CT scan reveal shrinkage

immbeloved
immbeloved Member Posts: 37
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
hi everyone,

on monday i had my first post chemo ct scan with, i guess, good results. background info...at surgery to remove ovarian cyst, surgeon found ovarian cancer, colon tumor and 3 positive lymph nodes, did colon resection and total hysterectomy, along with any lymph nodes that could become cancerous.. pet scan later revealed 4 large liver lesions.
this ct scan after 4 rounds of folfiri and 5fu pump 46 hrs., reveals 2 tumors remaining. one still quite large at 2.7 centimeters down from 3.5 and one 1.5 centimeters down from 3.0. so essentially 50% and 25% shrinkage of the 2 largest tumors and the other 2 i had are "immeasurable". the doc told me that people get best results early on in chemo so not to expect this much progress with subsequent rounds...boo, hiss!
i plan to see a surgeon at Vanderbilt this month to discuss liver resection, each tumor is is opposite lobes so is a little more complicated but i want this @#$% cut out of me!
side effects i am experiencing are
hand neuropathy
hair loss
fatigue
bloody snot
heartburn
mouth tenderness

other than that, not too bad but i still hate chemo. i think my neulastin shot is a placebo because doc says my wbc is not climbing, and i am not experiencing the bone pain others do. i am in a study. i have not had any fever or signs of infections so if the neulastin shots are bothering anyone you might consider not getting them. but that's just my humble opinion.

happy new year to us all. it may be our last.

amber

Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #2
    I am so happy for you that
    I am so happy for you that you have had this shrinkage. Way to go!
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #3
    Amber:
    That is a very good result after 4 rounds. Good luck with your appointment at Vandy. Now give the chemo a chance to do its job, it is cumulative. You want those mets as small as possible. In order to have surgery you have to be off chemo for a period of time both before and after resection and since chemo is working, let it continue to do its job. Hopefully the consult will be very supportive of you having surgery in the future. Sure is a wonderful goal and it looks like you are well on your way to having those suckers cut out.

    Best wishes - Tina
  • Erinb
    Erinb Member Posts: 293
    #4
    Wow, that is great
    Wow, that is great news!
    Erin
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #5
    Amber
    Amber,

    Shrinkage is good! Praying you get some encouraging news at Vanderbilt.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #6
    Good news! You GO, girl!
    It's hard work, this surviving thing! But, the benefits (living my life) sure suit me well!

    Sounds like you have the beast on the run!

    Neupogin...I was switched to Neulasta...made a BIG difference...almost same chemical, different delivery. You might ask.

    Dutch hugs, Kathi
  • TMac52
    TMac52 Member Posts: 352
    #7
    Shrinkage is good.
    Hi Amber,
    Congrats on the shrinkage. I too am currently on chemo and having alot of the same side effects. Hang in there we are going to beat the creature. Praying 4 U.
    tOM
  • mcgivarenfaith
    mcgivarenfaith Member Posts: 40
    #8
    Hello Amber,
    Congratulations
    Hello Amber,

    Congratulations on the shrinkage of the tumors! That's a good thing! Hang in there & good luck with you appt.
    Hopefully you will get liver resection very soon.
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #9
    Woo Hoo
    Way to go on that tumor shrinkage! Now just get that surgery schedules and get the rest of the the heck out.

    Gail

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