Chemo Via Port On Chest?

Does anyone know what kind of chemo is typically delivered via a port in the chest? My dad had a 2nd surgery recently, after Temodar failed to help curb regrowth of what started out as a mixed glioma level III and is now GBM IV--and now his chemo doctor wants to admit him to the hospital to administer a new chemo regimen via a chest port.

Wouldn't you know it, this was the ONE doctor appointment I did NOT go along for in 12 months of this nightmare. So I'm trying to understand what treatment this might be, without having been there to hear the doctor talk about it.

 As best my stepmom could describe it to me, there would be 3 drugs involved...2 the first day to get the body ready to work with the 3rd drug, which would go into the vein in the leg and threaded up to the brain on the 2nd day. 

They haven't decided yet if he will agree to go on with this. He is really weary of feeling horrible and he isn't sure it's worth it anymore. I don't want to push my opinions on him--he is the one who's suffering--but I am feeling underinformed about this kind of chemo.

Installing a catheter (Port Cath) is a way to prevent complications from weekly infusions of chemotherapy. It is commonly advised that patients that will receive intravenous chemotherapy during long periods use this device. It simplifies the application process, once there is no need for puncturing veins every week, also preventing arm veins to become stressed with the continuously contact with chemotherapic agents.

It is a reasonably simple process to install the catheter, and usually it is placed beneath the skin chest. My wife was admitted in the morning and left the hospital in the same evening. It will be sore during the first days, and there is need to change the curatives until the small cuts healed. However it can be used to pump the chemo on the day after if needed.

My wife installed it to administer the CPT11+Avastin. Previously she was on Temodar, which you know is taken orally.

Best wishes to you and your dad

Mazzo

I have a porta cath installed and I get Avastin via the port. It works great. No more sticking scarred veins. My chemo nurse flushes the port and then draws labs before the infusion.

It talks to me at times, but it's not painful.

One thing though, a nurse or doctor has to access it. A phlebotomist cannot do it.

My porta cath is installed in my chest above my left breast.

On 4/15/2008 Chyanne wrote:

to the man whose wife had the mediport put in. My husband had his put in this morning, is there anything i can do to make him more comfortable, or anything i should look for. This is  all new to us.

Which kind of discomfort your husband is facing?

Supposedly after the catheter is installed you will be given some medication for pain and probably some antibiotics to avoid infections. The complications involved are the same for a small surgical procedure. You must look for any signals of infection – red areas around the wounds, any kind of liquid pouring from it and fever. After the installation it is normal to expect some hematoma around the wound, it took us about two weeks to heal.

Another topic that may be important to look is related to the current treatments and medications took previous to the installation. Decadron and other corticoids especially in high doses can delay the healing process considerably. Also, you may not underestimate immunologic depression caused by previous chemotherapy. It is savvy to evaluate the immunologic system before proceed to avoid the open portal to infections that a small (but deep) cut in skin could bring.

hi,

i was just wondering if anyone knew if while putting in the port...well if the doctors use a camera? 

I got a bit more information today. The chemo drug is Carboplatin. But before he gets those they will give him Cytoxan and Etopophos (sp?) intravenously.

It sounds like he's going to agree to do it.