5-Fu + Cisplatin vs 5-FU + leucovorin + oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) with unsure stage roughly 2 or 3

Coach B
Coach B Member Posts: 18
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hi everybody! Hope all is well with you and I will follow up with y'all... I was dx with EC junction with upper stomach on April 5th 2012, and I will start chemoradiotherapy on May 21st. I am having a difficult decision between two drugs they offer from two different oncologist.... Have you had those chemo drugs or different one such as Carboplatin + Taxol? I need to start Chemo and Rad asap and then surgery.... Any suggestion or help wud be apprecaited... Also, any nutrition advice? Hope you all have good weekend and a happy day!

Comments

  • JReed
    JReed Member Posts: 428
    #2
    Carbo & Taxol
    Don had both of those - he had chemo on Wednesdays and radiation 5 days a week. Lab draws every time prior to chemo. Don had some normal fatigue and really didn't feel good on the the 2nd day after the first chemo treatment. The following week the chemo onc started him on IV fluid for hydration on Wednesday and Fridays and that really seemed to help Don tremendously. He did get bothered by smells (things I could not smell) and coffee made him want to gag. After surgery - he can again drink coffee. He is eating pretty much whatever he wants - just a little bit at a time but several times throughout the day.

    Radiation was the big gun in Don's case and the chemo was like a little 'booster rocket' to help with the radiation. Hydration will someting you will really want to watch. Our surgeon had Don walking at least 3 miles a day to build up some strength before surgery which also proved to be a good idea, He lost his taste of things and maintained nutrition by driking boost drinks 2 or 3 times day. Not what you want someone to go through, for sure, but it is doable and usually with little side affects

    Please keep us posted ok?

    Hugs and FEC,
    Judy
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • jgwright
    jgwright Member Posts: 242
    #4
    Miscellaneous Chemo
    I started out with Taxol and carboplatin along with radiation for a month and a half. Shrunk the tumor way down, to the point where I could eat relatively normally. Unfortunately, a CT scan showed mets to the adrenals, so now I'm on Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, and 5FU, and I won't know until the end of June if it did its job. Unfortunately, I have some pain in my gastro-esophageal junction now, that is NOT fun.

    --Jerry
  • Court_Ren
    Court_Ren Member Posts: 27
    #5
    I am so sorry to hear that
    I am so sorry to hear that you have this diagnosis. My husband has stage 4 and it has moved all over the place. Upper junction liver, lymph system, and now lungs. He has had 5FU which worked great for a long time 6 months, and has also had taxotere, and now cisplatin. I tell you talk it all over with your Dr. They have the best insight. We have Dr's for my husband here at home, and also at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,MN. Although my husbands stagging isn't good. I am glad to hear that yours is in the earlier stage. About Nutrition. Eat what you can. Protein shakes, smoothies, etcc those are great. If you are having trouble swallowing see the Dr. to make sure there isn't blockage, or just yeast infection. It is common to get thrush when your immune system is shot to hell. They can give you a med for that though. If you ever have a specific side effect that you are having trouble with ask. I have seen it all. God bless, and be strong

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