Chemo 8 cycles or 4 cycles

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Hi, I had surgery for bowel cancer in may of this year. It had spread to only one lymph node but enough to tip me into stage 3.I started my capox treatment of 8 cycles on the 3rd of August and am now in the middle of cycle 2.

I have read an awful lot of stuff regarding the efficacy of 8 cycles as opposed to 4 cycles ( especially in the biggest ever IDEAS study) and it would seem that there was little difference excepting the reduced risk of side effects ‘carry over’. I wonder if anyone out there has any knowledge or experience of this.

In part my personal reason for this enquiry is that during the same month as my diagnosis for bowel cancer I was also diagnosed with a blood cancer which is currently taking back seat to the bc in priority. I am scared that I might be at risk of long term side effects from the oxaliplatin and capecitabine being added to the issues that I shall possibly get from the chemo ( hydroxycarbamide) that I shal have to take (for life) for the blood cancer. If I could relatively safely reduce my treatment time to 4 cycles would I be being silly?

I am sorry if this is a bit rambling but I have yet to find any others in my particular position.

kind regards - Daniel

Kareno62 over 2 years ago

Hi Daniel. Yes the Scot trial showed that the results from 3 months chemo was no less inferior than 6 months chemo but with less side effects - see link below. Unless there’s another reason for 8 sessions like EMVI positive then I think you’re quite within your rights to raise this with your oncologist?

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(18)30093-7/fulltext

Hope this helps and take care

Karen x

Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

bibbia over 2 years ago in reply to Kareno62

Thanks so very much karen

court over 2 years ago in reply to Kareno62

Thank you Kareno62

I spent a long time last night trying to remember the name .

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Maninbath over 2 years ago

Hi Daniel. My oncologist told me that 4 cycles is the norm with the maximum being 8 as the additional four cycles only increase the chance iof survivability by 2.5%. I have a rare form of bowel cancer and invasion of 22 out of 31 removed lymph nodes so was keen to have all the chemo I could. I ended up having 6 cycles before the risks from the chemo outweighed its benefit.

See how you got on with 4 cycles - after 4 cycles my oncologist and I literally took it round by round and they can, to a degree, extend the ‘rest’ period between cycles if you need a bit more recuperation time.

Best of luck.

Tom

bibbia over 2 years ago in reply to Maninbath

Thanks Tom, this is all giving me much to dwell on.

good luck and kind regards - Daniel