Update - Great News!

mikew42
mikew42 Member Posts: 114 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Background first - Diagnosed with Stage 4 cc in February, had resection of colon and primary tumor removed. Met to liver discovered during surgery (about 1 cm). Started chemo end of March with the addition of Avastin. I have had 6 treatments so far and had an MRI of the liver yesterday. The onc's office called and said the reuslts show the tumor has shrunk by 50%. I know I have a long way to go, but any good news gives me that much more confidence that I can beat this thing. Again, I want to thank all who post here. This site is so positive.

Comments

  • alihamilton
    alihamilton Member Posts: 347 Member
    #2
    That is SUCH good news....well done! You may have a way to go but just look at how far you have come in a short space of time! Can they say as yet how many more treatments you are to have? And how are you feeling generally?
  • sallyjoy
    sallyjoy Member Posts: 102
    #3
    Mike, It's so great to hear your news! My hubby just had his 2nd chemo treatment fri. He is same scenario, stage 4, 1 met to the liver. We are hopeful that we achieve similar results :) Hes on FOLFOX and Avastin too. How have the side effects been for you? Hubby gets really tired... Keep in touch - I keep my eye out for your postings... God Bless!
    Sally Jo
  • mikew42
    mikew42 Member Posts: 114 Member
    #4
    alihamilton said:

    That is SUCH good news....well done! You may have a way to go but just look at how far you have come in a short space of time! Can they say as yet how many more treatments you are to have? And how are you feeling generally?

    alihamilton, thank you very much. I am going for 6 months of chemo, wether or not this met goes away. Luckily, my treatments are going good. My last two treatments I haven't had any side effects at all. I had a port put in last week and had a treatment the same day. I wish I would have got one earlier. I am working full time and feel great. I think the positive thoughts flowing from this site are sooo helpful.
  • mikew42
    mikew42 Member Posts: 114 Member
    #5
    sallyjoy said:

    Mike, It's so great to hear your news! My hubby just had his 2nd chemo treatment fri. He is same scenario, stage 4, 1 met to the liver. We are hopeful that we achieve similar results :) Hes on FOLFOX and Avastin too. How have the side effects been for you? Hubby gets really tired... Keep in touch - I keep my eye out for your postings... God Bless!
    Sally Jo

    Sallyjoy, Thanks for the kind words. I am on the 5-fu, Camptosar and Avastin and have had minimal side effects. How big is your hubby's met? Is it operable? Did he have lymph node involvement? I had 8 of 25 positive nodes. My met is operable but we wanted to see how chemo effects it. Keep me posted on your hubby's progress, keep the faith and I will be praying for you two.
  • nettie4
    nettie4 Member Posts: 145
    #6
    that is great news for you. i have recurrent cancer with mets to the lungs. i too had a test this month and out of many tumors in the lungs i only have one left that is 3mm. i am on same treatment as you but doc put me on till at least the end of august. glad you are having no side affects. i have side affects, but i have been on it since jan. i hope and pray your results just keep gettin better. in aug i will be gettin a pet and a cat to see what the next step will be. hopefully being 35 will help. r u going to be getting a pet after your treatment? take care

    nettie
  • KrisS
    KrisS Member Posts: 229
    #7
    Mike- Congratulations and thanks for passing on the good news. Here's hoping that you will be reporting complete remission in the near future!

    Best wishes,

    Kris
  • sallyjoy
    sallyjoy Member Posts: 102
    #8
    mikew42 said:

    Sallyjoy, Thanks for the kind words. I am on the 5-fu, Camptosar and Avastin and have had minimal side effects. How big is your hubby's met? Is it operable? Did he have lymph node involvement? I had 8 of 25 positive nodes. My met is operable but we wanted to see how chemo effects it. Keep me posted on your hubby's progress, keep the faith and I will be praying for you two.

    Mike, You're Welcome :) Glad you've had so few side effects too... hubby had side effects almost right away, but they are tolerable...fatigue, nausea, headaches, achy, mouth sores, some diarhea, some constipation, tingly when touching cold things/water... he feels better the 2nd week. chemos every other Fri. I think his met is 1.8cm x 2cm - I dont quite recall... He had 4 of 7 nodes involved. Surgeon at Hopkins says its operable, but it is in the caudate lobe (in the middle) so he'd have to take half the liver out so that is why they are trying chemo 1st, to see if they can shrink it and take out less liver... regardless he'll have more chemo after surgery... Where is your met located? Please do keep in touch. your progress gives me hope. Thanks for the prayers too and know we'll be praying for your recovery also!
    Sally Jo
  • mikew42
    mikew42 Member Posts: 114 Member
    #9
    sallyjoy said:

    Mike, You're Welcome :) Glad you've had so few side effects too... hubby had side effects almost right away, but they are tolerable...fatigue, nausea, headaches, achy, mouth sores, some diarhea, some constipation, tingly when touching cold things/water... he feels better the 2nd week. chemos every other Fri. I think his met is 1.8cm x 2cm - I dont quite recall... He had 4 of 7 nodes involved. Surgeon at Hopkins says its operable, but it is in the caudate lobe (in the middle) so he'd have to take half the liver out so that is why they are trying chemo 1st, to see if they can shrink it and take out less liver... regardless he'll have more chemo after surgery... Where is your met located? Please do keep in touch. your progress gives me hope. Thanks for the prayers too and know we'll be praying for your recovery also!
    Sally Jo

    Sallyjoy, your husband and I seem to be on very similar paths. My met is on the outer portion of my right lobe (very operable). Knowing that your husbands tumor is operable (btw: husbands name?)is excellent. Much better chance for long term survival or possibly cure! How old is he? I am 42 with 3 boys( 5, 9 &10) with a wonderful wife who is a lurker and reads all the messages on this site (Hi dear!!). I'm sorry your husband has side effects. Maybe as my treatments go along (in month 3 of 6) the side effects will worsen, so I count my blessings that I'm OK right now. Take care and keep in touch.

    Mike
  • bsrules
    bsrules Member Posts: 296
    #10
    GREAT NEWS!!!!! My hubby has Stage 4 with Met to the liver at 60%. His is not opperable as for as the liver goes. He has had 2 CT scans since he was diag.and started treatments. They do a CT scan after 4 treatments have been completed. The first one the cancer grew. The second one the cancer shrunk by 30%. We are going in tomorrow for his 3rd. He has completed 12 treatments and is very nervious about what the results will be. He is fighting this with everything he has and I am so proud of him for all he has been able to get through. I am hoping that his results are a successful as yours were!!!! I am so happy for you and your family!!!! Keep up the GREAT work and keep laughing and smileing!!! It always makes you feel better!! Best wishes for continued success!!
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #11
    How great that you are responding so well to the chemo. That is wonderful news. Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us.
    Tara
  • carmen07
    carmen07 Member Posts: 120 Member
    #12
    Mike
    Great News! At least you know that the chemo is working.
    My husband stage 4, had two lessions 8mm 1cm. After 8 treatments Cat Scan showed one lession can not be seen at all and the other is barely visible. Had a Pet Scan which turned out good also. Next had a colonscopy since the original could not see his entire colon. Even though Cat/Pet Scans don't show blockage of colon, they want to make sure there is nothing left in colon. His first they were not able to get through.
    Now we are getting ready for pre-op test next week. Scheduled to have liver resection of right lobe.
    The surgeon said that this is the most aggressive form for cure. Then he will have chemo after. Most likely another 8.
    He has been treated with one week on/ one week off. (oxiplatin/lecovorin/5ur). Will be treated with Avastin after surgery. Best of luck to you. will keep you posted.
  • sallyjoy
    sallyjoy Member Posts: 102
    #13
    mikew42 said:

    Sallyjoy, your husband and I seem to be on very similar paths. My met is on the outer portion of my right lobe (very operable). Knowing that your husbands tumor is operable (btw: husbands name?)is excellent. Much better chance for long term survival or possibly cure! How old is he? I am 42 with 3 boys( 5, 9 &10) with a wonderful wife who is a lurker and reads all the messages on this site (Hi dear!!). I'm sorry your husband has side effects. Maybe as my treatments go along (in month 3 of 6) the side effects will worsen, so I count my blessings that I'm OK right now. Take care and keep in touch.

    Mike

    HI mIke.. it does seem that you and Lincoln (hubby's name ) are in very similar situations, that is why it is especially good to hear you are responding so well to the chemo. This time was not as bed as last time for Lincoln, so I hope it continues. Our drs have definately given us hope for a cure.. even my GI dr, which happens to be a dif. GI dr than hubbys. Not one dr gave us a bad prognosis like some of the folks here, thank God... They are all pretty positive which helps make this all at least somewhat tolerable... I hope you don't get side efffects. Hubbys father has been on chemo for 2+ yrs and is doing great so far. At 1st he got really sick, but then he felt much better. Recently they upped his dose and added campistar and now avastin. I keep meaning to call him as I know he didnt feel as good after his last treatment when they added the avastin. I need to know if he is feeling better now. Man sometimes it seems there just is not enough time in a day! Hubby thinks its because of technology :) he'd like to go back to simplier times when the days were long and time was a bigger commodity...and the horse & wagon didn't cost as much as gas does now :) hehehe... Take care and keep in touch Miike, cause I especially want to know how you are doing and coping. HUGS and God Bless.
    Sally Jo

    BTW We have 4 kids 1 together 3 others from him. Ages 19.15,10, 5. All boy. the 15 yr old and 5 yrs old are with us at home, the others are with their mom. Lincoln is 41 and I am 34...
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #14
    carmen07 said:

    Mike
    Great News! At least you know that the chemo is working.
    My husband stage 4, had two lessions 8mm 1cm. After 8 treatments Cat Scan showed one lession can not be seen at all and the other is barely visible. Had a Pet Scan which turned out good also. Next had a colonscopy since the original could not see his entire colon. Even though Cat/Pet Scans don't show blockage of colon, they want to make sure there is nothing left in colon. His first they were not able to get through.
    Now we are getting ready for pre-op test next week. Scheduled to have liver resection of right lobe.
    The surgeon said that this is the most aggressive form for cure. Then he will have chemo after. Most likely another 8.
    He has been treated with one week on/ one week off. (oxiplatin/lecovorin/5ur). Will be treated with Avastin after surgery. Best of luck to you. will keep you posted.

    Mike--as always--thinking of all yu guys here and praying that yu have the best possible results with all your treatments.
    Some wonderfull support here--our luv and huggs--kanga n Jen

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