How much time?

Liz2011
Liz2011 Member Posts: 15
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi everybody,
Just registered but have been reading through your posts for a while as I find it helps a lot to deal with this heinous disease.
My dear mum (66) had peritonitis on holiday in Sept last year and we only found out in Jan that the tumour was cancerous. She had a scan then which revealed 2 large tumours on the liver and lymph nodes involved too.

Started Folfiri in Feb and had a good response after 6 rounds - 50% shrinkage in liver and no nodes showing on scan, with CEA going down. But the chemo was tough on her and the onc decided to go for every 3 weeks instead of 2 and after 3 more rounds her CEA shot up to 128 (was 17) and a scan last week revealed that the tumours had started growing again - one to 20 cms!!!, the other 8 cms.

Mum is still feeling well, how the heck is this possible with her entire liver riddled with cancer?

Any experience you have and have heard of dealing with such large tumours would help. Is it a matter of when she starts to have symptoms the end will be near? Sorry to be so blunt but I need to know what to expect, the doctors aren't saying anything.

I need help. She won't see her onc before Friday (my parents live in France, me in the UK), she still thinks she has a chance with a new chemo.

Thanks

Comments

  • Liz2011
    Liz2011 Member Posts: 15
    #2
    Okay, tumour is 2 cms, not
    Okay, tumour is 2 cms, not 20!!! Got mum to check again on the scan...
    Duh - feel like a plum now ;)

    We have booked an appt at the IGR in Villejuif for a second opinion on Aug 11th.

    Mum has 2 large tumours, one is 8cms and the other one is 2cms.

    Can you please share your experiences? I wonder if maybe chemo embolisation is an option? SIRT? I really hope there are options left for my mum.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #3
    Liz2011 said:

    Okay, tumour is 2 cms, not
    Okay, tumour is 2 cms, not 20!!! Got mum to check again on the scan...
    Duh - feel like a plum now ;)

    We have booked an appt at the IGR in Villejuif for a second opinion on Aug 11th.

    Mum has 2 large tumours, one is 8cms and the other one is 2cms.

    Can you please share your experiences? I wonder if maybe chemo embolisation is an option? SIRT? I really hope there are options left for my mum.

    There are always options.......
    seems as if an aggressive stance would be appropriate in my opinion only to knock back the node issue and then maybe to shrink the 2 tumours so that removal becomes an option. Chemo is a bad boy, and sometimes the treatment can be worse than the disease...The attitude she has about knowing she still has a chance is underrated on her behalf...She has more than just a chance. There are plenty in here to prove that theory. She must know that the regimen might be intolerable but there are way more things out there usable than we can shake a stick at, we just have to find the right regimens that work for us...and then be able to bear the burden it puts on our bodies.....
    I would think that the nodes need approaching first to maybe stop or slow down the movement of cancer cells, then in the same time try to attack the tumours to shrink or deplete in size for removal...There is though always options, and Hope.................buzz
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #4
    Liz2011 said:

    Okay, tumour is 2 cms, not
    Okay, tumour is 2 cms, not 20!!! Got mum to check again on the scan...
    Duh - feel like a plum now ;)

    We have booked an appt at the IGR in Villejuif for a second opinion on Aug 11th.

    Mum has 2 large tumours, one is 8cms and the other one is 2cms.

    Can you please share your experiences? I wonder if maybe chemo embolisation is an option? SIRT? I really hope there are options left for my mum.

    sorry hit it twice
    -----
  • Liz2011
    Liz2011 Member Posts: 15
    #5
    Buzzard said:

    sorry hit it twice
    -----

    Folfox as second line
    Hi,
    Thank you so much for your post, and my mum's onc seems to agree with you as she will now start Folfox+Avastin every 2 weeks from next week onwards, plan is to do 12 rounds if she can bear it.
    Mum had a really tough times with Folfiri - headaches, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and had to switch to every 3 weeks half way through the series. Then the tumours started to grow again...
    Really hope that Folfox is more gentle on her, I believe it totally depends on individuals so we'll have to wait and see.
    L
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #6
    Liz2011 said:

    Folfox as second line
    Hi,
    Thank you so much for your post, and my mum's onc seems to agree with you as she will now start Folfox+Avastin every 2 weeks from next week onwards, plan is to do 12 rounds if she can bear it.
    Mum had a really tough times with Folfiri - headaches, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and had to switch to every 3 weeks half way through the series. Then the tumours started to grow again...
    Really hope that Folfox is more gentle on her, I believe it totally depends on individuals so we'll have to wait and see.
    L

    Folfox or any platin based chemo can be a bear...
    with most of the same side effects as she has now plus neuropathy...Keep a close eye and she may di fine through it. Some do..but the neuropathy and the cold sensation seems to be pretty relative to everyone doing the Folfox...I wish you and her the best in this walk......buzz

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