Chemo after lung met surgery?

impactzone
impactzone Member Posts: 555 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Is chemo given or not given after surgery or RFA for lung mets? I am getting 2 different opinions. I had colon surgery 9/06, liver resection 2/07 and now they have found by CT 2 small, 3mm lung mets (assumed to be cancer but not able to biosopy or do PET scan on) They will do 2nd CT and PEt in Dec and then possible surgery. I met with the thoracic surgeon Nov 1 for consulation and want all the info I can get.
Thanks all you have really helped me over the last year.
Impactzone

Comments

  • 83popsong
    83popsong Member Posts: 28
    #2
    Hey ImpactZone - Sorry to hear the news, but like Spongebob and others said to your last post, don't assume bad news too quick. I am a Stage IV camper as well, see my profile under 83popsong (Beat It!). I am having surgery for a recurrence in my colon on Wednesday. After watching my CEA go up for 6-weeks I assumed that it would be in my liver (Had RFA) or lungs (2 small, unspecified spots). Before I knew where the cancer was I did some research and talked to my Onc about what would happen. If the new cancer was metastatic, chemo would be part of the plan for sure. If not metaststic (recurrent in colon or same place in liver) chemo would depend on how large the margins were around what was removed.

    Given your situation I would anticipate chemo if the spots turn out to be a problem. Assuming they are resected or ablated, you still want the insurance of whacking any moles hiding someplace - something only chemo can do. While your surgeon is a good resource to tell you about the potential for surgery, you really need an oncologist to tell you how the treat the metastatic aspect. If you don't have a great relationship with your current onc, consider getting a second opinion if a CT scan does show something. You mentioned Stanford, I got a second opinion at UCSF and as very happy with it.

    As far as nuts and bolts... I had FOLFOX + Erbitux on either side of my first surgery. I had to stop due to a strong, adverse reaction to oxolipaltion (the OX in folfox). My onc has told me that if the surgery doesn't yield excellent margins I will probably get FOLFRI + Erbitux. Of course the Erbitux could be swapped for Avastin.

    I hope some of this helps. More than anything I hope you can find some peace over the next few months and enjoy your family and the holidays. It's a marathon man, not a sprint. In December you could get a CT/PET result that is still non-specific(I have two lung spots that haven't changed since my first CT in March of '06. Email me directly if you want to yack more, I will be spending some quality time recovering after Wednesday.

    Positive thoughts your way Impactzone.

    --Eben
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #3
    I have had lung met twice (once in 2005, once in 2007). Both times it was a small, solitary lung met. Both times could be removed surgically. Both times I had chemo afterwards -- 6 mos -- to wipe out any small micromets that might still be floating around. I finished my last chemo in June. Feeling GREAT now and scans all clear. Good luck to you.

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