change of chemo

Macca_Loz
Macca_Loz Member Posts: 21
in Esophageal Cancer #1
my husband diagnosed August 2012 with EC Stage IV with liver mets. had radiotherapy for tumour at base of esophagus which seems to be controlled and has had 3 lots of chemo for liver mets - cisplatin & fluorouracil (5FU). had a rescan on tuesday but appears tumours on both lobes have got bigger we could not believe it, my husband was doing well, look good and eating well but obviously the inside wasn't doing as well. so dr now decided to go with another chemo type drug - Taxotere - will do this for 1 hour for the next three weeks then rescan again. TACE (Thermasphere) maybe considered down the track. we do not appear to have many options left but i suppose while there are options there is hope. Anyone had experience of Taxotere? All i want is for the cancer to be controlled, we realise it cannot be cured but I want my husband to be given more time. This is such a terrible beast of a disease so unfair.

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  • ray slone
    ray slone Member Posts: 25
    #2
    hello i was diagnosed with
    hello i was diagnosed with stage 3 ec cancer jan 2012. they treated me with radation and chemo for 3 months and planned on doing surgery at the end of may. 1 week before surgery they did a pet scan and found mets to the bones in 3 places. at that point surgery was called off. they had been treating me with taxotere and carboplatin at that point. the doctor said there was nothing else to do. so i went to the james cancer center at osu and they started treating me with 5fu and 2 other chemo drugs. the chemo has been keeping the chemo in check will no new mets. the doctors have told me that this cancer will return in most cases. so like you said it is about buying time. the strange part about this is like your husband i am eating just fine. last winter i could not swallow any thing and lived on boost and other drinks for months. the only side affect i have ever had from any of this chemo is numbness in my fingers. i never loss my hair or anything. i sure hope your husband continues to do well. ray

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