Hi
My mum has been diagnosed with a klatskin tumor. She has started an initial first 4 rounds of cistplatin/gembetacine with the hope that it will shrink on the portal vein so they can operate.
She's missed the second dose of 2 of the rounds so far (out of 3) as well as them reducing the dosage as she has been suffering from low white blood cells on the second week of treatment a couple of times. We assumed that the treatment is just paused and you carry on where you left off, but a nurse on the unit has said that the missed doses are written off and not added to the end of the course of treatment. So in effect she has only had 4 treatments out of a possible 6 so far in the first 3 rounds.
Is this normal practice just to write off the treatment like that rather than postpone it? Obviously to have a fighting chance she needs an operation but we're very concerned that the way it's going she won't get enough doses.
Also we've heard about white bloodncell growth factors. Can this be given to prevent low white blood cells so she won't keep missing treatment as opposed to just treating the low white blood cell count.
Once the stents had been fitted she's been in really good shape and it came as a bit if a shock when the treatment kept getting cancelled.
Any advice would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Roland
Hi Roland and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I can't help with your question but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the page where it'll be more easily seen.
You could also post your question in the ask a nurse section of the online community and one of the specialist nurses will aim to reply within 3 working days. If this is something you'd like to do clicking on the link I've created will take you straight there. The nurses don't have access to your mum's records but they will be able to advise you what normally happens.
While you're waiting for replies it would be great if you could pop something about your mum's diagnosis and treatment so far into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
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"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
