13 weeks to start chemotherapy

Have a chat with your assigned CNS, 13 weeks does sound rather a long time. Your chemo is likely to be adjunctive, in which case your oncologist will be taking into account the histology results and staging.

As an example, my right hemicolectomy was on 24th November histology staged it at stage 3 (T3 N1A R0) , adjunctive chemo (CAPOX) will start on 8th January. 

Hi Knobbly1, thank you for your comments. 

My histology after the right hemicolectomy:

T3N0L1V2Ph0M1,R0

Before the surgery was:

T3N1M0

In another words is now stage4 colon cancer, the word incurable is now applied to every conversation even though my Oncologist is not great with words to be honest, I am just not happy with the way she dealing with situation,  but I don't know if her behaviour is right or wrong. All this is unknown world I am just anxious and stressed with everything and obviously on top all this hearth failure too I had a cabgx2 4 months ago.

The thing is I don't know if it is wise to ask for another Oncologist? If it is wise to even refuse chemotherapy?

I am really confused and depressed with all this.

The fact that she delaying the chemotherapy to 13 weeks is another ( nail in the coffin), looks like is not important anymore and I will just one more number for the statistics....

Hi Kirby, 

Sorry to hear what you going through. I'm going to comment on the 'drug bit'....FOLFOX is comprised of two drugs, Oxaliplatin and 5FU. It is the 5FU that can be cardiotoxic...eg it can give people spasm of the heart arteries, which gives chest pain etc. It can also cause arrythmia. 

I am stage 4, I recently had one cycle of FOLFORI. FOLFORI is Irinotecan + 5FU. My heart rate went very low (low 40's) in the days after chemo. They stopped chemo after the first round and my oncologist consulted a cardiologist - the cardiologist said chest pain etc was a more common side effect of 5FU, and low heart rate like mine was an unusual side effect, but definitely a side effect of 5FU. I could not have 5FU again.

My oncologist has therefore 'substituted' the 5FU with a different drug - Ralitrexed.  He said Ralitrexed is not know to  have any impact on the heart, so it is used when people cannot tolerate 5FU. I have been ok on Ralitrexed. 

One can have Ralitrexed with Oxaliplatin, or with Irinotecan. Every case is different, but maybe Ralitrexed is an option they could consider for you. 

I unfortunately cannot comment on how you deal with your oncologist, ie not had exerpience on how to get a second opinion. But here is the link to the Macmillian site that may give you some answers...

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/your-treatment-options/getting-a-second-opinion#:~:text=arranged%20with%20them.-,What%20is%20a%20second%20opinion?,be%20happy%20to%20explain%20things.

Wishing you all the very best. 

Hi Babotie, 

Thank you very much for your message is much appreciated. I am also stage4 but I don't know anything about chemotherapy,  is all a massive confusion in my head at the moment and the fact that I have hearth failure does not help at all.

All the best and thank you once again.