adjuvant chemo

ellend

Has anyone with Stage II rectal cancer had adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery? The oncologist is suggesting a 4 month course of IV chemo, once every two weeks. The statistics he cited were the chance of recurrence without the chemo at 15% and with chemo at 10%. I am wondering how others have fared.

Thanks,

Ellen

lp1964

Dear Friend,

I was diagnosed with a walnut dice rectal cancer that did not spread to the lump nodes or other organs but was big and broke through the wall into the surrounding tissue. I got chemo, wasn't even an option not to. even though chemo was the hardest part of the treatment I would choose it, because god forbid had a recurrence I would want to know that I did everything to prevent it and didn't take a short cut. But looks like in your case it's you call. Wish you good luck with whatever you decide.

Laz

abrub

You can always start

Starting chemo does not commit you to completing it.  I was scheduled for 6 months of adjuvant chemo, every 2 weeks, with no knowledge of if it might improve my odds at all.  I struggled through 7 of the scheduled 12 cycles, and quit; deciding at that point, it was no longer worth the problems it was creating.  Some people have minimal side effects with chemo; others have extreme ones.  No harm in starting, but keeping an open mind.  You can decided not to continue.

Alice

DD3

My wife

had adjuvant chemo.  Really wasn't a option with her diagnosis.  Well, it was.  But, we were of the mind set "do everything possible."  She faired pretty darn well all things considered during treatment.  I do agree with Alice tho.... If you opt into it and it gets too rough.  Stop.... Good luck on your decision.

tanstaafl

extras

You might read the forums about celecoxib and/or targeting cimetdine with the 5FU or oral capecitabine (Xeloda).  Also baby asprin and PSK are extra possiblities. We started reading with  Life Extension Foundation articles on non standard adjuvants, sometimes used with the Integrative Cancer clinics.   

We use IV vitamin C for extra benefits with 5FU including less side effects and more cell tumor kill, but the oncologists have little background there.  

ellend

thanks for the information

I appreciate the viewpoints of everyone here. I will go ahead and start the chemo. Hopefully, I can get through the 8 treatments (once every 2 weeks for 4 months) with minimal side effects.

Elllen

NewHere

I have CRC

Or had Colon Cancer.  It was 6 months of chemo for me, once every two weeks.  Oncologist said it knocked down from 50% chance of recurring to 25%-30%.  Aspirin also helps add some percentage reduction.  Outside U.S. the course in some places is 6 treatments (3 months) instead of 12 treatments (6 months).  My oncologist said studies are being conducted to cut down to 6 treatments in U.S.  Have they mentioned a port for the chemo?

ellend

I have a power port

They put in a port. They said the veins in an IV site would be damaged more easily by the cancer drugs. I have a power port so if I have to get a CT scan with contrast, they can use it for the contrast.

I got my first treatment yesterday and have a pump that comes out tomorrow. So far the only side effect is cold sensitivity. Drinking something cold feels uncomfortably tingly. Another patient said to use oven mitts to get stuff out of the freezer.

Ellen

traci43

ellend said:

I have a power port

They put in a port. They said the veins in an IV site would be damaged more easily by the cancer drugs. I have a power port so if I have to get a CT scan with contrast, they can use it for the contrast.

I got my first treatment yesterday and have a pump that comes out tomorrow. So far the only side effect is cold sensitivity. Drinking something cold feels uncomfortably tingly. Another patient said to use oven mitts to get stuff out of the freezer.

Ellen

cold sensitivity

The cold sensitivity will get worse with treatment as is the possibility of nerve damage.  I had a pair of microfleece gloves that I kept in the kitchen to take things out of the fridge.  I took a drink from the water fountain right after my first treatment and it felt like I hit a nerve!  I learned quick to have everything at room temperature.  Good luck with chemo.  Traci

ThomasH

I will second that cold sensitivity

I'm a stage 4 CRC (Member of the semicolon group with my new ileostomy I guess) and I'm doing the 12 Folfox over 6 months here too. I have a port installed (highly recommended if you have a choice IMHO) I'm currently on my 3rd dose, and I will confirm that the cold sensitivity is both weird and intense. I'm used to drinking everything at room temperature already, so it was a great surprise to have the sensation of drinking a slurpy. i also have a pair of cloves, but I am using a pair of the rubber palm construction type you get at home depot. They have a good grip when I'm cooking, so I like those ones.

I've been getting a teeny bit of the tingling in my fingers, and a definite high sensitivity to things that have vinegar in them, like balsamic salad dressing, or pickles. The pickles were a bad idea. What was I thinking there?

Aside from that, I would put my side effects to be well within the acceptable range. I know mileage varies, but my experience has not been as bad as I thought it would be, so far.

I hope you have an equally manageable experience if you decide to go that route.

Thomas

traci43

vinegar????

Really, I haven't heard that one.  How odd, everyone has such dfferent experiences.  I hope it's not too annoying to you.  My odd one was feeling like I had a potato chip stuck in the back of my throat after infusion.  It hurt but went away after a day. 

The tingling will get more intense and last longer the more infusions you have.  By round 12 I was walking like Frankenstein.  It gets better once the infusions stop.  good luck to you, Traci

ThomasH

traci43 said:

vinegar????

Really, I haven't heard that one.  How odd, everyone has such dfferent experiences.  I hope it's not too annoying to you.  My odd one was feeling like I had a potato chip stuck in the back of my throat after infusion.  It hurt but went away after a day. 

The tingling will get more intense and last longer the more infusions you have.  By round 12 I was walking like Frankenstein.  It gets better once the infusions stop.  good luck to you, Traci

Yeah, anything with vinegar

My mouth still feels like everything in it is pickled really. It has lessened, but it hasn't gone away.

I think maybe my hands are a little sensitised from going out for a bike ride for some excersize. Nothing crazy, just a few miles a day. I find when I get home from that my hands had that tingley sensation in them just from the vibration coming up through the handle bars, so I think maybe between the chemo and that the nerves are maybe just sensitised and irritated. I might have to swap out biking for walking till things calm down again.

You are right though, it does gradually increase for sure. I'm hoping that if I'm super careful I might prolong things by not irritating it anymore than I have to.

Thomas

MommaAos

NewHere said:

I have CRC

Or had Colon Cancer.  It was 6 months of chemo for me, once every two weeks.  Oncologist said it knocked down from 50% chance of recurring to 25%-30%.  Aspirin also helps add some percentage reduction.  Outside U.S. the course in some places is 6 treatments (3 months) instead of 12 treatments (6 months).  My oncologist said studies are being conducted to cut down to 6 treatments in U.S.  Have they mentioned a port for the chemo?

just finished round 2 Of

just finished round 2 Of adjuvant folfox.  Lots of pain in hands . Any advice ?