Cetuximab first, now Oxiliplatin, what next?

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/chemotherapy-for-bowel-cancer

If you click on the above link it shows you the names of the chemotherapy agents for bowel cancer . The oncologist can use different combinations to achieve shrinkage or stability . Sometimes they even go back and use combinations people have had in the past and call it “ repurposing “ . 
What they hope to achieve is shrinkage or stability . Then they would possibly decide if a break can occur “ chemo break” or if a lower dose “ maintenance chemo “ is the best approach. To put that into context my mum’s liver had quite sizeable tumours . After chemo they could not see them on the scan . Six months later some had reappeared and she had more chemo . Again she responded and again no longer visible on the scan . Both times she got the same results ! The oncologist would have kept that approach going until they felt the chemo was not achieving as much and switch .

Cell types matter in determining what combination is best . If biological agents are an Avenue they can also be included in the combinations and gives more treatment approaches. I think you have had some targeted therapy first time round in the Cetuximab so that’s good to know . 
Just because some regrowth has occurred does not actually mean you won’t respond well . My mum’s oncologist explained that due to the rate of cell division it can work well in people who respond but have quicker growing tumours due to the rate the cell divide . I am not even going to pretend to understand that !
So right now you have ever reason to be hopeful to gaining a response from chemo that will halt the growth of cancer and that is the hope ! The key is responding to treatment ! That’s what really matters in a stage 4 setting from what I can gather and it is only observations over the years and way too much reading research articles . 

Some oncologists scan mid way through others just keep an eye on tumour markers . 

Take care ,

Court 

Hi Court

Many thanks for your helpful, informative feedback and support, it's really appreciated.

Warm regards

Ian