chemo-radiation

JoyceCanada

Is there a "standard" number of rounds of chem/radiation with 5FU administered. I've had 20 (taking a break). Radiation Oncologist mentioned 28 t0 32, for stage IIIx2 node rectal. Just wondering how many others have had?

Moesimo

I had 25 radiation treatments for stage 3 rectal cancer, with 2 positive nodes. I had the radiation preop and did not found out the actual stage until surgery and the pathology was done then.

Maureen

JoyceCanada

Moesimo said:

I had 25 radiation treatments for stage 3 rectal cancer, with 2 positive nodes. I had the radiation preop and did not found out the actual stage until surgery and the pathology was done then.

Maureen

my therapy is being done post-op. I've had 2 rounds of Folfox and 20 rounds of 5fu/radiation so far. I was just wondering if there is a set number of radiation treatments because they are making me very sick :-(

suezav

my daughter had 25 radiation treatments and 2 "pinpoint" treatments at the end without a break except for the weekends. at first they had her hooked up to the 5-fu 7 days a week. she was smart enough to question why she needed the pump over the weekends if she wasn't having the radiation for those 2 days. they then unhooked her every friday and hooked her back up on monday mornings. that made her feel a tiny bit better. she is only 23 and says the radiation/5-fu was the worst part of her treatment. hang in there if you can. she recovered fairly quickly as soon as she finished. susan

suezav

sorry, forgot to say my daughter was dx with stage 3 rectal with 6/16 nodes positive. she had the radiation/5-fu post-op. susan

KathiM

Hello, dearheart, I'm sorry to hear of your struggles.
I was (PAST TENSE 4ever, I hope) StageII, rectal. I had 2 sessions, 4 days in a row of 5FU/Cisplatin chemo (5fu was 24-hour pump) and 25 days (M-F) radiation. This was all pre-op. Nothing after surgery. But all the removed stuff was cancer-free. This stuff was heck, but it worked!
Stay VERY HYDRATED...I didn't, and landed in the hospital for dehydration...after I increased my fluids, even the side effects disappeared faster!
MAJOR Hugs, Kathi

nanuk

radiation is cumulative; each individual has a lifetime amount they can tolerate, ask your Dr how
many Rads/Gys you have received, how much is received from CT/x-ray, etc, and add them up. Ask him/her what your total number is, and what will result from going over that amount. (in addition to the above, you receive additional radiation from various sources everyday,,) bud