liver mets vs lung mets

FRANTIC

As you know from my past messages the colon cancer from 2003 has metasisized to the skullin 3 places and also multiple nodules in both lungs.
I don't know if this is an appropiate question.
BUt which is most successful to treat mets to the lungs or mets to the liver?? I saw my oncoligist on Tuesday and he wants to do oxyplatinum, 5FU which he says helps the oxiplatinum and erbitux.
Does that seem right. This will be used indefinitely. I have more port scheduled for next WEd. It is called a power port where when you go for follow-up MRI's and catscans, petscans with Iv contrast they can access the port. Your friend Fran

kbienapfl

Hi Fran....You have a very good question. I was just wondering the same the other day.

As you may recall, I have mets to my lung. Have been undergoing the regiment that your doctor is recommending.

I had a CT scan of my chest on Monday (for other purposes) and found out my tumors are rapidly increasing and have moved from just my right lung to now my left. This has occurred in a short two months since my last scan. My hope is that my three treatments just have not been enough to tackle this beast.

I'm feeling quite desperate and hope your question brings good news for both of us.

With great hope, Kathy

apache4

The port you are getting is the same one I have. It is real handy and is supposed to be able to stay in place for like five years. They can do blood work from it too if need be. Mine has not given me any trouble and now that I am on a "break" from chemo, I just have to go in and have it flushed once a month which is no big deal. As to the mets, I think it depends on the number of them and where they are, etc. Since I have so many in my liver, they are inoperable so that is a bummer. Just a few in the liver or on the lungs can be treated with surgery usually after the chemo. 5-fu with my other stuff really helped me. Did he explain that the 5-fu is given via a pump? That is what the port is for. Let me know if you need info on that as I had tuned out when my onc. explained it and was kind of shocked when I first got it. Mine was on for 44 hours which did go by fairly quickly.

Monicaemilia

Hi Fran: I know that everyone´s experience is different, but Erbitux worked wonders for me. I had two tumours in the lungs (albeit small ones) and they disappeared. As for the port, what a wonderful idea. My veins are shot and although I have a regular port, they cannot use it for c-scans or MRIs. Fran, I know it´s hard, but keep the faith. As long as there are options, the possibility exists that the beast can be beaten. And don´t worry about side effects of Erbitux. Yes, you may get a lovely face full of little white pimples or a rash, but I have been told by my oncologist that the appearance of this rash means that the medicine is working on you. There are creams and lotions that will help you control it. Monica

dash4

My husband was diagnosed 10/04 Stage IV. His reoccurence was in 11/05 to abdomen and chest and lungs....he has been on erbitux and irinotecan since then- yes, it has been a weekly trip for 22 months. When he was forced to take a break due to surgery--the areas progressed. But otherwise it has kept him stable and in fact on his last petct scan last week they found shrinkage on the chest areas. So, keep the faith-there is hope out there! I heard about the port you are getting and it sounds like quite the deluxe model!! The nurses love it. My husbands port has been in since 10/04 and is still working so we are not changing anything with it. If you get the rash we have figured ways to control it too. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Dash

spongebob

Fran -

I agree with apache4, it really depends on where, how many and how large/small the mets are. Liver mets that can be resectioned are probably preferrable to lung mets since the liver can regenerate itself.

No matter what, mets suck! Of course it sounds like they have you on a good treatment regime and I pray that will help eradicate all mets everywhere!

Be well

- SpongeBob