What is this chemo-lite?

Shayenne
Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
And does it not work as well as regular chemo without the oxalplatin? I'm going to get the FOLFIRI, but want to be sure that's just as an aggressive treatment?? I don't want them to be easy on this cancer, I want it out...

And is it possible for Stage 4's to ever be NED? I am reading stage 3 and 2, but not much on Stage 4??

Thanks all!

~Donna

Comments

  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #2
    chemo-lite
    I believe that's what they used to refer to 5FU and Leucovorin alone. Nowadays you get those PLUS either CPT-11 or Oxaliplatin. The first time around I had to drop the Oxaliplatin and just continue with 5FU and Leucovorin, which is given once a week for 6 weeks, with 2 weeks off then you start again. And let me tell you, if they had referred to it as chemo lite I would have punched them! The diarrhea was horrible! As was the eye weeping and the tiredness, etc!
    mary
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #3
    stage 4
    Hi Donna,
    On another site "colon club" there are 2 people who are now married, who met on the site and I know at least one of them was stage 4. I actually think both of them were stage 4. They have been NED for years. I feel like I have seen a lot of stage 4 who are cured.
    All my thoughts are with you.
    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #4
    Kathleen808 said:

    stage 4
    Hi Donna,
    On another site "colon club" there are 2 people who are now married, who met on the site and I know at least one of them was stage 4. I actually think both of them were stage 4. They have been NED for years. I feel like I have seen a lot of stage 4 who are cured.
    All my thoughts are with you.
    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    Oh, OK!
    I'll be getting the 5-FU, Leucovorin amd Irinotecan combo..I didn't know if that was the chemo-lite or what, and if maybe that wouldn't work as well as with the Oxalpilatin.

    I wish they'd just start me on something already, I feel like the longer they make you wait, the faster the cancer spreads! very annoying.

    Thanks all!
    ~Donna
  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    #5
    "lite"
    Hi Donna,
    I used the term in one of my earlier posts; Mary is right; my oncologist used it to describe the combination of 5FU and leucovorin, apparantly since it is usually more easily tolerated than some of the other types of chemo for different cancers. For me, it was not "lite" and I resented my (former) onc making "light" of my side effects. New onc was more attuned!
    Hang in there; you have not heard from some of the veteran stage 4 survivors here (cue, Stacy!) She had stage 4 with liver mets, and has passed the 5 year mark.
    Stay strong, Judy
  • Annaleisa
    Annaleisa Member Posts: 2
    #6
    jsabol said:

    "lite"
    Hi Donna,
    I used the term in one of my earlier posts; Mary is right; my oncologist used it to describe the combination of 5FU and leucovorin, apparantly since it is usually more easily tolerated than some of the other types of chemo for different cancers. For me, it was not "lite" and I resented my (former) onc making "light" of my side effects. New onc was more attuned!
    Hang in there; you have not heard from some of the veteran stage 4 survivors here (cue, Stacy!) She had stage 4 with liver mets, and has passed the 5 year mark.
    Stay strong, Judy

    Hi Donna,
    I'm not familiar
    Hi Donna,
    I'm not familiar with "chemo-lite", however I do know that you can be stageIV, and NED!
    I was diagnosed stage IV in May, '07. Had colon, and liver resections, and started chemo in Aug. '07. NED since my first post surgery scans in Nov. '07. I'll be going in tomorrow for a PET scan. Will keep you posted!

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