Not exactly the results we'd hoped for

lizard44
lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
edited January 2016 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Met with both the medical oncologist and radiation oncologist today and got the results of the CT scan I had   on Friday.  Everything that showed up on the  previous scans is stable except for the   liver mass in the  right lobe. It went  from 1.5 cm  to 1 cm  after  8 rounds of FOLFOX plus Avastin, but after being only on the 5-FU  during the 28 radiation treatments,  the  liver  lesion went from 1 cm to 3 x 2.4 cm. Evidently  the   tumor is very chemo sensitive, so  we'll probably try to hit it with some more chemo before attempting either an ablation or resection. I meet with the colorectal surgeon on Friday and a lot will hinge on  what he finds on a rectal exam (Oh, joy- another one!).  So we're once more in a wait and see mode, but  don't want to wait very long, because the onc says we need to get on the liver tumor before it  gets any bigger or worse and I certainly agree with her. On a  slightly more positive note, when the radiation oncologist saw the written  report on the scan, he decided to pull up the actual  axial images.  He said  it doesn't look quite as bad to him as the written report makes it seem,  and he seemed  a little less alarmed after viewing the images, so maybe that's a good sign. At any rate, I am determined to go ahead and start my seeds in a week or so and plan my spring garden,  so cancer be da*#ed!

Comments

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #2
    :(

    Sorry to see that the results had some issues, but it sounds like the radiation oncologist is on top of it all for you.  

     so cancer be da*#ed!

    Yup :)

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #3
    Yes, start your seeds.

    Starting seeds will give you a lift, and make you feel as though you are charging ahead with your year. A very positive thing to do, and we all know that being positive plays a major part in our battle. 

    I am sorry to hear about the liver met. Sitll, its just one met, right? One met is good. I had my one met Ablated, and, fingers toes, knees, eyes crossed, I'm heading into two years NED in April. My tumour was 2.5 and also in the right lobe. 

    You're in my thoughts and prayers. 

    Your're a wonderfull positive person, and I've thouroughly enjoyed getting to know you on your 'you know where' page. 

    Onward and upward dear friend. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #4
    Trubrit said:

    Yes, start your seeds.

    Starting seeds will give you a lift, and make you feel as though you are charging ahead with your year. A very positive thing to do, and we all know that being positive plays a major part in our battle. 

    I am sorry to hear about the liver met. Sitll, its just one met, right? One met is good. I had my one met Ablated, and, fingers toes, knees, eyes crossed, I'm heading into two years NED in April. My tumour was 2.5 and also in the right lobe. 

    You're in my thoughts and prayers. 

    Your're a wonderfull positive person, and I've thouroughly enjoyed getting to know you on your 'you know where' page. 

    Onward and upward dear friend. 

    Sue - Trubrit

    Thanks, Sue

    Just the one  that lit up on the PET scan- there are several subcentimeter lesions but they didn't light up, so may be  cysts.  Or not.  They've remained unchanged in size and density on the  last two CT scans.

    Thank you for the kind words.  I could  certainly say the same, and more, about you! Smile

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #5
    NewHere said:

    :(

    Sorry to see that the results had some issues, but it sounds like the radiation oncologist is on top of it all for you.  

     so cancer be da*#ed!

    Yup :)

     

    Thanks , New Here

    Yep, all my docs  seem to be on top of it, they are pretty well informed on  the latest  studies, trials, results, therapies, etc. They are pretty straight shooters and none seem too busy to answer my questions,  or  listen to and address my concerns, so I feel  pretty good about the care I'm getting.  I just wish none of us here needed tto be getting the care we're getting.

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    #6
    Your liver lesion is the same

    Your liver lesion is the same size as the one they resected from my liver, I wonder why they just can't go get it. Mine was in the 7th quadrant?, near my diaphram, a bit tougher to get at, but gettable. Why spend time with chemo unless the tumor is tangled in something like the artery or duct? I know the liver is very complicated, but I'm curious as to what the oncologist's thinking was.  I've got my fruit trees pruned, now I need to establish my garden planter, then after the frost danger passes[mid-March] start planting seeds and my potted citrus[a manderin and a Meyer lemon].....................Dave

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #7
    beaumontdave said:

    Your liver lesion is the same

    Your liver lesion is the same size as the one they resected from my liver, I wonder why they just can't go get it. Mine was in the 7th quadrant?, near my diaphram, a bit tougher to get at, but gettable. Why spend time with chemo unless the tumor is tangled in something like the artery or duct? I know the liver is very complicated, but I'm curious as to what the oncologist's thinking was.  I've got my fruit trees pruned, now I need to establish my garden planter, then after the frost danger passes[mid-March] start planting seeds and my potted citrus[a manderin and a Meyer lemon].....................Dave

    I'm probalby what you'd call

    a borderline candidate for the resection surgery because of several other factors, including my age, size, emphysema, and atherosclerotic disease,  and since the  liver tumor seems to be very chemosensitive  they are hoping the chemo will keep it manageable or make it more  amenable to ablation.  Right now we're  talking more palliative than curative treatment, although  getting me cancer free hasn't been ruled out completely. I think also, the oncologist and the  surgeon are concerned that while some of the subcentimeter lesions that  have been showing up  in the liver and pancreas and are thought to be  cysts or IPMNs and  have remained stable  may turn out to be malignant down the road, and will be much harder to manage if my body is weakened by major radical surgery.  They are hoping that a non-operative managment  appproch right now will   keep  everything in check and give me another couple (or few) years with a  decent quality of life. That seems to go along with  most everything I've read in the current research journals so far, but the oncologist does plan to consult with a liver specialist   in the near future, so we'll see  if that changes.

    Do you get many lemons off your Meyer lemon?  Mine blooms profusely most years, then develops little tiny fruits that promptly fall off. But our weather has been so strange the last couple of years I'm not surprised the plants get all bumfuzzled and confused. I do myself.

     

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