survival stage iv colon cancer metastasis to liver

has anyone out there survived stage iv colon cancer that has metastasis to the liver in 13 spots thru out the liver. For a year we did fulfiery with avastin. we had four months off and now we are doing oxaliplatin with avastin every three weeks and taking orally xeloda. He is 54 anyone out there that has been on that regiman and is there survival. I have already lost my dad when he was 53 to pancreatic cancer it is hard going thru this again

 

On 10/3/2009 Dabby wrote:

has anyone out there survived stage iv colon cancer that has metastasis to the liver in 13 spots thru out the liver. For a year we did fulfiery with avastin. we had four months off and now we are doing oxaliplatin with avastin every three weeks and taking orally xeloda. He is 54 anyone out there that has been on that regiman and is there survival. I have already lost my dad when he was 53 to pancreatic cancer it is hard going thru this again

Hello, I am sorry your father had pancreas cancer now your husband, thats so hard for you.  My husband is stage IV colon cancer that has metastatic throughout his body, he was on oxip.. 5-FU and avastin.  He was diagnosed may 08 and today he continues with the avastin alone and his CEA is 0.8 so I don't know if there is a cure but I believe it can be managed like a chronic disease.  At Crcconnections there are a lot of stage  IV surviors,, you can check out that site and talk to other colon cancer stage IV suvivors and yes to the liver too. I met a girl ther who was stage IV with liver mets, she had a heptic pump in the liver that gave chemo directly to the liver and it has been 4 years ao and she survived too.  I hope this helps, its so awful to watch someone with cancer and want to fix them and can't. Linda K.

 

Thanks Linda for your message it has helped. I first thought he had cancer in April 2008 for i heard the same thing from the dr that i did with my dad. They kept telling us not to worry that they did not think it was cancer or if it was it was early stages. Got tired of the test which they said there was no cancer same thing that happened with my dad. We went to a different doc in may the turmor was ready to burst by the time of surgery in 13 of 15 nodes test 13 lesions on liver. Did chemo from May 2008 to May 2009 then the scan was clean. He had to have a hernia repair at the first incision site that was the size of a football and they found 2 more. At the time of surgery doc said 2 spots on liver. Scan Aug 10 showed 13 lesions doc called to get the drugs okd for chemo and the insurance co said no they wanted a kras test ran had another scan ran Sept 10 and they almost doubled in size. Finally Sept 17 insur okd chemo our appt was Sept 21 then we were told that chemo was not the one we should go with back to the insur to ok chemo again they approved the oxp right away 4 hrs later avastin which he was on for 1 year then on 24 they approved xeloda. I am very tired needed to vent and just need hope

 

  HI,

  Sorry to hear what you are going through, its so hard but do not give up and do not let it beat you, You are not alone and on a journey of thousands and it can be managed, its just so hard and weary going through it all.  Take one day at a time and try and get best out of each day that you have with each ohther, Love each other, Hug each other and try and watch films with humour as good for the body, Be proactive and never ever give in to this awful disease.

   Every day  Give Thanks to God  keep going ..

  God Bless and Peace be with you both ... and also Healing

I am sorry for the delays?  They now have to check for the Krass gene to approve one of the chemo drugs.  I don't think my husband has that option.  The Dr. told him he would be on Avastin for the rest of his life or could not tolerate it then he can go back to another chemo drug.  I know what you mean about needing to vent and have hope, there has to always be hope.  I just have talked with so many stage IV colon cancer survivors who,  there isn't an explanation, they get done with chemo there CEA is  low and have stayed cancer free for a number of years, even after it's spread to the liver.  I am not saying our husbands will be cured but there is hope for remission,  my husband had a tube running through his liver in june of last year they removed it after awhile and he is OK, still on avastin so we will see.  It's just hard the not knowing for me and living without any long term plans for the future.  I think we both just now are adjusting to ths new life.  Hang in there and vent anytime, I do know the feelings... Linda K.

On 10/4/2009 Dabby wrote:

Thanks Linda for your message it has helped. I first thought he had cancer in April 2008 for i heard the same thing from the dr that i did with my dad. They kept telling us not to worry that they did not think it was cancer or if it was it was early stages. Got tired of the test which they said there was no cancer same thing that happened with my dad. We went to a different doc in may the turmor was ready to burst by the time of surgery in 13 of 15 nodes test 13 lesions on liver. Did chemo from May 2008 to May 2009 then the scan was clean. He had to have a hernia repair at the first incision site that was the size of a football and they found 2 more. At the time of surgery doc said 2 spots on liver. Scan Aug 10 showed 13 lesions doc called to get the drugs okd for chemo and the insurance co said no they wanted a kras test ran had another scan ran Sept 10 and they almost doubled in size. Finally Sept 17 insur okd chemo our appt was Sept 21 then we were told that chemo was not the one we should go with back to the insur to ok chemo again they approved the oxp right away 4 hrs later avastin which he was on for 1 year then on 24 they approved xeloda. I am very tired needed to vent and just need hope

 

I am stage IV. Diagnosed in 2006. I have had 3 surgeries in 3 years. Colon resected and two liver resections. I also had mets to my diaphram and rib.

Today I have no evidence of disease. This is after being told twice that I was not a candidate for liver resection. I was also told that I had 6 months.

There are so many treatment options today. Various chemo cocktails, surgeries, etc. Please, please get second and third opinions. You need to be your own advocate, assemble your healthcare team and devise your personal treatment plan.

What works for one patient may not work for another. I didn't stop to reason why one treatment failed me and another worked. I just kept searching until I found what worked.

I was on and off chemo inbetween the surgeries. Over the past three years I have had: FOLFOX, FULFIRI, FULFIRI plus Avastin

Then I had Xeloda (alone), Then went back to FULFIRI plus Erbitux

There are many of us stage IV out here living with cancer. Don't look at the statistics. Keep fighting, new treatments are happening all the time. Stay strong.

 

On 10/11/2009 Karenb wrote:

I am stage IV. Diagnosed in 2006. I have had 3 surgeries in 3 years. Colon resected and two liver resections. I also had mets to my diaphram and rib.

Today I have no evidence of disease. This is after being told twice that I was not a candidate for liver resection. I was also told that I had 6 months.

There are so many treatment options today. Various chemo cocktails, surgeries, etc. Please, please get second and third opinions. You need to be your own advocate, assemble your healthcare team and devise your personal treatment plan.

What works for one patient may not work for another. I didn't stop to reason why one treatment failed me and another worked. I just kept searching until I found what worked.

I was on and off chemo inbetween the surgeries. Over the past three years I have had: FOLFOX, FULFIRI, FULFIRI plus Avastin

Then I had Xeloda (alone), Then went back to FULFIRI plus Erbitux

There are many of us stage IV out here living with cancer. Don't look at the statistics. Keep fighting, new treatments are happening all the time. Stay strong.

 

Karen, what a courageous and positive statement, we are proud of folks like u that beating the odds and marching on.

My uncle just got the news of the stage IV colon met to liver, the dr is doing folfox4+Erbitux, will be 3rd session next week, then will be 5 weeks of radiotherpy

 I will share your experience with him and family, and as pointed out being positive is 50% of the battle

 

and happy to see so many are beating the odds and marching on...

 

Thank you