A positive Stage IV story- Update

April 29, 2004

Hello Everyone,

I have been more of a lurker in recent months as I have been busy

with treatments/work/and running after a 1 year old boy. To recap my

history I was diagnosed in 8/03 Stage IV CC with mets to two para-

aortic lymph nodes. I was told at the time that surgery on my

primary rectal tumor was " unlikely " . I went on CPT-11/5-FU/LV in

9/03 for 5 treatments and was the re-scanned (CAT/PET) in 11/03.

Scans showed that that the two para-aortic lymph nodes have

been " resolved " AKA eradicated, yes, destroyed via chemo. Candidate

for surgery; started 28 radiation treatments in 1/04. 2/04 re-

scanned...again all clean (aside from the local tumor). Surgery on

3/30, path report shows 2 out of 12 lymph nodes are cancerous. All

margins negative (although it was close on 1 side). Adjuvant therapy

will consist of 4 months of Oxaliplatin/5-FU/LV (8 treatments)

followed by scans every three months for 2 years then every 6 months

for 3 years and then....hopefully...that's it!!!!. Its a good thing

that Memorial Sloan Kettering were extremely aggresive with me from

start (I am only 34 and in great shape (I was a Div I hockey player

in college)). Luckily they insisted on the PET scan when they made

their diagnosis because the CAT scan didn't show any Mets. They

were/are very creative in treating me and everyone now believes I

have strong chance of beating this!! Moral of the story...never give

up and more importantly don't get despaired when the diagnosis is

Stage IV. I initially started reading all of the lovely stats about

Stage IV survival rates until I was told by my doctor that everyone

is different and it truly is an individual disease.

No Surrender!!

Cheers,

Ken (now T4N1M0)

P.S. I was told that adjuvant therapy for Stage II/III will not be

the standard 6 months of 5-FU/LV but will be either FOLFIRI or

FOLFOX in the near future. Sloan is already doing this. I thought I

have seen posts that USC is doing this is well. Does anyone else

know anything about this?

April 30, 2004

Hang in there; attitude is so important. You have the right idea.

Sharon

> Hello Everyone,

>

> I have been more of a lurker in recent months as I have been busy

> with treatments/work/and running after a 1 year old boy. To recap

my

> history I was diagnosed in 8/03 Stage IV CC with mets to two para-

> aortic lymph nodes. I was told at the time that surgery on my

> primary rectal tumor was " unlikely " . I went on CPT-11/5-FU/LV in

> 9/03 for 5 treatments and was the re-scanned (CAT/PET) in 11/03.

> Scans showed that that the two para-aortic lymph nodes have

> been " resolved " AKA eradicated, yes, destroyed via chemo. Candidate

> for surgery; started 28 radiation treatments in 1/04. 2/04 re-

> scanned...again all clean (aside from the local tumor). Surgery on

> 3/30, path report shows 2 out of 12 lymph nodes are cancerous. All

> margins negative (although it was close on 1 side). Adjuvant

therapy

> will consist of 4 months of Oxaliplatin/5-FU/LV (8 treatments)

> followed by scans every three months for 2 years then every 6

months

> for 3 years and then....hopefully...that's it!!!!. Its a good thing

> that Memorial Sloan Kettering were extremely aggresive with me from

> start (I am only 34 and in great shape (I was a Div I hockey player

> in college)). Luckily they insisted on the PET scan when they made

> their diagnosis because the CAT scan didn't show any Mets. They

> were/are very creative in treating me and everyone now believes I

> have strong chance of beating this!! Moral of the story...never

give

> up and more importantly don't get despaired when the diagnosis is

> Stage IV. I initially started reading all of the lovely stats about

> Stage IV survival rates until I was told by my doctor that everyone

> is different and it truly is an individual disease.

>

> No Surrender!!

>

> Cheers,

> Ken (now T4N1M0)

>

> P.S. I was told that adjuvant therapy for Stage II/III will not be

> the standard 6 months of 5-FU/LV but will be either FOLFIRI or

> FOLFOX in the near future. Sloan is already doing this. I thought I

> have seen posts that USC is doing this is well. Does anyone else

> know anything about this?

April 30, 2004