I started a new chemotherapy treatment on the 16th of March 2015. I had 1 of 3 lymph nodes positive that they took out of me a year ago. I am told the in belly chemo I had right after surgery can't reach the cancer than invades the lymph nodes. So more secondary chemo for that. With failing to complete FOLFOX and the switch to Xeloda too, it is the recommendation to continue chemotherapy due to reoccurrence and more tumor growth. I just found out I have the mutation of this cancer so it looks like I will now try Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin, and Avastin. Everything was low grade PMP except the lymph node and it was an aggressive medium grade. In my case, it is possible that the surgery worked for the low grade biology but the belly chemo didn’t work on eradicating the higher cells. I need to try and stop that type of cell. Those that are higher grade (not the highest as that is signet ring cells and they did not see any on my pathology) need chemotherapy to kill them as they tend to be more invasive and harder to reach with surgery. I'm told a 2nd CRS/HIPEC was a possibility but does not make sense at this time given that more disease is back and chemo is best suited to combat it. Chemo is good for the “fingers” of the disease whereas surgery is good for the “fist”….if this analogy makes sense. Cells that want to reach out and go to lymph nodes are more invasive and more likely not to be totally eradicated by the in belly chemo.
After 4 full days after the chemotherapy infusion that took 6.3 hours, I feel ill still. I am very tired and am moving slow. I am queasy and have just enough energy to do essentials. I am hoping to feel better soon. I will have to do this treatment every three weeks for quite a long time if I can tolerate it. Here is to hope.
After 4 full days after the chemotherapy infusion that took 6.3 hours, I feel ill still. I am very tired and am moving slow. I am queasy and have just enough energy to do essentials. I am hoping to feel better soon. I will have to do this treatment every three weeks for quite a long time if I can tolerate it. Here is to hope.