advice on chemo for stage 4 colon cancer pls

Chemo
Hi Loveandhope,

First, I don't think too many can really answer your question until, like some of the others have said, we know just what kind of chemo treatment he is going to be getting. I have just read your profile and shame on that first doctor who told him to pack up his bags and enjoy what is left of his life. Poppycock!! (wonder if the censors will asterisk that word? )

You just right smartly tell your dad there are more of us Stage 4 Colon Cancer folk out here than not... and we all are going through various treatments and some of us are having a totally normal life, other than the inconvenience of having to go to all these various medical appts

Yes, it is quite possible that the regime his doctor is putting him on can be once every 21 days for 3 months and then review. For instance, I am going to be starting a new (to me) chemo - Irinotecan. I will be getting a 90 minute infusion every 3 weeks. The plan will be for 6 months... but I will be getting a CAT scan in 3 months and we will review and see how my cancer (mets in the lungs) is responding to it. If I'm doing well, then we will continue for another 3 months... then we will take a break because my oncologist believes after 6 months of this particular chemo, my body will deserve a break. Your mileage may vary... another oncologist may say, "forget the break... this is working, you will remain on it"

So, is it possible to have a schedule of chemo every 3 weeks? Most definitely. But you will want to know what kind of chemo he will be given so both you and he can prepare for what to expect in the way of side affects. Not that everyone is going to have the same side affects, but at least you will be aware of what might happen and not to freak out when/if they do. Also, how is he going to be given this chemo? Again, depending on what it is, chances are if he's getting it every 21 days then it will be infused... which can be either by IV in his arm or through a port in his chest (which will have to be surgically inserted). We LOVE the port... a bit of a pain having it inserted, but the discomfort only lasts a few days to a week or so. Then when he goes in to get the chemo infused, he doesn't have to worry about collapsing veins, rolling veins or veins that just say, "I'm not going to do this!" (my veins have a major attitude problem)!!

Do not think for a minute how often one gets chemo makes it better or worse. More is not necessarily better. The schedules are all set up depending on the kind of chemo and how much of that particular chemo one's system can have... then how much time is needed for it to make it's way through your system, how many blood cells it kills off without killing you ... and time for the blood cells to regenerate before you get hit with it again.

Remember... chemo kills off all cells in it's path... be them good, healthy cells, or bad, cancer-diseased cells. After the chemo has gone running through, killing off everything in it's path, the good cells will regenerate and make up for the ones that were lost. The cancer cells can't regenerate... so ten points for the good guy! This is repeated because chemo is systemic and goes through your whole system, not just the diseased parts... and the more cancer cells that are killed off, the smaller the diseased areas (tumours) become.

So is this all doom and gloom? Absolutely not! It's a long battle, an ongoing battle... and when one chemo stops working, then we try another one. But it doesn't mean the patient is going to be sick and bedridden for years... basically, we are just treating a chronic disease, just as someone with high blood pressure treats that disease or someone with diabetes has to treat that disease. Ongoing and chronically.

Hope this helps relieve both of your minds!

Cheryl

John23 said:

Dora and "Loveandhope"
Two issues...

Re:
"The onc even thought of stopping her chemo because of it,
but I said 'she will die' and the onc said 'she will die from chemo too'. "

It's refreshing to find an honest oncologist, isn't it?

But:
"the onc keeps saying quality of life is very important!"

"Quality of life" is very important, since making a patient get so
sick from the treatments that they lose the will to live, is not a
good thing to do.

But on the other hand, I wouldn't want to be treated with less than
effective medications, if all they will do is "make me comfortable"
while I wither away.....

I never did "Chemo" (chemical therapy), and opted to another
way to do the job. But had I gone the chemical route, I would
be delighted to find an oncologist with the caring yours seems
to have.

All that said...... Your mom should still get another opinion,
and even a third, fourth, or more, to make sure she is getting
the treatment that's best. There are many new surgical techniques
and methods that have come into being recently, that are not
chemically or radiation oriented. It's safer to go the newer
non-chemical/radiation routes, than the toxic chemical routes.

Oncologists aren't familiar with surgical techniques, and
colorectal surgeons don't get into chemical therapy. They may
know "of" each other's practices, but are not usually well
versed or trained for each practice. They are "specialists",
and specialize in one sole area of practice.

Making appointments with different colorectal surgeons of different
organizational affiliations, would be a good idea (in my opinion).
Many times, one will know of a way to surgically remove a tumor
that another surgeon, or an oncologist, has no knowledge of.

My best to you both,

John

for me the chemo damage is as sneaky as the cancer
I choose the chemical and alternative paths. Probably too many paths, but who knows ?????????

I hope my folfox is working, at 5 of 12 cycles currently.

I agree with John comments about getting opinions if you
have the time and money and support. I had heaps of opinions, we all got confused.
I had many good choices to make, but they all said basically the same thing.

As my blood tests get progressively worse and worse I know the chemo is helping and hurting me. Ironically I look and feel fine most of the time except when I was in ER for severe dehydration a few weeks ago.

Good health,
Pete