Who has had chemo FIRST then surgery?

Phil64
Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Recently found liver mets via MRI.  Per surgeon, not a candidate for surgery at this time (five liver mets in various locations). The recommendation is to use chemo (FOLFIRI and Erbitux) to shrink/stop the tumor growth and then consider surgery at a future time.

Anyone been down this road before?  Is surgery a consideration after using chemo? Has anyone had liver resections after using chemo to shrink/stop tumor growth?

Thanks in advance for the info.

Phil

Blog: http://PScamihorn.me

 

 

 

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Comments

  • bigman4christ
    bigman4christ Member Posts: 87
    #2
    hi

    Hi Phil, the Onc said that i wasnt a candidate for surgery either because there were to many spots on my liver so we just jumped into Chemo hoping to shrink everything first.  i dont know if that helps you out at all but you are not the only one that they started chemo first with.  hope that helped

    zach

  • Coloncancerblows
    Coloncancerblows Member Posts: 296 Member
    #3
    Hi Phil,
    Before I had my

    Hi Phil,

    Before I had my surgery to remove the tumor, the surgeon did another colonscopy to see exactly how much room he had to cut.  If he didn't have enough room to cut and would have to cut into my rectum, then I was going to have to do chemo first to shrink the tumor and then he would do the surgery.  It ended up he did have room to cut so I had my surgery last month and will be starting chemo next week.  Probably not the answer you were looking for but hope it helps a little.

  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #4
    bigman4christ said:

    hi

    Hi Phil, the Onc said that i wasnt a candidate for surgery either because there were to many spots on my liver so we just jumped into Chemo hoping to shrink everything first.  i dont know if that helps you out at all but you are not the only one that they started chemo first with.  hope that helped

    zach

    Yes chemo now

    Phil - sorry to hear this. my reoccurence is to liver-same place. They did thorecotomy, wedged to get tumor right lower lung and had to go thru diaphram to get first tumor (they missed in 08!) Ugh. Had 4 Xelox chemos before this surgery and four treatments after. Sorry, first surgery was left lung lobectomy...2/4/12 and 2nd 4/9/12 was the other, no chemo in between. Have small - 5mm left module that has not grown and did. NED 8/27 and liver reoccurence in December. Liver surgeon suggested Rfa but new local oncologist working with N. Western said focus on lung module and liver mets reoccurence-same place on left snd one on right-bothe small. Will I be a candidate for surgery on the liver, guess I wont know. Mets are small on left and right but reoccurence is on vena cava on left same place. Of course, they are watching everything with me since brain tumor surgery (recent mri-no evidence of cancer) and lesions on trachea confirmed colon cancer. Have read good results with Rfa and surgery. Craiger will probably give insight. I am on folfori - 4 cycles -KRAS mutant -hoping this works on all my needs. Wishing the best for you. Your posts and Craigs were more of my first inspirations and gave me strength. I know it was best going to N. Western for surgeries but good to be 10 minutes away for chemo., whatever my next outcome is.

    Hope this helps... get those surgeons opinions for "options ". Barb

  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #5
    Coloncancerblows said:

    Hi Phil,
    Before I had my

    Hi Phil,

    Before I had my surgery to remove the tumor, the surgeon did another colonscopy to see exactly how much room he had to cut.  If he didn't have enough room to cut and would have to cut into my rectum, then I was going to have to do chemo first to shrink the tumor and then he would do the surgery.  It ended up he did have room to cut so I had my surgery last month and will be starting chemo next week.  Probably not the answer you were looking for but hope it helps a little.

    The Colon Club
    There is a lot of discussion about chemo before and after...
    Barb
  • tachilders
    tachilders Member Posts: 313
    #6
    Pretty standard practice to

    Pretty standard practice to do chemo before surgery these days.  Actually, you'll most likely do chemo before and after surgery....

    Tedd

  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #7
    Phil

    I had too many spots in my liver, lungs, ovary, colon, ureter and they told me I would never have surgery.

    Did chemo from Feb to end of October, had my surgery on colon/ureter/liver resections in same day.  The other tumors had calicified.

    Again, I am waiting to shrink tumors to have liver resection.

    Winter Marie

  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #8
    Hi Phil,
    My husband, Steve,
    Hi Phil,

    My husband, Steve, is in the same situation. He has maybe 7 mets throughout his liver. Largest is 4 cm. Mets are not in one area, but spread throughout both lobes. Has done 8 Folfiri. The surgeon wants to plan toward a resection. Hopefully, it works out. I am not getting my hopes up. Would be happy with RFA. I think chemo before surgery is normal.

    Good luck

    Several weeks ago I asked if anyone had ever heard of sandwich chemotherapy. The surgeon we met specializes in sandwich chemo with folks with colorectal liver mets. Learned that this simply means chemo - surgery -chemo.
  • Phil64
    Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
    #9
    Herman Cain

    I found other posts about Hermain Cain and one referencing this article.

    http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-10-17/national/35277344_1_colon-cancer-common-cancers-cathy-eng

    He too has had chemo then liver resection surgery and he is NED for 5+ years now.  His case sounds very similar to mine, but of course the devil is in the details.

    Happy Friday to everyone!!!

    Phil

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #10
    Phil64

    I had chemo concurrently with radiation for 5 weeks with a six week rest before my resection.

  • BusterBrown
    BusterBrown Member Posts: 221 Member
    #11
     
    I was dx's with Stage IV,

     

    I was dx's with Stage IV, with mets to liver (3 spots). My once decided to do chemo first (folfox) and I had excellent results, Primary tumor decreased in size and the 3 spots on my liver were gone (for about a year).  In the 9th week, I had a colon resection adn 6 weeks later I started on the Folfox again along with 5 weeks of radiaton.

    Buster

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #12
    Hey Phil, I haven't had a

    Hey Phil, I haven't had a liver resection but my doctor at Sloan said that studies in Australia found that chemo and rad before surgery are more successful than after. It seems to be the latest trend.  That's how they treated me.

  • julita128
    julita128 Member Posts: 20
    #13
    Helen321 said:

    Hey Phil, I haven't had a

    Hey Phil, I haven't had a liver resection but my doctor at Sloan said that studies in Australia found that chemo and rad before surgery are more successful than after. It seems to be the latest trend.  That's how they treated me.

    Helen Who is your dr?

    Hi Helen,

     

    Who is your doctor at sloan?

  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #14
    neo adjuvant treatment

    neo adjuvant treatment is very common in many cancers.. especially when there are mets pressent.

    this treatment is meant to controll the growth and possibly shrink it to make it more operable.

    Good luck our friend. I know it seems like a long road ahead.. but keep us posted as to it goes.

    <<hugs>>>

    Donna

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #15
    Yes

    When I was DX, I had a large tumor in my liver (along with many other tumors) that prevented surgery at the time. I went on FOLFOX and Avastin and it shrunk the tumor so it became operable. So surgery is definitely an option after chemo.

    Good luck!
    -phil

  • impactzone
    impactzone Member Posts: 555 Member
    #16
    Hello,
    I had chemo done for 4

    Hello,

    I had chemo done for 4 months with a liver met at Stanford. they wanted to see CEA reaction and tumor response. I had liver resection and then continuded chemo. That was 6 years ago, so go for it!

    Chip

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #17
    Chemo/rads first, to shrink the rectal tumor....

    Then a rest, then surgery (J-Pouch). 

    There was time to do this, because I was not completely obstructed...and the tumor was large, so there was hope to shrink it first... 

    I was just grateful to do ANYTHING to stop the pain!!  (Tumor was pressing on my tailbone).

     

    Hugs, Kathi

  • Tlj1972
    Tlj1972 Member Posts: 1
    #18
    KathiM said:

    Chemo/rads first, to shrink the rectal tumor....

    Then a rest, then surgery (J-Pouch). 

    There was time to do this, because I was not completely obstructed...and the tumor was large, so there was hope to shrink it first... 

    I was just grateful to do ANYTHING to stop the pain!!  (Tumor was pressing on my tailbone).

     

    Hugs, Kathi

    Hi Kathy,
    i was curious to

    Hi Kathy,

    i was curious to know the outcome of chemo first??

    Thanks

     

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #19
    Tlj1972 said:

    Hi Kathy,
    i was curious to

    Hi Kathy,

    i was curious to know the outcome of chemo first??

    Thanks

     

    Hi there and welcome to the forum!

    You might want to send a PM directly to Kathy, as this is an old thread.  I am happy to be able to say that she is doing very well per her most recent posts here!

    You could also start a new post all together...say hello and ask any questions you might have.  We're a pretty friendly bunch!

  • sdp
    sdp Member Posts: 181
    #20
    surgery after chemo - LAR ,Live resection , RFA , tace and now S

    Pl see subject.

    Had chemo first 8 cycles ' folfox plus erbitux .

    Then LAR ( primary in sigmoid ) and then liver resection followed by RFA .

    Balance 4 cycles folfox and maintenance chemo of erbitux for 3 months after. 

    Several recurrences- 

    Several ablations , tace and most recent SIRT

     

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #21
    I did this for my rectal

    I did this for my rectal tumor.  My doctor based it on a study out of Australia.  The only thing I wish I had done differently was to use that medication everyone says you should take to prevent spreading.  Otherwise so far so good.  My tumor was gone when we did the surgery and two years out I'm still going.

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