Alternatives to Chemo

Hi Anita73 

Welcome to the club although I'm sorry you have found yourself here. I can understand your concern as you have been through treatment for breast cancer. The chemo part of ac treatment is either in daily tablet form or intravenous for five days at the beginning and 5 at the end, I had intravenous although most seem to have oral. I felt sick ( not to bad )with my first lot but I think that was from the mitomycin which they don't give you for the last lot. The chemo drugs I would assume are not the same as for breast cancer so side affects will differ. I didn't lose my hair and I haven't read of anyone on here losing theirs just some thinning but not so anyone else would notice and as far as i know hair loss is not a side affect for this chemo. I am not a doctor but the main part of the treatment for ac is the radiotherapy. The treatment isn't a walk in the park but wasn't as bad as I had expected and as a general rule is highly successful. When you see your oncologist tell them your concerns and I'm sure they will reassure you. Sending hugs. Xx

Ps the standard treatment is only 5.5 wks

Hello Anita73 

I am so sorry to hear that you are facing yet another round with cancer, you really have had more than your share of troubles.

As far as I know, the only treatment for anal cancer is the combined chemo/radiotherapy and it is highly effective and the gold standard.  And the treatment course is tough but nothing like a year and most people are back to normal (maybe a slightly new normal) within months.  I don't know what type of chemo you were on but the standard chemo used in anal cancer does not result in hair loss, perhaps slight thinning but many people don't notice.  I wasn't affected by the chemo much at all, the radiotherapy side effects can be tough about three weeks in but then in five weeks it is all over.

I can completely understand your worry and I think Bungle's suggestion is a good one; share how you are feeling with your consultant.  Most of us have found the treating teams really kind and reactive to any sort of discomfort that we may be going through.

I hope that your scans go well and you get lots of reassurance.  We will all be thinking of you.

Big hug

Irene xx

Many thanks, fellow traveler. I was spared from nausea during breast cancer chemo. It was losing every hair on my body, incredible fatigue, nosebleeds, dehydration, and food tasting metallic that was so awful. Your info makes ac chemo sound more doable.

Irene, so kind of you to share. As I also replied to Bungle1, the details you've noted make ac sound more doable. I know from experience how much it means to have support from others, especially those others who've walked in my shoes. 

Hi Anita73  & welcome to the MacMillan Online Community although I’m really sorry to learn of your recent diagnosis & that it’s not your first rodeo do to speak! Your treatment for your breast cancer diagnosis sounds awful. 

The treatment for anal cancer is generally as you’ll probably already know chemoradiotherapy. In my case like many of us here I was given a short infusion of mitomycin on day one of treatment then oral capecitabine twice a day each day of radiotherapy thereafter.

My oncologist told me that the oral chemo is far gentler on the system than that given via infusion. Personally I had little to no side effects from the chemo side of the treatment, I had a couple of mouth ulcers pop up a couple of days after that initial infusion & some very mild nausea but that only lasted a day or two & that was it, my hair went a little thinner but nobody else noticed & it was a little frazzled by the end of my treatment but nothing that a couple of good trims didn’t sort out. I was able to stay hydrated & my appetite was pretty good throughout. I did suffer fatigue, that began probably halfway through my treatment but even then it was nothing that an afternoon nap & early nights didn’t sort out. 

I would have a conversation with your oncologist, explain what an awful time you had with the chemo for your breast cancer & tell them your concerns going into treatment again & I’m sure they’ll be able to reassure you. 

My heart goes out to you & completely appreciate your fears having had such a rough time prior to this. Please remember we’re here to support you however we can. 

Nicola