8 vs 12 rounds of chemo after stage 3 surgery.

mommyof2kds
mommyof2kds Member Posts: 519
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I was just wondering what everyone is receiving for treatment. My oncologist told me that 8 rounds of chemo has proven to be just as effective as 12 rounds in research for stage 3 after the cancer was removed in surgery. I am a stage 3 rectal cancer patient. Thanks for your responses..Petrina

Comments

  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    stats?
    They say having chemo after surgery decreases your chance of recurrence by 15-20%. I imagine that the difference between 8-12 weeks is probably small. So if it's a small percentage of an already small percentage then it might not be worth the trouble. I think the more important approach is to follow up extensively. Catch any recurrence early.
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    Hi Petrina,
    My husband had

    Hi Petrina,
    My husband had surgery for stage 3c colon cancer. He will have his 12th and last folfox 6 treatment tomorrow. That was recommended by both his oncologist here in Hawaii and Dr. Lenz at USC.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • colon2
    colon2 Member Posts: 183

    Hi Petrina,
    My husband had

    Hi Petrina,
    My husband had surgery for stage 3c colon cancer. He will have his 12th and last folfox 6 treatment tomorrow. That was recommended by both his oncologist here in Hawaii and Dr. Lenz at USC.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    8 vs 12
    I am finishing my 12th treatment tomorrow. I only did 9 with the oxilaplatin. The neuropathy got too bad. It is still there. Hopefully it will go away soon. It started lasting the full time between treatments on #7. My onc. said that was probably enough of that, but we still needed to do the rest for the 12 cycles. I also had stage 3. I had stage 1 in 2007, and didn't do chemo. Surgeon said I did not need chemo. Show what he knows. Good surgeon, bad cancer dr. I believe 12 is the standard scheduled amount most of the time, but who really knows how much is enough? If i were you, I would see how I tolerate the chemo and if its not bad, perhaps give it the full treatment. That's a lot easier to say since I am finishing up, back on # 6 or 7 I might have had a different opinion.
    Carletta
  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    It depends
    on the individual and the type of tumor and stage you are fighting. The protocol is different for each. I was DX with Stage II colon cancer with no lymph node involement or signs of spreading. Had emergency surgery to remove the tumor and according to my Onc Dr in 2006, the industry standard for Stage II was adjuvnt chemo treatment with FLOFOX. Had to reduce my regime by 20% and I only finished 6 of 12 due to an allergic reaction at #6.

    Making a decision to stop a regime before hand is one that YOU can only make, but that YOU must be positive about and NEVER second guess.

    Good luck and keep us posted :)
  • TxKayaker
    TxKayaker Member Posts: 176
    nudgie said:

    It depends
    on the individual and the type of tumor and stage you are fighting. The protocol is different for each. I was DX with Stage II colon cancer with no lymph node involement or signs of spreading. Had emergency surgery to remove the tumor and according to my Onc Dr in 2006, the industry standard for Stage II was adjuvnt chemo treatment with FLOFOX. Had to reduce my regime by 20% and I only finished 6 of 12 due to an allergic reaction at #6.

    Making a decision to stop a regime before hand is one that YOU can only make, but that YOU must be positive about and NEVER second guess.

    Good luck and keep us posted :)

    I am a stage III and will do
    I am a stage III and will do the 12 rounds my 8th is coming up next week.
  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
    TxKayaker said:

    I am a stage III and will do
    I am a stage III and will do the 12 rounds my 8th is coming up next week.

    well what do you know
    i was stage 3 had surgery to remove cancer tumor in my rectum.i had 10 nodes removed 5 showed up with cancer cells in them so surgen recomended chemo.i already had an onc on the team.she said 12 was the normal around my 8th treatment she said she was going to stop me at 10 because it has been proven that 10 treatments was just as effective as 12.this leads me to think these doctors dont know what the hell to tell you or do to you. i find it kind of odd they would tell you 8 was enough but tell me that 10 was enough.i am 5 weeks out of chemo and this damn neuropothy has gotten worse.i just try to go on and hurt everyday.good luck to you and Godbless.....johnnybegood
  • mommyof2kds
    mommyof2kds Member Posts: 519

    well what do you know
    i was stage 3 had surgery to remove cancer tumor in my rectum.i had 10 nodes removed 5 showed up with cancer cells in them so surgen recomended chemo.i already had an onc on the team.she said 12 was the normal around my 8th treatment she said she was going to stop me at 10 because it has been proven that 10 treatments was just as effective as 12.this leads me to think these doctors dont know what the hell to tell you or do to you. i find it kind of odd they would tell you 8 was enough but tell me that 10 was enough.i am 5 weeks out of chemo and this damn neuropothy has gotten worse.i just try to go on and hurt everyday.good luck to you and Godbless.....johnnybegood

    chemo before and after surgery?
    I had 5 1/2 wks chemo before surgery, so I had 5 doses of oxy before surgery and after surgery they count the next dose as 6, so I have had 9 of the oxy so far. I have been lucky. I have the cold sensitivity, but no neuropathy yet. I get an infusion of the magnesium and calicium before and after the oxy to help with preventing the neuropathy-don't know if that is what is helping me or not, but so far so good. I would get the whole 12 wks if I didn't get the 5 1/2 wks of chemo before surgery. did all of you get the chemo before surgery and then 12 wks after also? Thanks for the replies. Petrina
  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member

    chemo before and after surgery?
    I had 5 1/2 wks chemo before surgery, so I had 5 doses of oxy before surgery and after surgery they count the next dose as 6, so I have had 9 of the oxy so far. I have been lucky. I have the cold sensitivity, but no neuropathy yet. I get an infusion of the magnesium and calicium before and after the oxy to help with preventing the neuropathy-don't know if that is what is helping me or not, but so far so good. I would get the whole 12 wks if I didn't get the 5 1/2 wks of chemo before surgery. did all of you get the chemo before surgery and then 12 wks after also? Thanks for the replies. Petrina

    yes
    i also had 5 weeks of xeloda chemo pills and radiation before surgery started my mop up chemo of oxy and 5fu pump for 46 hours.gotta love it.....johnnybegood
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member

    chemo before and after surgery?
    I had 5 1/2 wks chemo before surgery, so I had 5 doses of oxy before surgery and after surgery they count the next dose as 6, so I have had 9 of the oxy so far. I have been lucky. I have the cold sensitivity, but no neuropathy yet. I get an infusion of the magnesium and calicium before and after the oxy to help with preventing the neuropathy-don't know if that is what is helping me or not, but so far so good. I would get the whole 12 wks if I didn't get the 5 1/2 wks of chemo before surgery. did all of you get the chemo before surgery and then 12 wks after also? Thanks for the replies. Petrina

    Magnesium Sulfate :)
    Petrina

    I talk about this frequently on the board.

    Believe me when I tell you that it is the Magnesium Sulfate that is helping you fight off the neruopathy.

    I had the oxy with and without it - I know the difference! If it works for you, then it's a blessing and makes your quality of life a 100% improvement when on the Oxy.

    I talked to my new onc about it again the other day - some people have posted that it is not a benefit during treatment and might negate the chemo's effects.

    Nothing could be further from the truth my onc said - studies can't show that it hurts chemo treatment at all - but it is working for you.

    Take care
    -Craig
  • JMartin
    JMartin Member Posts: 1
    Stage 3 colon cancer

    I just finished my 7th treatment of oxal and 5fu. Had 5 nodes positive out of 10. Dr. stated that there is current research looking at difference between 6 vs 12 treatments. Research will not be done for a few years, but looked at people who had to stop at 9 treatments due to side effects. He said the outcome was the same with 9 vs 12 treatments. So he was okay with stopping after 9. Now he wants me to do the full 12 treatments if I'm tolerating treat ok. I'm thinking why go through the torcher and I was so focused on 9. 

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,459 Member
    Just realized this is an old

    Just realized this is an old post that resurfaced.

  • marbleotis
    marbleotis Member Posts: 720 Member
    .

    ,