Chemo but no radiation?

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Aggiemainland
Aggiemainland Member Posts: 1
in Colorectal Cancer #1

For Stage 4, does Chemo and radiation go hand in hand? Reading some of the posts it seems like chemo is used regularly for treatment but not too many mentions of radiation. Is Chemo without radiation an option some oncologists go with? Obviously it depends on the person but just trying to get any overall idea. Thanks!

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  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited July 2017 #2
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    Radation

    I'm thinking that radiation isn't the standard for all colo/rectal treatment.  I've known several patents that don't recieve radiation due to location.  Mine was rectal so that is pretty standard.

    Kim

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #3
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    It depends on where the tumor is

    And its type.  Appendix cancer, stage 4,  no radiation for me.

  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #4
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    Radiation

    From what I've see, radiation is standard for rectal, but not for colon.  Colon moves a bit and can't be well targeted by radiation.  

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #5
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    CRC and radiation

    I had radiation for my Colorectal tumour.  

    All I can say is, the Cancer better not come back in that area, because I was radiated to Hell and back and the long term side effects aren't fun at all. 

    Tru

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #6
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    Chemo and readiation

    I had  8 chemo treatments (Folfox plus Avastin) followed by 28  chemo-radiation treatments (radiation plus a 5FU pump) then more chemo for my stage 4 rectal cancer. The radiation shrank the rectal tumor to the point that it was no longer showing on CT scans, so I haven't had surgery for the rectal tumor. The chemo  was  initially  to  shrink the liver mets so they would be small enough  for an ablation and the chemo worked well for that. I'm sure there's residual cancer there, but we're taking a watch and wait approach for now and I'm still receiving chemo ( currently  26  treatments  with Erbitux plus irinotecan)  two years after diagnosis. I feel almost guilty because  my experience has been very much easier than so many of the  other members here.  Neither the chemo nor the radiation  have been pleasant but  my side effects have been very minor and manageable compared to what some have described.

    Grace/lizard44

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