What Chemo R U/Family Member On?

hello. my dad has been on chemo now since oct. he has been using oxaliplatin and xeloda. he was 1st on 4000mgs a day of xeloda. that proved too harsh. then went to 3000/day. that too was too harsh. he only has had 3 rounds as he has had breaks between to recover.

he just had a ct done and the tumors have shrunk in his liver and lymph nodes. some in the lymphs are gone. so we got some good news. we had the report faxed to us but we don't see the dr til monday (12/31) to go over the report/scan. at that time my dad will resume chemo.

wondering what others are using for chemo? would like to look up some of the different chemo's and read about them so we know a little about other options going into the appt. if anyone is using something different please let me know. my dad had 40% of his stomach removed and that was all the cancer that was there. it is now mainly in the liver (about 25-30 tumors) and there was a mass in the colon that has now shrunk as well.

any info would be appreciated. thanks, kris

Hi Kris,

 My Dad (Linitis Plastica, stage IV) just finished his first round of chemo last week. He went Monday through Friday and has been given DCF - (taxotere, cisplatin and 5FU (the 5FU was continuous Monday - Friday). Also, he received the cisplatin each of the five days.....taxotere was given just on Monday. He has tolerated this regime well - my only concern for a couple of days was the diarrhea which has now subsided.

 My Dad was also given another option for chemo - ECF. ECF apparently is used more frequently in Europe than in the USA and is considered slightly less toxic. However, the "stats" for DCF are slightly better and so he opted for DCF. The ECF required that he wear a bag continuously....during the entire chemo therapy (approx. 12 weeks at least). Also, the ECF would not allow for him to receive neulasta (white blood cell booster) or Aranesp (red blood cell booster).

 I am also very interested in other chemo treatments that have been given to patients.

 I appreciate this message board so much - it is a great resource. My family and I have learned a great deal from everyone here. You are all in my prayers.

 

On 12/29/2007 ladyboom wrote:

Hi Kris,

 My Dad (Linitis Plastica, stage IV) just finished his first round of chemo last week. He went Monday through Friday and has been given DCF - (taxotere, cisplatin and 5FU (the 5FU was continuous Monday - Friday). Also, he received the cisplatin each of the five days.....taxotere was given just on Monday. He has tolerated this regime well - my only concern for a couple of days was the diarrhea which has now subsided.

 My Dad was also given another option for chemo - ECF. ECF apparently is used more frequently in Europe than in the USA and is considered slightly less toxic. However, the "stats" for DCF are slightly better and so he opted for DCF. The ECF required that he wear a bag continuously....during the entire chemo therapy (approx. 12 weeks at least). Also, the ECF would not allow for him to receive neulasta (white blood cell booster) or Aranesp (red blood cell booster).

 I am also very interested in other chemo treatments that have been given to patients.

 I appreciate this message board so much - it is a great resource. My family and I have learned a great deal from everyone here. You are all in my prayers.

 

ladyboom,

thank you so much for the info. i will keep you and your dad and family in my prayers. i will keep you posted on the chemo's the dr talks about with us on monday. peace, kris

I urge anyone with gastric cancer to ask their oncologist about using erbitux alongside irinotecan/PTC11.  after failing on taxetere/cisplatin/5FU after it held off my wife's stage IV stomach cancer for 5 months, she went on PTC11 and almost died 3 months later when her tumors grew wildly all over her abdominal organs. erbitux was a last ditch effort and one offered to me only after seeking 2nd and 3rd oncologists opinions.  note only certain folks express proteins etc the precise way that allows the erbitux to kick in with the extent it has in my 35yr old wife - who had a 50% shrinkage across the board in her tumors the first 6 weeks she was on the PTC11-Erbitux cocktail.  Note it worked so well that she almost died due to a perforation in the wall of her stomach that came about as her 9cm tumor there shrunk to 5cm.  after a difficult surgery in october my wife is back on this regimen and the main gastric tumor is 3cm, allowing her to eat quite a bit.  more importantly her liver and pancreatic tumors have come under control and shrunk ~60% from their peak after 3 months of PTC11 alone this summer.  but i realize that this concoction will not work forever and wonder who else has cutting edge ideas for unknown or non-mainstream chemo for gastric cancer, even if such treatment involves going outside the country and paying cash for such services.  until then i pray for a cure to all cancers this Christmas season as I chase our 2.5yr old daughter around (I took a leave of absence from my job when my wife was diagnosed last year, thus the "Mr. Mom" moniker.  -- MM

My 43 year old spouse was diagnosed with Stage IV in March of 07.  She had a 1-2cm tumor in her stomach and a single 1-2cm tumor in her liver.  She was started on ECF (Epirubicin, Cisplatin, and 5FU).  After 6 rounds (each lasting three weeks) she was scanned again and all signs of the cancer were gone.  A repeat endoscopy showed no sign of the former tumor in her stomach and the biopsis were clean as well.  In September she began another 6 months of treatment as a preventative measure using Oxaliplatin and Xeloda (Xeloda is the pill form of 5FU).  She was originally started on 5000mg a day but we quickly had to knock that down to 4000 and now she is on 3000.  Repeat scans in December, still in remission with no signs of cancer. 

The initial treatment was tough but she has an exceptional attitude and was able to complete her MBA during that time.  The 5FU was delivered through her port using a pump which she wore 24/7.  This was the course of action agreed upon by our Oncologist at the Harry Gray Cancer Center in Hartford, CT. after consultations with Oncologists at Sloan (NY) and Dana Farber (MA). 

She continues on the Oxaliplatin and Xeloda for another 3 months at this time. 

We are thankful for her positive results and for catching it quickly (originally diagnosed as just a possible ulcer) but we opted for an endoscopy - that decision saved her life. 

Get second opinions.  Talk to people, there are many out there who have gone through these treatments.  Be positive!  My best to all of you for a New Year that brings us closer to an ultimate cure. 

My father just completed 6 very aggressive rounds of 5FU, Cisplatinum, and Taxotere.  1 week on, 2 weeks off.  Recent CAT/PET scans show clean, no evidence of cancer.

thank you to all who responded. we did get some good news. the tumors are shrinking on the chemo that my dad had been on. but he is now gonna take a month plus break and heal up his feet, as they have peeled something awful. and we hope that he gains back some of the weight and some strength and then start the chemo up again in the middle of february. the dr wants to stick w/ the oxaliplatin and xeloda for now. he is going to reduce the rate again. but since the results have been favorable my dad will go with this for now and then see whats going on after a few sessions. i will keep you posted on the progress once he is back on. thanks again!!!  kris

 

On 1/3/2008 Steeda wrote:

My father just completed 6 very aggressive rounds of 5FU, Cisplatinum, and Taxotere.  1 week on, 2 weeks off.  Recent CAT/PET scans show clean, no evidence of cancer.

Steeda,

 this is wonderful news! Thank you for sharing with us.

Was the 5FU continuous for the week "on" or for the entire 3 weeks?

Thanks!

 

That is great news.  My wifes feet have also peeled something often but after a few days (actually up to a week) they seem to heal themselves up and new soft skin replaces all the peeled skin.  During these times it is sometimes difficult for her to walk as she has pain in her feet.  Hopefully, it quickly goes away for your dad and he can resume his treatment(s). 

My father had the peeling feet thing too (mostly towards the end).  His biggest complaint was the dry mouth/mouth sores.  He was real picky with different foods. 

ladyboom - The 5FU was 24hrs while he was in the hospital for the 1 week.  The Cisplatinum and Taxotere were once a day for like an hour.