Stage IV colon cancer

mkp7750
mkp7750 Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I have Stage IV colon cancer with liver metastis. I had a colon resection in Nov. of 2001. I have been in chemotherapy since Jan. 2002 and still going. has anyone had metastis to the liver that was not operable. If so I would like to hear from them

Comments

  • bufferak
    bufferak Member Posts: 9
    #2
    My husband has Stage IV colon cancer, diagnosed in Aug. 2001. He had a colon resection in May 2002. He was on 5FU, Leucovorin and Irinotecan from 8/2001 to 3/2002 when it quit working. He has been on Oxaliplatin (which is now FDA approved but wasn't when he started) since July 2002. Things have been going good but this last visit his CEA was up and his liver seemed a little bigger. He is scheduled for a CT Scan the beginning of October so we will know more then. Since 50%+ of his liver is involved his is not operable.

    What is your situation? What kind of information or help are you looking for? I would be happy to talk with you. Let me know how you are.

    Sherry (bufferak)
  • mkp7750
    mkp7750 Member Posts: 4
    #3
    bufferak said:

    My husband has Stage IV colon cancer, diagnosed in Aug. 2001. He had a colon resection in May 2002. He was on 5FU, Leucovorin and Irinotecan from 8/2001 to 3/2002 when it quit working. He has been on Oxaliplatin (which is now FDA approved but wasn't when he started) since July 2002. Things have been going good but this last visit his CEA was up and his liver seemed a little bigger. He is scheduled for a CT Scan the beginning of October so we will know more then. Since 50%+ of his liver is involved his is not operable.

    What is your situation? What kind of information or help are you looking for? I would be happy to talk with you. Let me know how you are.

    Sherry (bufferak)

    Thank you for responding. I have been on 5fu,Leucovorin and Camptosar since 1/2002 and still going. However, the last CT scan showed that it was stabilizing. I have 5 tumors that are 1cm or less. They are spread throughout my liver and that is why it is inoperable. I started out with the tumors measuring 13cm. altogether. THe last scan says they are down to 4cm altogether. I thought I was doing really good. Everytime it seemed they went down. In June the radiologist said one of the larger tumors was no longer visible, however the last scan I had a week ago that radiologist says it's still there. Has your
    husband ever had this happen? I am in Wisconsin and go through the Marshfield Clinic. I am on a study drug besides the other drugs (VEGF). I just wanted to get some feedback from someone who's been there.
    I know each persons illness is unique, but I just want to be able to talk with someone who's been there. Please keep in touch. MKP7750
  • amintz0969
    amintz0969 Member Posts: 4
    #4
    bufferak said:

    My husband has Stage IV colon cancer, diagnosed in Aug. 2001. He had a colon resection in May 2002. He was on 5FU, Leucovorin and Irinotecan from 8/2001 to 3/2002 when it quit working. He has been on Oxaliplatin (which is now FDA approved but wasn't when he started) since July 2002. Things have been going good but this last visit his CEA was up and his liver seemed a little bigger. He is scheduled for a CT Scan the beginning of October so we will know more then. Since 50%+ of his liver is involved his is not operable.

    What is your situation? What kind of information or help are you looking for? I would be happy to talk with you. Let me know how you are.

    Sherry (bufferak)

    My mom just started Oxaliplatin yesterday in the hospital. The 5FU, etc. must have stopped working because her CT scan showed that her tumor(s) are growing. So I see by your message that Oxaliplatin isn't a "cure" either, huh? Can you give me any insight?
  • amintz0969
    amintz0969 Member Posts: 4
    #5
    mkp7750 said:

    Thank you for responding. I have been on 5fu,Leucovorin and Camptosar since 1/2002 and still going. However, the last CT scan showed that it was stabilizing. I have 5 tumors that are 1cm or less. They are spread throughout my liver and that is why it is inoperable. I started out with the tumors measuring 13cm. altogether. THe last scan says they are down to 4cm altogether. I thought I was doing really good. Everytime it seemed they went down. In June the radiologist said one of the larger tumors was no longer visible, however the last scan I had a week ago that radiologist says it's still there. Has your
    husband ever had this happen? I am in Wisconsin and go through the Marshfield Clinic. I am on a study drug besides the other drugs (VEGF). I just wanted to get some feedback from someone who's been there.
    I know each persons illness is unique, but I just want to be able to talk with someone who's been there. Please keep in touch. MKP7750

    We are going through this same thing with my Mom. She's 54 and was on Camptosar, etc and doing well. Now it isn't working, I guess, so she started Oxaliplatin yesterday in the hospital. She's there because she had pain in her left side last Sunday and a fever (she has tumors in her lung). We'll see what happens. Her oncologist is hopeful about the Oxaliplatin.
  • bufferak
    bufferak Member Posts: 9
    #6
    mkp7750 said:

    Thank you for responding. I have been on 5fu,Leucovorin and Camptosar since 1/2002 and still going. However, the last CT scan showed that it was stabilizing. I have 5 tumors that are 1cm or less. They are spread throughout my liver and that is why it is inoperable. I started out with the tumors measuring 13cm. altogether. THe last scan says they are down to 4cm altogether. I thought I was doing really good. Everytime it seemed they went down. In June the radiologist said one of the larger tumors was no longer visible, however the last scan I had a week ago that radiologist says it's still there. Has your
    husband ever had this happen? I am in Wisconsin and go through the Marshfield Clinic. I am on a study drug besides the other drugs (VEGF). I just wanted to get some feedback from someone who's been there.
    I know each persons illness is unique, but I just want to be able to talk with someone who's been there. Please keep in touch. MKP7750

    Hi mkp7750:
    Sorry I haven't written sooner but my husband has had one thing after another. About 2 weeks ago he had 2 stents put in his duct that goes into his liver. The duct forks as it goes into the liver and he had a tumor pressing on both sides. He is very jaundiced and even his eyes are yellow. The doctors are hoping this will stop this and that it isn't liver failure. Because of all of this he has not been on chemo (Oxaliplatin)and won't be until this is under control. His stomach also has fluid on it so they have him on water pills and are hoping to not have to drain it.

    He has had them tell him it looked like a tumor was gone to only have it show up again.

    We see the oncologist again on the 20th so we will find out more then. Hopefully, it will be good news.

    Again I'm sorry about not keeping in touch. Sometimes it is really hard to talk about. Let me know how you are doing.

    Sherry (bufferak)
  • bufferak
    bufferak Member Posts: 9
    #7
    amintz0969 said:

    My mom just started Oxaliplatin yesterday in the hospital. The 5FU, etc. must have stopped working because her CT scan showed that her tumor(s) are growing. So I see by your message that Oxaliplatin isn't a "cure" either, huh? Can you give me any insight?

    Hi amintz0969:
    Sorry I haven't answered but we have been dealing with a lot of problems with my husband.

    The Oxaliplatin seemed to be working and then he became jaundiced. Even his eyes are yellow. Two weeks ago he had stents put into the bile duct going into the liver. Hopefully, this will stop the jaundice.

    While all this has been going on they have stopped chemo until they determine what is causing the jaundice. We go back to the doctor on the 20th and should find out more then.

    How is your Mom doing? Has she had good results with the Oxaliplatin? I see that your Mom is 54. My husband is 53. How old are you? I'm assuming an adult? My thoughts are with you.

    bufferak
  • amintz0969
    amintz0969 Member Posts: 4
    #8
    bufferak said:

    Hi amintz0969:
    Sorry I haven't answered but we have been dealing with a lot of problems with my husband.

    The Oxaliplatin seemed to be working and then he became jaundiced. Even his eyes are yellow. Two weeks ago he had stents put into the bile duct going into the liver. Hopefully, this will stop the jaundice.

    While all this has been going on they have stopped chemo until they determine what is causing the jaundice. We go back to the doctor on the 20th and should find out more then.

    How is your Mom doing? Has she had good results with the Oxaliplatin? I see that your Mom is 54. My husband is 53. How old are you? I'm assuming an adult? My thoughts are with you.

    bufferak

    I'm sorry I haven't checked this site lately but, unfortunately, the cancer won and Mom passed away on November 5. The doctor told her at the end of October that he felt the Oxaliplatin was making her too ill and she too was horribly jaundiced. We took her to Hospice on Halloween night. She liked it there very much and so did we. Wonderful organization!!! On Sunday she took a turn for the worse and Tuesday 1:20 a.m. she passed. Yes, I am an adult. I'm 33 years old. I have two children aged 3 and 8 months. I also have a wonderful husband. I'm sorry to leave such a grim message. Please let me know how you are doing.
  • mkp7750
    mkp7750 Member Posts: 4
    #9
    bufferak said:

    Hi mkp7750:
    Sorry I haven't written sooner but my husband has had one thing after another. About 2 weeks ago he had 2 stents put in his duct that goes into his liver. The duct forks as it goes into the liver and he had a tumor pressing on both sides. He is very jaundiced and even his eyes are yellow. The doctors are hoping this will stop this and that it isn't liver failure. Because of all of this he has not been on chemo (Oxaliplatin)and won't be until this is under control. His stomach also has fluid on it so they have him on water pills and are hoping to not have to drain it.

    He has had them tell him it looked like a tumor was gone to only have it show up again.

    We see the oncologist again on the 20th so we will find out more then. Hopefully, it will be good news.

    Again I'm sorry about not keeping in touch. Sometimes it is really hard to talk about. Let me know how you are doing.

    Sherry (bufferak)

    Hi Bufferak,
    I am also not good at writing. I hope things are going better for your husband. I have been on the CPT11 for one year now and the last CEA test was high. My oncologist thinks the CPT11 is not working anymore and perhaps we need to try something else. He is talking about Oxilplatin. I am really scared as I have heard about the nerological side effects of this drug, however I have also heard that it stopped alot of the tumors from growing in the liver. I thought I was doing so well too. I go in for another blood test on Monday to check the CEA level once more before they decide what to do. The CAT scan showed none of the tumors were growing, but my oncologist said that when there is a high CEA that it may be trying to grow again. He says he will not give up and that I shouldn't worry, but it's hard not too. I also am scared that this drug will make me jaunise now too since your husband and another woman's mother had it affect them that way. Please keep in touch. Thanks for your reply. MKP7750

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