Radiation completed

JDuke
JDuke Member Posts: 438
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1
Well the week went by rather quickly. Five radiation treatments behind me for the liver met. Follow up blood work, scan and Dr. visits on 4/19 and 4/20. Anxious to get back to my juicing and supplements next week. Other than some fatigue and feeling like I have a mouthful of pennies (YUCK) it hasn't been too bad. Keeping my fingers crossed that the tumor was blown to smithereens. Wishing the best to all of you.

Comments

  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #2
    smithereens
    I hope it was blown to smithereens also, and I am so happy that the side effects haven't been that bad. I will be thinking of you often and sending healing thoughts your way. Lori
  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #3
    smithereens
    I hope it was blown to smithereens also, and I am so happy that the side effects haven't been that bad. I will be thinking of you often and sending healing thoughts your way. Lori
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #4
    Wishing you the best
    Joanne--

    Thank you for letting us know that you finished your week's treatments and that you have not had any really nasty side effects. Here's hoping those liver mets are history! I hope you have a restful weekend. Take care.
  • pjjenkins
    pjjenkins Member Posts: 173
    #5
    Golly - glad you are done treatment
    So just how much radiation can one get? I guess this is in a different place but I had the impression what I had for the anal tumor was about all they want to give. That said, for liver mets, it seems like one of the best options. You had 5 sessions of about an hour! Wow. I sure wish you a speedy recovery and NO MORE CANCER!!
  • JDuke
    JDuke Member Posts: 438
    #6
    pjjenkins said:

    Golly - glad you are done treatment
    So just how much radiation can one get? I guess this is in a different place but I had the impression what I had for the anal tumor was about all they want to give. That said, for liver mets, it seems like one of the best options. You had 5 sessions of about an hour! Wow. I sure wish you a speedy recovery and NO MORE CANCER!!

    I had 33
    radiation treatments to my pelvis for the original dx in 08. My radiation oncologist said that it had no bearing on radiation to my liver. That was a good thing. Thank you for the well wishes.
    Joanne
  • lizdeli
    lizdeli Member Posts: 569 Member
    #7
    JDuke said:

    I had 33
    radiation treatments to my pelvis for the original dx in 08. My radiation oncologist said that it had no bearing on radiation to my liver. That was a good thing. Thank you for the well wishes.
    Joanne

    Happy to hear from you
    Hi Joanne,
    Glad to hear that you finished. You and I have follow ups on the same days! Wishing you great, wonderful NED news! I'll be thinking of you.
    Liz
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #8
    :)
    Yea, Joanne :)

    -Craig
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #9
    FANTSTIC news Joanne. Love
    FANTSTIC news Joanne. Love the comparison to pennies. Remember that well!
    So what is next....or is this it???
  • JDuke
    JDuke Member Posts: 438
    #10
    SueRelays said:

    FANTSTIC news Joanne. Love
    FANTSTIC news Joanne. Love the comparison to pennies. Remember that well!
    So what is next....or is this it???

    I have an appt. with
    med-onc end of this month. She is suggesting chemo. I have not committed to that yet. I thought I would start a thread and get some feedback from my "family" here about it. She cannot say, with any statistical information to back it up, that there is a chemo regimen that is really that effective for metastasized anal cancer. The level of uncertainty makes me hesitant to go through it. But I am not really at the decision making point yet, so we will see. She mentionted two different "cocktails" and to be honest I really didn't want to hear it at the time (right before the radiation was to start) and I don't remember exactly what they were. When the time comes I will post with some accuracy and see what the members here comment about it.

    Aside from that, appt. for PET 4/19 and rad-onc follow-up 4/20. I am due for sigmoidoscopy and biopsies in April as well. Have to decide whether to go back to original gastro or let someone new at Moffitt do it. Decisions, decisions.

    Sue, hope you are continuing to get back to normal. Take care.

    Blessings to all,
    Joanne
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #11
    JDuke said:

    I have an appt. with
    med-onc end of this month. She is suggesting chemo. I have not committed to that yet. I thought I would start a thread and get some feedback from my "family" here about it. She cannot say, with any statistical information to back it up, that there is a chemo regimen that is really that effective for metastasized anal cancer. The level of uncertainty makes me hesitant to go through it. But I am not really at the decision making point yet, so we will see. She mentionted two different "cocktails" and to be honest I really didn't want to hear it at the time (right before the radiation was to start) and I don't remember exactly what they were. When the time comes I will post with some accuracy and see what the members here comment about it.

    Aside from that, appt. for PET 4/19 and rad-onc follow-up 4/20. I am due for sigmoidoscopy and biopsies in April as well. Have to decide whether to go back to original gastro or let someone new at Moffitt do it. Decisions, decisions.

    Sue, hope you are continuing to get back to normal. Take care.

    Blessings to all,
    Joanne

    Metastasized anal cancer
    Joanne--

    I happen to have a friend on another forum who had primary stage 4 anal cancer with mets to her liver. She was treated with a combination of Carbo, Taxol and Xeloda for her liver mets and her liver shows no signs of disease upon her last CT scan done about a month ago. Unfortunately, she had to have APR due to recurrence of the anal tumor, but so far, so good with her liver mets treated with the above recipe. I just wanted to pass this info on to you and if you would like more, let me know and I may be able to connect you with her. I'm sure she would give you as much info as she has.

    Martha
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #12
    JDuke said:

    I have an appt. with
    med-onc end of this month. She is suggesting chemo. I have not committed to that yet. I thought I would start a thread and get some feedback from my "family" here about it. She cannot say, with any statistical information to back it up, that there is a chemo regimen that is really that effective for metastasized anal cancer. The level of uncertainty makes me hesitant to go through it. But I am not really at the decision making point yet, so we will see. She mentionted two different "cocktails" and to be honest I really didn't want to hear it at the time (right before the radiation was to start) and I don't remember exactly what they were. When the time comes I will post with some accuracy and see what the members here comment about it.

    Aside from that, appt. for PET 4/19 and rad-onc follow-up 4/20. I am due for sigmoidoscopy and biopsies in April as well. Have to decide whether to go back to original gastro or let someone new at Moffitt do it. Decisions, decisions.

    Sue, hope you are continuing to get back to normal. Take care.

    Blessings to all,
    Joanne

    Hi Joanne
    The chemo to do or
    Hi Joanne

    The chemo to do or not to do dilemma!! My daughter was very upset with me when i said i was choosing NOT to do chemo this time, until she sat down with my surgical oncologist. At this point, it would be preventative. And with stage IV cancer with mets to the liver, it is very possible it will come back in anywhere from one year to ten years. Taking chemo now is not going to keep it from coming back in 2 years.....obviously, it would be to kill any rampant cancer that may be in my bloodstream. I just have a "gut" feeling that I don't need to do it at this time. The MO said during surgery there is no better scan. He could clearly see everything, and there is no cancer anywhere that he can see. They removed 1/2 of my liver, and feel that they got it all. So after going through chemo before also, i just don't feel like doing it without knowing it is absolutely necessary. I have a follow up appt with my oncologist that has been through all this with me the last 2 yearss in April. He may try again to talk me in to it....but at this point I'm JUST SAYING NO :) !!!
    Sometimes we have to trust our gut. I hope it's right :)!!!
    I am over in our vacation home in LaPine resting and enjoying life right now. 5 weeks after surgery, still a little sore, but doing well. At this point, that is what i want to concentrate on!
    Cheers!
  • JDuke
    JDuke Member Posts: 438
    #13
    mp327 said:

    Metastasized anal cancer
    Joanne--

    I happen to have a friend on another forum who had primary stage 4 anal cancer with mets to her liver. She was treated with a combination of Carbo, Taxol and Xeloda for her liver mets and her liver shows no signs of disease upon her last CT scan done about a month ago. Unfortunately, she had to have APR due to recurrence of the anal tumor, but so far, so good with her liver mets treated with the above recipe. I just wanted to pass this info on to you and if you would like more, let me know and I may be able to connect you with her. I'm sure she would give you as much info as she has.

    Martha

    Thanks Martha & Sue
    Martha,
    I will make a point to take this information with me to the med-onc appointment. That combination does sound familiar. I appreciate the feedback.

    Sue,
    That is pretty much how I am feeling about it now. Glad to hear you are taking it easy and making a postive from this unexpected down-time.

    Best regards,
    Joanne

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