How to determine NED

duffie
duffie Member Posts: 12 Member

Hello dear ladies,

My mom is currently undergoing chemo: Carbo/Taxol and is in a Keytruda trial. She has finished 3 treatments so far and had a CT scan last week which showed some shrinkage of the tumors.

I am trying to be optimistic and praying hard. When her planned 6 treatments end, she will have a CT scan.

How do the doctors determine whether she needs more treatment or if she is done with chemo or any further treatment? Do all of the tumors have to resolve and be gone? Or do they need to stay stable or a very small size?

My mom is Stage IV so I am so sad and scared. But I am trying to be hopeful. Thank you very much!!

 

 

Comments

  • Afoste3
    Afoste3 Member Posts: 39 Member
    edited March 2021 #2
    My mom too

    Hi Duffie,

    My mom is Stage IV too so I know how you feel! What has helped me is trying to stay in the current moment and not get lost in the "what if's"...

    My mom finished her chemo end of December (carbo/taxol only). Her scans have been good so far, so no treatment presently. What we learned from her doctors was that if there was visible cancer after the 6 chemos, they may have given her a few more. Another possible option was hormone therapy because her cancer was estrogen-receptor positive. Last thing is did your mom have genomic testing done on the tumors? That helps identify mutations that can be targeted through certain treatment. My moms was done through Foundation One. Her insurance (Medicare) paid for it, but they would've only charged a small portion if not because we submitted the financial assistlance forms.

    hope this helps!

    Anne-Marie 

     

  • duffie
    duffie Member Posts: 12 Member
    edited March 2021 #3
    Afoste3 said:

    My mom too

    Hi Duffie,

    My mom is Stage IV too so I know how you feel! What has helped me is trying to stay in the current moment and not get lost in the "what if's"...

    My mom finished her chemo end of December (carbo/taxol only). Her scans have been good so far, so no treatment presently. What we learned from her doctors was that if there was visible cancer after the 6 chemos, they may have given her a few more. Another possible option was hormone therapy because her cancer was estrogen-receptor positive. Last thing is did your mom have genomic testing done on the tumors? That helps identify mutations that can be targeted through certain treatment. My moms was done through Foundation One. Her insurance (Medicare) paid for it, but they would've only charged a small portion if not because we submitted the financial assistlance forms.

    hope this helps!

    Anne-Marie 

     

    NED

    Anne-Marie,

    Thank you very much for this information. Prayers for your mom's continued good health.

    I will ask about the genomic testing - I am not sure about that.

    Thank you!!