Limit to amount of chemo/radiation

Bicarsa,

Hopefully your PET results are nothing to worry about. Let us know what the doc says, if you will.

Many of the chemo drugs have recommended maximum lifetime doses, but these are RECOMMENDATIONS. A doctor can (and often will) waive the limits if he or she feels it is necessary to save the patient.  Adriamycin (which is in many combinations, including your CHOP, as well as the ABVD that I took) has limits, but I went WAY over the recommendations, based on what my doc thought that I needed.  I went over on some of my others as well.

The initial treatment a patient receives is called First-Line therapy, and CHOP is one of the most common first-line treatments for NHL.  If someone relapses at some point thereafter, the docs move to what are called "second-line" (sometimes called "salvage" therapies).  These are sometimes the same drugs as first-line, but very commonly they are different drugs, so being close to a lifetime max on some of your first-line meds would not ordinarily be an issue.  Plus, like I said, those limits are waivable.

When you see the oncologist on Monday, simply ask what your salvage therapy would be if you ever relapsed.  He will be glad to tell you.  I asked my doc years ago, and he answered the question on the spot (mine would be ICE, followed by stem cell transplantation).

You asked about survivors here. EVERYONE here is a survivor ! (Even the spouses, in my opinion; my wife went through more during my treatment thanI did.)   I have been in complete remission for five years now.  We have the full spectrum of folks who just finished treatment, to some who have been cancer free for 30 years or more.  We also have numerous regulars who have relapsed in some manner or other, but who have great lives and a good prognosis for their future years or decades.  I hope many will answer your question regarding survival time.

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