mets of colorectal cancer into liver & bones

my dad, aged 57 yrs was diagnosed for colorectal anal cancer 5 yrs back & had APR surgery with permanent colostomy bag. After the surgery, he took 6 dose of adjuvant chemo-radio with oxaliplatin, leucovorin, 5 FU, graniset etc along with radiation. after that he did not have any re-occurence in the last 5 yrs.

2 months back, he fall down on his morning walk & had major fracture in the outer thigh & hip joint of his left leg. He was operated & metal plates were fixed at the joint. Biopsy of the bone revealed metastatic cancer.  Bone Scan revealed only local metastasis at the thigh hip joint.The CEA is greater than 1500. CT scan reports of abdomen show the cancer has spread to his liver & affected it badly. Dr's have said its an advanced stage & we can give palliative treatment.

Dr's have prescribed Zometa 4 mg IV every month for bones & Xeloda (daily 500 mg * 4 Tablets) as chemo.

We also had a K. Ras test done for Erbitux which revealed wild type mutation. Since his bilirubin was high, the Dr's were not keen to start irinotecan or erbitux. His bilirubin is normal now but the Dr's have continued Xeloda saying if it doesnt work out, we still have higher molecules for future.

Can we do anything better ?

Any guidance or direction you point to us will be of great help & above any form of thanks.

Hello....

      My husband takes Xeloda and the oxi treatment. He is doing well with this but his cancer has NOT spread. Did your father keep on his scans? I thought... we haven't gotten that far that he should of had a scan every 6-12 months?

     As far as what I WOULD do ....I would be getting another opinon. WHY??? Because IF you are wondering or in doubt....which you ARE...You are asking. ...This means your NOT to sure that what your doctor IS saying is the best for your Dad. We HAVE found out that you may have the BEST doctor for YOUR AREA BUT not the best doctor THERE IS. We HAD to leave our local area BUT we got the best specalist there is. He is in Philly....Dr. John Marks. Please Google him....he is one of the BEST in the U.S. But what also IS wonderful about him IS that he is REAL....down to earth and HE DOES care about each one of his patients.....AND their families. There is also a Dr.Medich in Pittsburg....another wonderful Specalist.

       So please get another opinon and then take it from there....

                                God Bless........Sheila