Calling All 4's..

My husband technically is not a Stage IV (Stage IIIc).

Surgery Sigmoid 10/2004.
Folfox til end of May 2005.
CEA began rising August 2005.
Surgery for recurrence Pre-sacral space 2/2006.
7 weeks Xeloda/Radiation ending 5/2006.
CEA Rising August 2006.
Pet 11/03/2006 showed 3 pelvic mets (peri-rectal; upper left pelvis; mid left pelvis).
Started (IFL) CPT 11, 5 FU, Leucovorin, Avastin 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off in November 2006.
Not tolerating so changed to CPT11, Avastin and Xeloda every 2 weeks.

Waiting on a scan to see what the chemo is doing before the IPHC surgeon will talk to us.

Stage 4-multiple small mets to lungs.
Currently oxali, 5 fu IV push, leucovorin, and Avastin

Have been on Folfiri and avasatin
Folfox and avastin
camptosar and erbitux
Originally dx stage 3 7/2003
then stage 4 12/2004.
So total years survival almost 4
stage 4 survival 2.25 years
Mary

I'm NED.

Diagnosed October 2001 @ age 33, stage 4, colon cancer primary with liver mets.

Chemo and radiation prior to surgery (Jan 22, 2002).

More "clean up" chemo til June, 2002.

Ileostomy reversed Sept. 2002.

All clear ever since.

Not receiving any treatments and haven't since my last chemo in June, 2002.

Stacy

Dropped by to "look" this morning and felt I had to post to help encourage others.

Hubby dx'd 06/05 Stage 4 with liver mets. Colon surgery followed by Camptosar, levicovin (sp) Avastin. The Avastin was not well tolerated and discontinued. After six months, NED. Three months later, mets to liver were back. Same chemo group again w/Avastin. The Avastin was given less frequently and tolerated well. By Jan 07 Scans were the best they have been since all this started. There was only one tiny spot left on the liver. All others were gone. Scans scheduled again for late April. If the one spot is still there and no others have not returned, they may inject the one spot with 200 proof alcohol.

Hubby is currently working full time (even overtime) and doing great. Any weight loss that occurred during treatment has been regained. His thinning hair has returned to full thickness and things for now is great. In January the onc told us to go home and enjoy live and forget about cancer and chemo (well we have put it in the background for now). Chemo, prayer, and a positive attitude I think are the key ingredients to tackling this beast.

I want those going through what we did all those months to know that there is hope even with this Stage 4 title. Our onc said that he hopes to keep this monster at bay for at least the next twenty years.

Dx'd December 05, full colectomy, iliestomy, 12 rounds of Oxaliplatin. Xeloda (could not tolerate Avastin due to wound healing properties), tumors remained stable. Off chemo for three weeks in order to prepare for liver surgery, and two tiny spots showed up in the lungs. Currently on Folfiri and Avsstin. Signs of slight shrinkage and stability. Monica

Stage 4 20th Dec 1993.

Had colectomy and Liver wedge resection.

52 weekly treatments of 5fu and levamisole.

Ned ever since.

There is always hope!

Virginia.

Currently NED

Colon perforated Oct 03', cancer missed but given tempy colostomy bag. Rectal cancer with 3 liver mets and 1 lung met found March 04', 16 treatments of Oxil w/leucovorin, 5FU, and Avastin. Chemo stopped working, stopped it on my own and completely changed my diet and started with some alternatives 11/04'. First heard NED 8/05', kept doing alternatives. Surgery Jan 06' to reverse colostomy along with a foot of colon/rectum, lymph nodes, and to check out liver; lymph nodes all clear, liver clean but a tiny tumor was found where the original rectal tumor had been but surgeon got great margins.

My oncologist says I am now 2 years and 5 months NED (dating back to when chemo was stopped with not recurrances).

Lisa P.

Diagnosed 5/23/05 with large sigmoid tumor.

Colectomy on 6/7/05, during which liver met was biopsied. Thus, Stage IV.

Xeloda/oxaliplatin/Avastin started about 6 weeks after surgery.

After 2 cycles CT and PET scans were negative - continued for 4 more cycles and then took a chemo break.

Scans have remained negative - so, no chemo since 11/28/05. Most recent scans were in January - next scans in April.

Betsy

Stage IV April 05 had 12 treatments of chemo 5FU + Oxaliplatin + Avastin was NED for 9 months recurrence in stomach October 06. On my last round of chemo 5FU + CPT11 + Avastin this Tuesday. Hoping to be NED with my next scan God willing.

husband dx December 06, stage IV with liver mets. Had sigmoid colon resection mid Jan, started chemo last Wed, xelox, avastin, oxal, iv's every 3 weeks, oral xelox for 14 days cycle next scan 6 weeks, hoping for shrinkage of liver mets for other options.