husband with EC, went through radiation, chemo, now to do 5 FU chemo

DianaPaul
DianaPaul Member Posts: 6
in Esophageal Cancer #1
My husband has esophageal cancer, had chemo and radiation, then surgery to remove the remainder of the tumor, but the surgery had to be stopped because they saw it had spread a bit. So, now, next Monday (10/15), he'll start chemo with the fanny pack (5 FU). Can anyone tell me their experiences with this? I read all the literature and looked up info online, but I'd like your advice and experiences. Thanks. Diana

Comments

  • jaycc
    jaycc Member Posts: 122
    #2
    More about your Husband
    Diana,
    Sorry to hear about the spread. Can you tell a little more about where there is spread ? ie Lym. nodes, or another organ ?
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #3
    Has your husband's cancer been re-staged?
    Diana,

    I am so sorry to hear that your husband's surgery was not completed as you both hoped. Did they provide a new staging for your husband's cancer based on what they saw in surgery? Typically they do not stop a surgery in progress unless they observe cancer in another major organ or in a distant lymph node.

    I had post operative chemotherapy with 5 FU via fanny pack, and infusion of cisplatin and epirubicin. It was difficult, but I a fine now. In my post surgical pathology one of the nodes removed in surgery was found to be positive for cancer. But my surgery was completed.

    I would ask the surgeon for a staging of your husband's cancer post surgery. That would give us a better idea of involvement and help us make better suggestions.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • Bermudagirl
    Bermudagirl Member Posts: 114
    #4
    paul61 said:

    Has your husband's cancer been re-staged?
    Diana,

    I am so sorry to hear that your husband's surgery was not completed as you both hoped. Did they provide a new staging for your husband's cancer based on what they saw in surgery? Typically they do not stop a surgery in progress unless they observe cancer in another major organ or in a distant lymph node.

    I had post operative chemotherapy with 5 FU via fanny pack, and infusion of cisplatin and epirubicin. It was difficult, but I a fine now. In my post surgical pathology one of the nodes removed in surgery was found to be positive for cancer. But my surgery was completed.

    I would ask the surgeon for a staging of your husband's cancer post surgery. That would give us a better idea of involvement and help us make better suggestions.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

    5FU
    Hi Diana,

    I am so sorry to hear about your husband. I can speak specifically to the 5FU. My boyfriend Dave had 5FU this summer, for 4 weeks with the fanny pack. The plan was to go 5, but towards the end he was feeling so poorly that the oncologist said that 99% of its effectiveness had happened within those 4 weeks, and it was concurrent with 5x a week radiaton for 5 weeks.

    It worked! :) The chemo and radiation exceeded even the oncologists expectations. It was not easy, though. Dave had horrific mouth sores, and peeling of the hands and feet. But he got through it. He did not lose his hair, but it did thin a bit.

    I hope that the 5FU works as well for your husband. Dave is being treated at Hopkins, and his surgery (THE) is Monday.

    Best wishes.

    Sandy
  • JanBred
    JanBred Member Posts: 42
    #5
    Bermudagirl said:

    5FU
    Hi Diana,

    I am so sorry to hear about your husband. I can speak specifically to the 5FU. My boyfriend Dave had 5FU this summer, for 4 weeks with the fanny pack. The plan was to go 5, but towards the end he was feeling so poorly that the oncologist said that 99% of its effectiveness had happened within those 4 weeks, and it was concurrent with 5x a week radiaton for 5 weeks.

    It worked! :) The chemo and radiation exceeded even the oncologists expectations. It was not easy, though. Dave had horrific mouth sores, and peeling of the hands and feet. But he got through it. He did not lose his hair, but it did thin a bit.

    I hope that the 5FU works as well for your husband. Dave is being treated at Hopkins, and his surgery (THE) is Monday.

    Best wishes.

    Sandy

    5FU
    I had good success with the 5fu..with cisplatin. The mouth sores were tough, but fluconazole helped clear them up. My onco hit me hard because she said that most people do not do well with 6 months of it, so doubled down on me for 2 months. It works!!
  • betsi7
    betsi7 Member Posts: 20
    #6
    fanny pack chemo
    My husband is on his third round and has done very well. We had a great day yesterday--went out to breakfast, took a drive to look at Fall leaves. I am off on Family medical Leave for three months and we are trying to squeeze in the retirement activities we will probably never get a chance to have. I am awaiting biopsy results from a breast lesion. Despite the magnitude of facing this (perhaps both of us fighting cancer when we still have three children at home), we are peaceful today. I had to really discipline myselfy with the Tolle's Power of Now prespective, but it has worked. Jaycc--keep trying to send youa private message but it's not working. Betsy
  • jaycc
    jaycc Member Posts: 122
    #7
    betsi7 said:

    fanny pack chemo
    My husband is on his third round and has done very well. We had a great day yesterday--went out to breakfast, took a drive to look at Fall leaves. I am off on Family medical Leave for three months and we are trying to squeeze in the retirement activities we will probably never get a chance to have. I am awaiting biopsy results from a breast lesion. Despite the magnitude of facing this (perhaps both of us fighting cancer when we still have three children at home), we are peaceful today. I had to really discipline myselfy with the Tolle's Power of Now prespective, but it has worked. Jaycc--keep trying to send youa private message but it's not working. Betsy

    Chemo updates and contact
    Betsi,
    I'm here. Sent you a private email,as well as my direct email in case you needed it.
    Power of now is good. Also people finding Mindfulness helpful.

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