "spots" left and none if at all possible!!!!!!
    Kanga n Jen are goin all out to ask "oh great one for a Nanuk reprieve!!!!"
    Geeeez m8--don't know how you do it--and to think 'ol kanga was wingin bout a measly 6 months on the poison---you've got intestinal fortitude Bud!!!!!!and heaps of it--good on yah buddy.
    luv n huggs-kanga n Jen
  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    Hi Bud,
    Good to hear from you. Sounds like computer (or puta, as kanga says)problems as well as your battle with the dragon have been keeping you away. Miss your regular posts, and hope you're able to get more out to us.
    Great news on the "spots"...as in "out damned spot"....which I will repeat regularly for you.
    I don't know about braeks in FOLFOX, sorry to say. I'm doing 5FU and leuco; when I developed some complications to trying to treat a blood clot, my onc was suggesting the possible need for a break in my treatment, but said that a few weeks off have not been shown to affect outcome. So, good luck on getting the info you need. Glad you learned about flushing the port. Amazing what info fails to get passed on to us, eh?
    Continued good luck, Judy
  • kerry
    kerry Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    jsabol said:

    Hi Bud,
    Good to hear from you. Sounds like computer (or puta, as kanga says)problems as well as your battle with the dragon have been keeping you away. Miss your regular posts, and hope you're able to get more out to us.
    Great news on the "spots"...as in "out damned spot"....which I will repeat regularly for you.
    I don't know about braeks in FOLFOX, sorry to say. I'm doing 5FU and leuco; when I developed some complications to trying to treat a blood clot, my onc was suggesting the possible need for a break in my treatment, but said that a few weeks off have not been shown to affect outcome. So, good luck on getting the info you need. Glad you learned about flushing the port. Amazing what info fails to get passed on to us, eh?
    Continued good luck, Judy

    Bud,

    Great news on the spots. Looks like the poison is working. Don't know about the break in treatment, but you have to trust your doctor.

    Glad you found out about the flushing of the port. My onc. nurse did it each month that I went for my blood work, CEA, etc. So no one told me, they just did it. I think sometimes these professoinals just take for granted that the patient knows everything. They (the professionals)deal with this illness everyday and just neglect to pass information along. That's why it is so important for support groups like this one to help each other and pass as much information along as we can. I have learned more from this site than I have from any doctor or medical personnel.

    Hang in there Bud. Glad to hear from you and thanks for your support to me for Monday when I get my "nose" spot checked.

    Take care. Blessings.

    Kerry
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    kangatoo said:

    Hy Bud--hang in there m8.Next time you give us an update I wanna see less than 3 "spots" left and none if at all possible!!!!!!
    Kanga n Jen are goin all out to ask "oh great one for a Nanuk reprieve!!!!"
    Geeeez m8--don't know how you do it--and to think 'ol kanga was wingin bout a measly 6 months on the poison---you've got intestinal fortitude Bud!!!!!!and heaps of it--good on yah buddy.
    luv n huggs-kanga n Jen

    You know, Kanga & Jen... We semi colons have a bit less intestinal fortitude than most people - just a medical fact! Of course, since we have less, we're able to use what eh DO have MUCH more effectively!!

    Cheers, mate!
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    Ahoy, Bud!!

    Good to hear from you - and I am so psyched about your damn spots being out-outed (As Judy would say)! You know, at that rate, you'll be ready to head down to Mexico with me come fall. I'm tellin' ya, Bud - margaritas and senoritas on the beach in Cozumel - that'll cure what ails ya.

    You hang in there, bro and keep us posted. I'll keep you in my prayers. I figure you have a leg up on a lot of us seeing as you live in "God's Country" - he's gotta be right down the road and ready to help out a neighbor.

    Be well, my friend.

    - SpongeBob