Are there alternatives if chemoradiation doesn't work as well as planned?

Dodiefae

Hi there,

i'm 6 months out of treatment and my original 4 * 4.5 cm mass has shrunk to about 1 * 2 cm. There's no longer any suspicious lymph node involvement. I had a sigmoidoscopy this past week and my husband says that the monitor showed scar tissue in a different color than the area that concerns the surgeon currently. Tomorrow I get a surgical biopsy. The surgeon has previously said that he can't preserve my sphincter.  A while back he mentioned that possibly I could use another week of radiation.  I mentioned this to the radiologist who acted a little surprised.  i would like to think there may be alternatives other than a colostomy.  Why do they keep the port in so long? Is that because you might need more chemo for this cancer or a new cancer?  (I had breast cancer 12 years ago, but had a mastectomy and no chemo or radiation.)  Physically, I feel good - no real bowel problems.  I guess I'll know more in a week. I see they have artificial sphincters, but they seem to be for people with fecal incontinence versus cancer patients.

Has anyone else gone through this?

Thanks!

Dodie

mp327

Dodiefae

I'm sorry that you have this worry and I hope that your biopsy will come back negative, showing that your cancer is gone.  The questions you have posed, I cannot answer.  Please talk to your doctors.  If your biopsy shows no cancer, there will be no need for these further treatments.  I know it's not easy to put the cart before the horse, but I urge you not to do that.  As for port removal, some doctors prefer that a patient keep theirs for some time after treatment ends in the event more chemo is needed, as you have stated.  I wish you all the best today with the biopsy.

tanda

Dodiefae

It appears that the radiation has ben working.  this study suggests that it may be "safe" to wait for more than 6 months to see if the radiation is still working; if so, it may be possible to avoid surgery

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/876387?src=emailthis

 

"We propose guidelines should be revised, and that the assessment of response at 26 weeks be used in future trials and explored as a surrogate endpoint for overall survival and progression-free survival," they write.

It could be safe to extend evaluation even further, they add, because some data suggest that select patients may need more than 10 months for complete regression, although this would need to be confirmed in prospective studies.

shamayim

Wait for it

Hello,

I had a very similar experience and I was totally  freaked out until I talked to my radiologist and he said that you should wait the full 6 months and I decided that I would wait even longer until I was comfortable with whatever I decided.  I had a lump, it didnt appear to be shrinking, when in fact it was.  I had alot of scar tissue and I think I waited for the longest time possible before I had the definative exam.  My rectal surgeon said it looked so good, she didnt feel a biopsy was even necessary!  I feel like it is my body and my decision, and of course if it was totally necessary I would have had a colostomy.  My oncologist made me keep my port for a year and then a week before my removal I had a heart attack and had to avoid all surgery for a year!  I had an appt for port removal for tomorrow and my echo showed a blood clot in my heart so no surgery for me once again. Oh well. Sometimes life is just like that!  Just keep up with your follow up appointments and I wish you the best!

mp327

shamayin

So sorry to hear of your heart attack and current blood clot.  Your positive attitude despite it all is admirable.  I send all good thoughts your way and hope you will soon be cleared for port removal!