Chemo question

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Does anyone know the amount of time between one chemo session ending and the next time they can start again if the tumor is still huge.

It's feels as though the docs are all thinking I'm a useless cause. My next visits are 3 months away - just after I've been told the REMAINING tumor is huge and wrapped around my heart and esophagus and under vena cava, etc. I would think something needs to me done.

Sorry to express myself so poorly. I rarely sleep these days just in spurts.

Any information is appreciated.

Cat

[Elaine]

Ca

Of course I have no answer to your chemo timing question. I just don't know why you keep saying your tumor is huge when you have been told it may just be the remenants of your original tumor.

elaine

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Because the surgeon pointed at it Wednesday and practically screamed, "It's Huge"

I go well couldn't it be nothing.

"Nothing!" he screams back. "Look, look see that black space THAT's what it's supposed to look like. This one is huge and it's wrapped around your atrium and your trachea and growing side by side to the vena cava, the arch of something and near the pulmonary artery."

No doctor would even consider operating on it. Of course, if you want to try for a second opinon...............but I can't think of any doctor so foolish as to even try."

Then he got more graphic.

I said couldn't there be necrotic cells. He goes sure with a few live cancer cells scattered around.

[Elaine]

Ok, Well that clears that up. Not. I guess the good news is that it still could be and probably is mostly necrotic.

And to him, the surgeon dude, I say: Boy, what a MAN, you are.

[karenl]

Cat

I would think that the amount of time between bouts of chemo would have to do with how well your body was coping with it the last time (in terms of how low your blood counts went, and how long it took them to come back up to normal), and what your blood counts are like at the moment. I'm kind of guessing, but since that is what they use to determine administration of chemo intra-cycle, I would presume it might be the same for what you are wondering about.

When did you finish with you last round of chemo?

My mum finished 6 cycles of chemo in June. Her condition is stable, and the Onc doesn't want to see her again for 3 months. I presume that means that if there is further spread at that point that she would start second line chemo then, so that is a break of 3 months.

You could also put a call in to your stupid Onc and ask him.

I hope you are able to get some sleep (there is a reason that sleep deprivation is a form of torture!!). Do you have any relaxation/meditation tapes or CD's that you could listen to?

I am thinking of you and will try to find out some more about your chemo question.

Take care

Karen

[tnmynatt]

Cat,

Is it possible to get another onc. referral from your primary care physician? Sounds like you need somebody willing to fight with you and for you. DON'T GIVE UP! Take care.

[mhutch1366]

Cat,

Try Dr Schrump at NIH. He's one of the few on the face of the planet who might attempt a surgery like that, esp if it is much dead tissue.

Usual turnaround time for chemo is maybe once a week for a couple weeks and a week off, or one week on, three weeks off, or some combination thereof.

Three months is waiting to see if it changes...

Offer of my hospitality still holds.....

XOXOXOX

MaryAnn

Prayers, always