4 cycles vs 8 cycles for Xelox?

That’s my understanding too that the trial was done on lower stages . I have never heard of anyone in a stage 4 setting using it on that based however I must add my mum has only ever used six cycles at any one time . They did a fantastic job shrinking a significant spread . You could easily email and ask if their is any clinical research for the protocol in a stage 4 setting . It’s a reasonable question and one you need to understand . 

You might like to consult with another oncologist just to see how they would manage your situation. I always find more than one clinical opinion helpful .

Just want to also say fantastic being NED . Long may it continue. 

Hmm it's a funny one...I mean, both my tumours were resected but still seems a bit dodgy to me. My oncologist is a professor and does a lot of research so I feel like he must know what he's doing. But I feel a bit uneasy about it. :( Do you mean to email my oncologist or email the people that ran the study?

Thanks! :D 

Hi ,

I am so sorry . I replied but for some reason it did not post and just stayed in the little box . 

I must have timed out . Anyway when I re read it again it wasn’t great so maybe that’s a blessing ! It did not read very well . I must have been tired . 

I meant your oncologist. They have used different approaches with my mum over the years and their explanations made sense at the time once we had asked a few questions . I have seen someone discuss this in the past on a different forum and it was pointed out the lower staging aspect of the research .

Saying that it is so individual in a stage 4 setting anyway . My mum’s oncologist in the beginning favoured pre chemo but not post op chemo at the time as he wanted to keep as many chemo options to use on actual disease not micro disease ! At the time it made sense but it was a departure from what others were doing around forums . I think you do need a bit more information . 
Have you looked at the NICE guidelines to see what they recommend? Might give you a bit of insight into what others are doing regarding protocol .

take care ,

Court 

I rung my oncologist yesterday. His secretary said he had emailed her to say he will ring me but still yet to hear anything. I've got an appointment on Monday where I assume I'll see him but thought it would be good to clarify this before then. I'm feeling very anxious about it. I'm sure once I speak to him I'll be reassured one way or the other. I know that 6 months of treatment causes a lot more side effects but I'm willing to deal with that if it improves my outcomes even slightly.

I had a look at the guidelines for metastatic colon cancer and the first line treatment seems to be just capecitabine. It's a bit complicated as even though I'm stage 4, i have actually had both masses removed. Maybe they would just go with the lower stage treatment in that regard? 

It's funny how it can vary so much from oncologist to oncologist. Hope your mum is doing ok. 

Mum is doing well and despite a wee blip at the start of the week she seems back to herself  yesterday. Thank you for asking .

I think it’s the right thing to question . Where lower stages follow strict protocols stage 4 in my observation seems to lean a lot more to clinical judgements. Given your completely Ned he is maybe feeling more comfortable using that protocol and I would think they would consider the form of spread too . I hope you get the answers you need to make you more confident in the process . 

I think you are being very wise and I can totally understand why you feel anxious if you still have questions . 

Take care ,

Court 

Hi Court!

So I had an appointment with my oncologist on Monday and he had already decided he would rather do 6 months and has decided folfox would be more appropriate. Phew! It's going to be a slog but I feel a lot more comfortable knowing they're being thorough. It's good to know we're on the same page too. I started my first cycle yesterday! :) 

Oh that’s great to hear . I think it’s more reassuring if you feel you are coming from the same position .

Hope your first cycle went smoothly . One down already . 

Take care ,

Court