good / bad news confused again

Hi,

It sounds as though your mum is managing well with chemo and its doing its job. I am more familiar with bowel cancer , but we were told that if they are happy with the results then a chemo break can be given. This not only spaces out chemo options but gives the body a nice chance to rest. They scan again and if it shows to have  grown they recommence chemo.  It sounds as though she has a stable scan and now gets to rest and enjoy her next two months. Any symptoms and you get straight onto them.

My mum's oncologist explained that in America they have more of a chemo for life approach and in Europe if the disease continous to progress they keep on chemo but if they achieve stability they build in rest periods.  Initially I was confused by this as I felt chemo should be attacking it, but three years later I have come round to seeing the benefits when I see what my mum has been able to do without always having to be round hospitals.

The other good thing is you get to regain your strength too. Your mum has done well and sounds as though she has not had too many side effects either. Well done her, no wonder the oncologist was pleased.

My mum has had a scan that showed the tumours in her liver to have grown and  she started chemo again and we seemed to yo yo between the two for a bit. Has she had a biopsy?

It is a confusing new world to understand.

I wish you and your mum many more stable scans.

Take care,

Court

 

Hi

I just thought I would tell you our mums experience with Gemcitibine and PC.  My mum was diagnosed in October 2009,  she too had chemo as the PC was non operable.  She went through many many courses of chemo.   In 2010 she had a heart attack and her oncologist suggested 2 months off the chemo, during this time she had a scan and there was no change in the tumour at all.  She then had another 6-8 week break in summer 2011 as she fell down the stairs and broke her ribs, again a scan revealed no change in the tumour.  We believe that these were indeed just rest periods for the body to heal from other traumas, I personally think it helps emotionally not having to have the routine of attending hospital week in week out (during these rest periods the weekly routine blood tests continued in order for the tumour markers to be monitored) during these times we arranged short breaks for mum and dad to get away and have a change of scenery.     Sadly mum passed peacefully away in October 2011 of biliary sepsis.    Everyday is hard and we miss her so much, but she fought with everything she had and we were very lucky (if thats the word) to have had 2 years with her after the diagnosis, alot of people are not given that privilege.

Wising you and your mum all the best and hope all continues well.

Meggyjo. x

Hi Your mums scenario is exactly the same as my husbands. He to was diagnosed in July 2011, and is just about to finish his 6 round of chemo. We have been told that if the tumour is still showing no growth after the next scan he can take a 2 month break from the chemo. Initially we too thought that it didn't sound right to take a break when the chemo was keeping things stable. But as the consultant said you have to think about the rest of your body and the effect that chemo can have on that, not just physically but mentally too. So if things are ok we have decided that he will take a break and we are planning a holiday to the sun to chill out. Take care

Thanks. For taking the time to read and reply, xx