Chemo Drugs

UncleBuddy · October 2013

My brother has 5 lung nodules and 1 liver mass that is 3 cm. He had an anterior resection in 2011 and had chemo/rad before and chemo after surgery. He had finished his chemo August 2012 and his scans had been clear up until a couple of months ago. His CEA levels went up and his CT scan and MRI showed lung noudules and liver mass. Biopsy was done and confirmed metastasized rectal cancer.

This week he started chemo: 5 -FU every 14 days, irinotecan every 14 days, leucovorin every 14 days, 5-FU over 2 days (infusion pump) and erbitux will begin next visit. He is also on diphenhydramine and famotidine, zofran, and dexamethasone. Also atropine for irinotecan.

Wow! Is this the usual cocktail of drugs? So far no talk of surgery. The doctor wants to shrink the tumors. Chemo should be for 6 months and then they re-evaluate how things are going? They should know within a couple of treatments whether it is working?

Have any of you had surgery if it was in more than one distant organ? He has 5 visible nodules in his lungs (both lungs) and a spot 3 cm on the liver.

jedlls · October 2013

Chemo Drugs

Colon resection 9/11

Stoma reversal Feb 2012

Met in liver ID'd in Oct. 2012

Lots of scans.

Folfox Jan - March 2013

Liver Resection April 2013 (Thank God I quit drinking Oct 2012 and there was a healthy liver. The surgeon thought 60% would come out; got in there and only took 40% and had a quick recovery for Chemo)

2 lung spots too small to operate/find,.... waiting to see size after Chemo.

After 5 cycles of chem new soft spot turned out to be ulcer (side effect of chemo + worry???). One gone lung spot.

At 7 of 8 Fulfox5 Oxy etc.

.... TBA

The surgeons explained they operate (if possible) to get the stuff and pre-empt and follow up with Chemo to clean up tumour spots.

From what I've read liver and lungs are popular M-spots. So surgery in my case and judging from the attitudes of doctors is required to allow chemo to get the small stuff rather only erode the big spots.

Looking at foods and driving my wife nuts on diet!

A good Cancer Society sponsored book on foods help. Sugar and baked goods (baked converts to sugar) are murder to promotoe cancer according to many sources.

Fruits vegatbles rich diets and they suspect many spices **** cancer growth according to National Institute of Health. But I am going nuts qualifying foods. If you dig some foods in excess are poison but in limited quantities are helpful (Beta-carotine (1 carott/day are ok but B-carotine supplements are poison and the FDA is in the process of a warning on the supplement)). There are many conflicting opinions or nothing on many spices/foods).

My doctors say a 100% cure is the goal and quite probable but the stress of worry and trying to keep a good attitude (not just a front) on the outside is tough on the home front.

janderson1964 · October 2013

That is a very common

That is a very common cocktail of drugs. Almost identicle to what I did 1 1/2 years ago.

UncleBuddy · October 2013

janderson1964 said:
That is a very common
That is a very common cocktail of drugs. Almost identicle to what I did 1 1/2 years ago.

Thanks!

janderson1964, how are you doing these days? Did you have any surgery? He had the original anterior resection but so far they just want to let the chemo do its work and re-evaluate in 6 months.

UncleBuddy · October 2013

jedlls said:
Chemo Drugs
Colon resection 9/11

Stoma reversal Feb 2012

Met in liver ID'd in Oct. 2012

Lots of scans.

Folfox Jan - March 2013

Liver Resection April 2013 (Thank God I quit drinking Oct 2012 and there was a healthy liver. The surgeon thought 60% would come out; got in there and only took 40% and had a quick recovery for Chemo)

2 lung spots too small to operate/find,.... waiting to see size after Chemo.

After 5 cycles of chem new soft spot turned out to be ulcer (side effect of chemo + worry???). One gone lung spot.

At 7 of 8 Fulfox5 Oxy etc.

.... TBA

The surgeons explained they operate (if possible) to get the stuff and pre-empt and follow up with Chemo to clean up tumour spots.

From what I've read liver and lungs are popular M-spots. So surgery in my case and judging from the attitudes of doctors is required to allow chemo to get the small stuff rather only erode the big spots.

Looking at foods and driving my wife nuts on diet!

A good Cancer Society sponsored book on foods help. Sugar and baked goods (baked converts to sugar) are murder to promotoe cancer according to many sources.

Fruits vegatbles rich diets and they suspect many spices **** cancer growth according to National Institute of Health. But I am going nuts qualifying foods. If you dig some foods in excess are poison but in limited quantities are helpful (Beta-carotine (1 carott/day are ok but B-carotine supplements are poison and the FDA is in the process of a warning on the supplement)). There are many conflicting opinions or nothing on many spices/foods).

My doctors say a 100% cure is the goal and quite probable but the stress of worry and trying to keep a good attitude (not just a front) on the outside is tough on the home front.

Thank you

for all the great information. He has 5 lung spots (both lungs) and one in particular is in a very dangerous area to remove. The doctor warned him about sugar and eating helthy foods, such as lots of fruits and veggies. My brother is intellectually disabled and does not follow the lifestyle he should. Dad does his best, but my brother is almost 50, so it is difficult to change your ways at that age. The whole family has tried talking to him, but it just doesn't sink in. It breaks my heart. He was warned years ago that he needed to lose weight and eat better, but it has fallen on a child's ears. If he doesn't listen to his family and his doctors, I don't know how much more we can do. I am here for him to help him get through all of this again, but I am afraid that things aren't going to get much better if he doesn't start taking this all seriously. Thank you for listening.

Chemo Drugs

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