Reoccurance in both Site's

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Hi Everyone,

My Wife was initially treated for metastases in her Liver, (×4) and then another small reoccurance at the anastomotic area of her Bowel after her original operation for Colorectal Cancer a year and a half previously.

After the various treatments, including Short Course Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, with EGFR Targeted Therapy, we have asked the Medical Profession at least 3 times, "will you be treating her condition with Adjuvant Chemotherapy once all Surgery's have been carried out". The surprising answer was no. We both thought that she would be treated with Adjuvant Chemotherapy to kill any Cancer that maybe still present in her body.

A brief summary of what's been carried out so far are:-

Initial Resection of Bowel, (Recto/Sigmoid area).

Folfox Chemotherapy + Panitumunab. (Well tolerated). Due to Metastases in her Liver.

Radiotherapy to Anastomotic reoccurance. Short Course.

Ablation to 4 Liver Metastases.

Colon Resection No2, at Anastomotic Site. Resulting in a Temporary Ileostomy.

And finally in the near future, 2nd Ablation to 2x small Liver Metastases.

She's healthy other than her Cancer diagnosis.

Just wondering why no Adjuvant Chemotherapy after the 2nd Ablation?

Thanks in advance for any similar experience of this.

court over 1 year ago

Hi Gunfitter400

The way my mum’s original oncologist described it . There were treatments available but he wanted to use them to her best advantage over the long term . He therefore only used treatment when the scans evidenced visible disease .
There are a lot of rules around what chemo’s can be used where and when . You might like to look up the Nice guidelines to check for yourself . But once first line treatment has exhausted its usefulness then it’s onto second line etc . My mum had to have six months back at the beginning before she could use her initial treatment again . I think that might have changed but she got two years out of it in the end .

I am not going to pretend I understand the rules as each one is different and we have only just understood the targeted drug rules but our helpline might know the technical details . Or you could ask her team for more information .

My mum has only ever had visible disease treated .

But like you it was a shock at the beginning. However some trusts do offer some cycles . But definitely ask for a second opinion if you want more clinical opinions but also ask if she can use it again or what would be the next step in the process should she recur . It’s good to know the protocol too then she would be fully informed . Mum has not had chemo since 2010 so it has changed but the Nice Guidelines should be current .

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Gunfitter400 over 1 year ago in reply to court

Thanks Court.