Whats next?

damama24

Well got the results of Ct scan today. Kind of a mixed bag. Some tumors have shrunk and some have grown slightly. The big kicker is my CEA continues to rise rapidly, it is up just over 100 points since Dec 1st. It seems that my current chemo combo has stopped being effective. I'm running out of standard treatments to try. Onc suggested trying FOLFOX again but I had a terrible time with that the last time around and am reluctant to try it again. I'm just wondering if I have exhausted all treatments and will have to go on to clinical trials if any are available in my area. I was just not expecting these results and am feeling like options are few. Sorry to be such a downer but am worried I may never make it out of this tunnel, the light at the end seems farther away than ever.
Deb

Lori-S

Hey Deb
Sorry you didn't get the best news with your tests ... but, I've always had a mixed bag of results myself ... so I understand how that feels.

What was your last treatment and does the onc feel that FOLFOX will really help? I have lost the use of FOLFOX in my regime and am waiting to find out whats on the table next for me. I haven't run out of options yet. I can only try to imagine how that feels. I'm sorry I can't help with your situation but I do have some good thoughts and HUGS that I can send and hope that helps if even just a little bit. I'm hoping someone comes along with more experience ... but I just didn't want to let you go without a HUG

damama24

Lori-S said:

Hey Deb
Sorry you didn't get the best news with your tests ... but, I've always had a mixed bag of results myself ... so I understand how that feels.

What was your last treatment and does the onc feel that FOLFOX will really help? I have lost the use of FOLFOX in my regime and am waiting to find out whats on the table next for me. I haven't run out of options yet. I can only try to imagine how that feels. I'm sorry I can't help with your situation but I do have some good thoughts and HUGS that I can send and hope that helps if even just a little bit. I'm hoping someone comes along with more experience ... but I just didn't want to let you go without a HUG

Thanks Lori
I have been on Iriontecan and vectibix since last april. At first it was very effective and my Cea dropped quickly from a high of 9000 down to 23.2 last november. I took a chemo break over christmas and my CEA went up, I expected it to rise some and figured it would drop once I started back on chemo. But unfortunately that hasn't happened, it continues to go up. When first dx'd I did Folfox but only had the oxi for six rounds because of severe neuropathy and I was getting the cal-mag infusion along with the FOLFOX. Onc reduced the oxi for the last 2 rounds but neuropathy got so bad I could no longer walk on my own and numbness was so bad sometimes could not even lift my own feet off the floor to try and walk. II continued on the rest of the FOLFOX regime,minus the oxi but the tumors starting growing and CEA shot up like a rocket, and tests showed that 5-FU was uneffective on my tumors. So the switch to Iriontecan and vectibix, but now it seems history is repeating i
itself. Just wondering were I go from here. Thanks for the hug I sure needed it today.

Deb

AnneCan

Deb
A lot of us seem to be getting the "mixed bag" results lately; I am sorry that is what you got. I hope you + your onc will be able to figure out a next step that keeps you both happy + will be extremely successful. Keep looking for that light! Good luck + please keep us posted.

abrub

Deb, I haven't been on chat in a long time
but you've been in my thoughts. I'm so sorry to hear this turn of events. Nothing is predictable with this cancer. I wish I could say or do something to make things better.

Sending an extra hug your way,
Alice