question about chemo

The minimal growth your wife experienced while on Folfiri means her cancer got smart.  Folfiri wasn't working for her.  It would be different if there was shrinkage or no growth.  The tumors were starting to grow a little bit.  It wouldn't have taken long for them them to start growing more rapidly.  My husband Steve had a great response to Folfiri the first time around.  The second time around he started with Folfiri and had a good response.  After five months scans showed "minimal growth".  Switched to Folfox.  Next scan showed significant growth and development of new tumors (including the lung).  It was explained to us that often the cancer cells quickly catch on to the 5fu chemos.  So, for some people, when Folfox quits working, Folfiri is also ineffective. (and vice versa).  Steve, having  a kras mutation, had no other choice than Stivarga.  Even though your wifes tumors grew a very small amount while on Folfiri, I suspect it would be a matter of a very short time before the growth became more rapid.  I'm guessing her onc thinks her cancer cells would recognize the Folfiri.  Has she tried Folfox?  The doctors at Sloan will steer you in the right direction.  You should at least go for a consultation appointment.  If you have a bad gut feeling about her current onc - move on.  

rls67 said:

The onc switched her

The onc switched her treatment from once every two weeks to once every three weeks. Couldn't that be the reason for the minimal growth? I contacted sloan, cleveland clinic and roswell, only to be told there are no trials, We live to far away, she's had to much chemo. I am not ready to go down the stivarga road. Everything I read about is bad side effects with no improvement. Stivarga would seem like giving up to me. What would she have to lose doing the folfiri again? The only other option left might be cancer center of america. That has to be better than stivarga.

I would think switching from every 2 weeks to 3 weeks could explain the minimal growth.  I don't think she would have anything to lose with trying the Folfiri again.  Plus time has passed since she was last on Folfiri.  Perhaps her cancer cells will be more sensitive to it.  I agree with you about Stivarga.  It almost seems like its offered as a last ditch treatment offer to humor the patient. I get the impression that the onc's don't have a lot of confidence in its abilities.  The side effects seem quite nasty.  Can't hurt to talk to CCOA.  These decisions are so hard......  So much pressure.  Would her onc be willing to revisit Folfiri?

rls67 said:

Thank you all,

I am sitting in the ER as I write this. My wife started experiencing extreme pain and could not breath deep with out a lot of pain. I had to call 911 for an ambulance. Don't have the blood test back yet. I am praying it isn't anything to serious. I am scared though.

Sorry to read about this latest development.  Hopefully it's nothing serious.  Perhaps it's stress related.  Please give us an update when you can.  

rls67 said:

Thank you hooley and chelsea

Still haven't heard anything. They did a ultra sound. The dr said her liver is enlarged. She doesn't think thats whats causing the pain.

I am sorry to hear about all of the hard times. To answer your question I did FOLFIRI on two different occassions. I have heard of otherpeople going back on a drug combination that they did I n the past. I wonder why he stopped on FOLFIRI if it seemed to be working.

rls67 said:

Thank you hooley and chelsea

Still haven't heard anything. They did a ultra sound. The dr said her liver is enlarged. She doesn't think thats whats causing the pain.

When you can if possible.  Hope she is doing better.

Winter Marie

rls67 said:

Thank you hooley and chelsea

Still haven't heard anything. They did a ultra sound. The dr said her liver is enlarged. She doesn't think thats whats causing the pain.

Please let us know how she's doing when you can.

Hugs to you both~AA

rls67 said:

Hi Jen,

well they sort of. The hospital did a ultra sound on her and said they found a stone in a bile duct that was blocking everything. so they sent her to endoscopy to try and pluck that stone out on thursday. Well they couldn't get to it, so they had to send her by ambulance to another hospital which would be able to do it. They did the procedure again yesterday, but to everyones surprise, there was no stone. The dr cleaned and widened her duct so everything flows through better. He said she has a lot of tumors on her liver and some of the smaller capalaries (sp?) are blocked by the tumors. She still had pain last night though. I don't know if it because of the procrdure or something else.