Should My Dad Get Chemo Following Rectum Surgery

My dad had a cancerous tumor removed from his rectum on May 2, 2008. Prior to surgery, he had 5 weeks of radiation followed b 6 weeks of rest before the surgery. The pathology report showed a T2 tumor, but they think it might have been a T3 but the radiation prior to surgery made it look like a T2.

Fast forward, today, June 22, 2008, he was told by an oncologist that if he gets chemo, his five year survival rate would be increase by about 20%.

The oncologist recommended chemo interveneously (if he chooses chemo) once a week for 2 hours for 6 weeks, then two weeks off; and this cycle repeated 2 more times for a total of 6 months.

But he could also get the chemo orally.

Do you think he should get chemo? If so, orally or interveneously?

Also, what is the survival rate overall of getting chemo vs. not getting chemo?


How did the doctor get an "almost 20%" better survival rate?

Thank you in advance for reading this and responding.

Have you asked your doctor to respond to these questions?.  If he is guiding the treatment plan he should have  answers for you directly related to the patients presenting profile. I would suggest that you write them all down and make an appointment ASAP.  Take someone with you to make sure you can review, and re-review the reponses.  If you need a second opinion later ., those notes can come in handy. Don't hesitate to ask.  If you are not satisfied, get a second opinion.

 

On 6/23/2008 Arnold wrote:

Have you asked your doctor to respond to these questions?.  If he is guiding the treatment plan he should have  answers for you directly related to the patients presenting profile. I would suggest that you write them all down and make an appointment ASAP.  Take someone with you to make sure you can review, and re-review the reponses.  If you need a second opinion later ., those notes can come in handy. Don't hesitate to ask.  If you are not satisfied, get a second opinion.

 

Thanks for responding.  The oncologist we saw today said that chemo would increase survival by 20%.  I just wondered if this was true because I can't find a study saying this.  At the time I didn't think to ask him how he got that stat.  I hope I get another chance.  If my dad elects for chemo, he was told he should start it next week, so we have so little time.

If you don't trust your current Doctor enough to call, make an appointment, or even talk to him on the phone then I would suggest another opinion.  It is not possible to recommend what you should do not knowing all medical  information about your father.  That would not be fair to him.  I would, however, state that an increaase of 20%  sounds reasonable.

treatment guidlines for Stage II and III rectal cancer call for RT and chemo post surgery.  I think the standard is IV.  I am not aware of trials that have demonstrated that PO is equally effective.  Still the decision is your dads.  If he is in poor health, elderly, etc, then chemo may not be right for him, regardless of the potential benefits.  I agree with others who said you should have all your questions addressed by your doc and then your dad can make a decision from there.

Thank you, especially as I see you are a cancer fighting professional. The oncologist that we saw and the NCI decision trees say that T3, do chemo, but T2's observe. IF the protocol is do it for both stages, then we have no real question. The problem was that his post-surgery path report said T2, but they think it could have been a T2 before the pre-surgery radiation. --Ann E.