Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Hi Judy Sorry to hear about your friend,My hubby Galen had about the same experience starting in 2000with colon surgery and chemo, had liver surgery Nov. 2003 couldn't do anything many seeds and tumor lying too close to the Hepatic artery and the Portal Vein has since developed 2 ruptures from the surgery (nothing can be done for them, cuz of his condition ),Feb.04 he started Oxaliplatin and 5fu/leu till June 04 (was getting neuropathy and blood pressure dropping too low),tumor shrunk bout 10-15% Avastin was added has been on that for 12 treatments now, is still taking that alone every 2 weeks bout 1/2h to 1 hour without any other chemo. He states that he is feeling really good now just being on Avastin and cat scans so far have been coming back tumor is stable. He has had no side effects from the Avastin.He has blood work done every week. My hubby is on heart meds coumadin is one of them and also diabetic and now has osteoarthritis. He has started gaining his weight back now. The Onc said he can take this as long as it keeps holding him stable and no problems, when that stops working will try another chem. I can only tell you how hubby reacted to it, but from talking with the other people at the chemo center they don't seem to be having too many problems with it. I know the 1st time they gave it to him took a little longer to see how he would react to it. If he gets it to fast will get flushed in the face for a little while. We tell Dr immediately if we notice anything different so he can stay on top of it. We got literature from the nurses on the Avastin when he 1st started using it so we would be aware of any of the side effects. I believe there are some people on here who have taken it, who might be able to help you more. Hope your friend gets along fine with the Avastin. Take care Liz > I haven't posted in a while. It has been a little over a year since > my friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. His first > diagnosis was in 1999 when he received surgery and then was told they > got it all. Then 4 years later, it progressed to the liver. He > received chemo for 6 months and then had a petscan at which time he > was told the number of tumors had gone from 5 to 1. He then had > surgery in April to removed the remaining tumor. While in surgery, > the doctor found out there were at least 14 tumors and the surgery > wasn't successful. His recovery from the surgery was long and > painful. Then in July, he started chemo again. For two months he > did treatment only to be told last week, after a ct scan, that not > only had the tumors grown, but there was also a tumor in the fourth > rib on the right side. It is a large mass that is now being > radiated. He started a new round of treatment today, which includes > Avastin. I know it has some serious side effects. He is 58 years > old and has lost about 60 pounds in the last year. Does anyone have > any info on the use of Avastin? I guess the hard question is, what > can we expect? No one has the nerve to ask the hard questions. I > just thought maybe someone on this site might be able to help us with > any info you could pass along...........It would be greatly > appreciated.......I am a 7 year breast cancer survivor. I had chemo > and radiation, but nothing compared to what he is facing. Thank you > so much for your help..........Judi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Hi Judy Sorry to hear about your friend,My hubby Galen had about the same experience starting in 2000with colon surgery and chemo, had liver surgery Nov. 2003 couldn't do anything many seeds and tumor lying too close to the Hepatic artery and the Portal Vein has since developed 2 ruptures from the surgery (nothing can be done for them, cuz of his condition ),Feb.04 he started Oxaliplatin and 5fu/leu till June 04 (was getting neuropathy and blood pressure dropping too low),tumor shrunk bout 10-15% Avastin was added has been on that for 12 treatments now, is still taking that alone every 2 weeks bout 1/2h to 1 hour without any other chemo. He states that he is feeling really good now just being on Avastin and cat scans so far have been coming back tumor is stable. He has had no side effects from the Avastin.He has blood work done every week. My hubby is on heart meds coumadin is one of them and also diabetic and now has osteoarthritis. He has started gaining his weight back now. The Onc said he can take this as long as it keeps holding him stable and no problems, when that stops working will try another chem. I can only tell you how hubby reacted to it, but from talking with the other people at the chemo center they don't seem to be having too many problems with it. I know the 1st time they gave it to him took a little longer to see how he would react to it. If he gets it to fast will get flushed in the face for a little while. We tell Dr immediately if we notice anything different so he can stay on top of it. We got literature from the nurses on the Avastin when he 1st started using it so we would be aware of any of the side effects. I believe there are some people on here who have taken it, who might be able to help you more. Hope your friend gets along fine with the Avastin. Take care Liz > I haven't posted in a while. It has been a little over a year since > my friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. His first > diagnosis was in 1999 when he received surgery and then was told they > got it all. Then 4 years later, it progressed to the liver. He > received chemo for 6 months and then had a petscan at which time he > was told the number of tumors had gone from 5 to 1. He then had > surgery in April to removed the remaining tumor. While in surgery, > the doctor found out there were at least 14 tumors and the surgery > wasn't successful. His recovery from the surgery was long and > painful. Then in July, he started chemo again. For two months he > did treatment only to be told last week, after a ct scan, that not > only had the tumors grown, but there was also a tumor in the fourth > rib on the right side. It is a large mass that is now being > radiated. He started a new round of treatment today, which includes > Avastin. I know it has some serious side effects. He is 58 years > old and has lost about 60 pounds in the last year. Does anyone have > any info on the use of Avastin? I guess the hard question is, what > can we expect? No one has the nerve to ask the hard questions. I > just thought maybe someone on this site might be able to help us with > any info you could pass along...........It would be greatly > appreciated.......I am a 7 year breast cancer survivor. I had chemo > and radiation, but nothing compared to what he is facing. Thank you > so much for your help..........Judi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 --- Hi , I was wondering what kind of symptoms did your hisband have when it came back in the liver? Was he getting his CEA testes regularily? My husband had surgery two yrs ago, and gets tested every four months, in july his cea was 6.3 and the bilirubin was high, they tested again a few weeks ago, now it's back to 4.5, he has so symptoms at all and feels great, I guess the worry is always that it will come back. Hope your husband is doing well. It just helps to see what others are going through. Take care In colon_cancer_support , " gill4636 " <gill4636@y...> wrote: > > Hi Judy > Sorry to hear about your friend,My hubby Galen had about the same > experience starting in 2000with colon surgery and chemo, had liver > surgery Nov. 2003 couldn't do anything many seeds and tumor lying too > close to the Hepatic artery and the Portal Vein has since developed 2 > ruptures from the surgery (nothing can be done for them, cuz of his > condition ),Feb.04 he started Oxaliplatin and 5fu/leu till June 04 > (was getting neuropathy and blood pressure dropping too low),tumor > shrunk bout 10-15% Avastin was added has been on that for 12 > treatments now, is still taking that alone every 2 weeks bout 1/2h to > 1 hour without any other chemo. > He states that he is feeling really good now just being on Avastin > and cat scans so far have been coming back tumor is stable. He has > had no side effects from the Avastin.He has blood work done every > week. My hubby is on heart meds coumadin is one of them and also > diabetic and now has osteoarthritis. He has started gaining his > weight back now. > The Onc said he can take this as long as it keeps holding him stable > and no problems, when that stops working will try another chem. > > I can only tell you how hubby reacted to it, but from talking with > the other people at the chemo center they don't seem to be having too > many problems with it. I know the 1st time they gave it to him took a > little longer to see how he would react to it. If he gets it to fast > will get flushed in the face for a little while. We tell Dr > immediately if we notice anything different so he can stay on top of > it. > We got literature from the nurses on the Avastin when he 1st started > using it so we would be aware of any of the side effects. > I believe there are some people on here who have taken it, who might > be able to help you more. > > Hope your friend gets along fine with the Avastin. > Take care > Liz > > > > > > I haven't posted in a while. It has been a little over a year > since > > my friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. His first > > diagnosis was in 1999 when he received surgery and then was told > they > > got it all. Then 4 years later, it progressed to the liver. He > > received chemo for 6 months and then had a petscan at which time he > > was told the number of tumors had gone from 5 to 1. He then had > > surgery in April to removed the remaining tumor. While in surgery, > > the doctor found out there were at least 14 tumors and the surgery > > wasn't successful. His recovery from the surgery was long and > > painful. Then in July, he started chemo again. For two months he > > did treatment only to be told last week, after a ct scan, that not > > only had the tumors grown, but there was also a tumor in the fourth > > rib on the right side. It is a large mass that is now being > > radiated. He started a new round of treatment today, which > includes > > Avastin. I know it has some serious side effects. He is 58 years > > old and has lost about 60 pounds in the last year. Does anyone > have > > any info on the use of Avastin? I guess the hard question is, what > > can we expect? No one has the nerve to ask the hard questions. I > > just thought maybe someone on this site might be able to help us > with > > any info you could pass along...........It would be greatly > > appreciated.......I am a 7 year breast cancer survivor. I had > chemo > > and radiation, but nothing compared to what he is facing. Thank > you > > so much for your help..........Judi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Wow Dave!! That's some scarey stats there! Good luck with the trial. Hang tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 Hi Don and Sherry, Your sister-in-law and I have a very similar diagnosis. Stage 4 cc that has spread to the liver. I am 34. When she had her surgery did they remove the tumor from both her colon and her liver? I still have a tumor on my liver. The doctors want me to do chemo before they remove it. I will say a prayer for your sil and for you as well. I have a feeling that we will all be survivors in this ordeal. This group is such a great place to be!!!!!!!! Peace and healing..............Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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