Chemo for liver mets

Holdtight
Holdtight Member Posts: 151
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi all you great warriors!  I hope and pray

 

for all to be cured and all bonds broke away from this ugly beast

 

i was told after a number of ablations and radio embolisms I will

 

need chemo again - mets to liver- any suggestions of what chemo concoctions 

any body else had any help would be great - I had chemo 5 years ago and 

now I'm back again with the same hard decisions thank you for any help

 

Comments

  • Holdtight
    Holdtight Member Posts: 151
    #2
    Colon cancer with liver mets

    Docs told me I can't have anymore surgeries

    Only chemo - I'm not a candidate for a

    resection - i need to know what to ask and

    if chemo is the right way to go - it's been 5 years 

    Since my last chemo- I'm thinking about a 2nd opinion but

    Unsure where to go- any help would be appreciated!

  • sflgirl
    sflgirl Member Posts: 220 Member
    #3
    Holdtight said:

    Colon cancer with liver mets

    Docs told me I can't have anymore surgeries

    Only chemo - I'm not a candidate for a

    resection - i need to know what to ask and

    if chemo is the right way to go - it's been 5 years 

    Since my last chemo- I'm thinking about a 2nd opinion but

    Unsure where to go- any help would be appreciated!

    Get another opinion

    i don't think one person telling you no more surgeries is helpful, get another opinion.  Where do you live?  People here can make recommendations that might be near you.  I go to Cleveland Clinic in Florida.

    i was diagnosed in January with liver mets.  Went in with all guns blazing, took a four drug cocktail Folfoxiri + Avastin Plus 46 hour pump of 5 FU.  Aggressive with first line defense Chemos.  It worked great, through four cycles it killed 85% Mets and set up a successful liver resection.  

    The doc was going to have me on Folfox only post resection as that is "standard protocol" but I convinced him to continue original chemo since it was so effective for me.  Now 10 rounds in and my CEA is 1.9.  

    it's been tough having that much chemo but looking toward the result not the process.

    Other folks here will tell you their story but only you can decide what's best for you and what you can endure.  Wishing you all the best, you've done well for 5 years keep up the good fight.

    Andrea

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #4
    get more options

    Might look aroud for hepatic arterial infusion options, and multiple independent opinions.  Also surgical technique and technology varies radically about what is possible surgically.  For example, look up ALPS for liver surgery.  Many people are short changed by the evil Dr. No.  Don't be one of them.

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #5
    Holdtight said:

    Colon cancer with liver mets

    Docs told me I can't have anymore surgeries

    Only chemo - I'm not a candidate for a

    resection - i need to know what to ask and

    if chemo is the right way to go - it's been 5 years 

    Since my last chemo- I'm thinking about a 2nd opinion but

    Unsure where to go- any help would be appreciated!

    I agree...get another opinion.

    If my brother could survive the surgery, I'd get a liver surgeon to do it. We had a liver surgeon willing to do it if his heart tests came back okay, but his heart is too weak right now. Get that 2nd opinion and go for the surgery or ablation.

  • Holdtight
    Holdtight Member Posts: 151
    #6
    sflgirl said:

    Get another opinion

    i don't think one person telling you no more surgeries is helpful, get another opinion.  Where do you live?  People here can make recommendations that might be near you.  I go to Cleveland Clinic in Florida.

    i was diagnosed in January with liver mets.  Went in with all guns blazing, took a four drug cocktail Folfoxiri + Avastin Plus 46 hour pump of 5 FU.  Aggressive with first line defense Chemos.  It worked great, through four cycles it killed 85% Mets and set up a successful liver resection.  

    The doc was going to have me on Folfox only post resection as that is "standard protocol" but I convinced him to continue original chemo since it was so effective for me.  Now 10 rounds in and my CEA is 1.9.  

    it's been tough having that much chemo but looking toward the result not the process.

    Other folks here will tell you their story but only you can decide what's best for you and what you can endure.  Wishing you all the best, you've done well for 5 years keep up the good fight.

    Andrea

    Andrea thank you for your

    Andrea thank you for your time and encouragement - my

    doc is suggesting Zaltrap and irinotecan, avastIn, flourouracil

    and leuco I'm seeking a 2nd opinion

    scared of the new meds - have you had 

    Zaltrap or irinotecan the side effects could be awlful

     

  • Holdtight
    Holdtight Member Posts: 151
    #7
    tanstaafl said:

    get more options

    Might look aroud for hepatic arterial infusion options, and multiple independent opinions.  Also surgical technique and technology varies radically about what is possible surgically.  For example, look up ALPS for liver surgery.  Many people are short changed by the evil Dr. No.  Don't be one of them.

    Thanks Tans - I'm looking

    Thanks Tans - I'm looking into the arterial infusion 

    At Johns Hopkins - any other suggestions thanks so much

  • jalusa
    jalusa Member Posts: 21
    #8
    Holdtight said:

    Thanks Tans - I'm looking

    Thanks Tans - I'm looking into the arterial infusion 

    At Johns Hopkins - any other suggestions thanks so much

    HAI Pump

    I would look in the Hepatic Arterial Infusion pump at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NY.  

  • sflgirl
    sflgirl Member Posts: 220 Member
    #9
    Holdtight said:

    Andrea thank you for your

    Andrea thank you for your time and encouragement - my

    doc is suggesting Zaltrap and irinotecan, avastIn, flourouracil

    and leuco I'm seeking a 2nd opinion

    scared of the new meds - have you had 

    Zaltrap or irinotecan the side effects could be awlful

     

    Irinotecan

    Yes, this is the "iri" in Folfoxiri.  It's hard for me to tell which drug is giving me what symptoms but I believe diarrhea is the main problem.  Oxaliplatin is the Ox part and Fol is flouoroucil.

    Here's a good link http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/avastin.aspx.

    Avastin is my most painful drug now, bleeding nose and gums, can't heal bruises and hemorrhoids.  Avastin just doesn't let your body heal.

    Sounds like Zaltrap is very similar to Avastin, not sure why you would take both, ask the doc.

    Don't  be afraid of the meds.  You can get through and a good outcome is worth it. And they have lots of things to make it more bearable during infusion.

    You are strong, resilient and positive, you can do it.

     

  • Holdtight
    Holdtight Member Posts: 151
    #10
    sflgirl said:

    Irinotecan

    Yes, this is the "iri" in Folfoxiri.  It's hard for me to tell which drug is giving me what symptoms but I believe diarrhea is the main problem.  Oxaliplatin is the Ox part and Fol is flouoroucil.

    Here's a good link http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/avastin.aspx.

    Avastin is my most painful drug now, bleeding nose and gums, can't heal bruises and hemorrhoids.  Avastin just doesn't let your body heal.

    Sounds like Zaltrap is very similar to Avastin, not sure why you would take both, ask the doc.

    Don't  be afraid of the meds.  You can get through and a good outcome is worth it. And they have lots of things to make it more bearable during infusion.

    You are strong, resilient and positive, you can do it.

     

    Thanks so much

    Thanks again you've been extremely helpful

    I'm scheduled for 2nd opinion on the 10th and ill

    Know more then - I feel more encouraged!  

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