Xeloda pills and Radiation

Hi  as I understand it, the usual treatment would be to have radiotherapy and chemo at the same time, the chemo enhances the effects of the radiotherapy. If you don’t mind me asking, is there any particular concern you have in relation to the chemo tablets? Obviously it is entirely your choice as to whether you take them, I just wondered if you were concerned about side effects perhaps? These chemo tablets are usually tolerated pretty well. Bev 

Hi  I’ve just seen from your post on another thread that you are concerned about side effects. I understand that Xeloda is known as Capecitabine  in the Uk. It was the other chemo drug that caused me to feel nauseous in the first few days (Mitomycin), I didn’t have any side effects with the Capecitabine, this tends to be people’s usual experience from other comments on here about this drug. The possible  list of side effects they give you is scary but this doesn’t mean to say you will experience any of them. If you do, there are remedies for them, anti diarrhoea, sickness medications and so on. Maybe have a chat with your Oncologist before making a final decision. Bev. 

Bev,  Thank you so much for your post!  I am so blessed to have found this forum!  I begin radiation tomorrow morning, and he changed it from 25 to 28 treatments (not sure why---but I plan to ask).  I have a 3cm x 5cm tumor at the very top of my rectum.  I will have robotic surgery probably in April after everything is healed.  Mary-Kathryn

Hi  you’re very welcome. This forum helped me as I literally had never known anyone to have this sort of cancer. All the best for your treatment tomorrow, it will go faster than you imagine. Please let us know how you’re getting on if you feel up to it. I will be thinking of you. Bev.