taking a chemo break when nearly NED, but not yet?

have2believe

Hi guys,
After 8 treatments of folfox6, the scans came back and my mom's scans were really good. My mom was diagnosed w/ stomach cancer and it had come back in the lymphnodes in the abdomen the second time around. Now everything is no longer detectable, even the tumor in the stomach....everything except one pesky node in the abdomen, originally 10x13 mm, now 7x10 mm. We see the dr tomorrow to find out what next. My mom hopes for a chemo break, but I'm wondering if it's worth one more treatment, just to try to kick that node back to normal size. Anyone have this happen before?

- Lana

PS- I know that there's a stomach ca board but it's really not active at all. I hope you don't mind.


Mom's history:
11/2009 My mom was diagnosed with stage IV stomach ca (met to the left neck through lymph node- no symtoms)
12/2009-4/2010 completed six cycles of chemo (cisplatin/ irinotecan). After 5 cycles of chemo, the tumor on her neck was no longer visible on CT scan and the doctor has decided that we wait and watch.
6/2010- back to work at the supermarket
6/2010 CT scan and everything was stable including the 4 cm tumor is in the upper part of the stomach.
9/2010 Results remain stable.
12/2010- reoccurrence - began Folfox 6 chemo.
2/20/11- folfox has been effective in treating metastasis, lots of shrinkage and nodes resolved.

pepebcn

I my case , and I repeat it's just my opinion, I would go ahead
with as much treatments as possible , it does not mean that she can ask for one or two weeks of rest but then I would suggest to continue withe the whole treatment suggested by the doc. she is been fighting against this so hardly and successfully I'm sure that as per the experience some more round will definitively do the job on that little node!. BUT, this is just my opinion Lana! .Let doctors suggest her I'm sure they are doing an excellent job!.
Hope it helped!
Hugs!

AnneCan

Lana
I won't advise your mother what should do regarding chem. That is the onc;s job + sometimes it is wise to additional opions. Of course you are welcome to post here; it is one of the most active. It sounds like yourMom is doing very well.