Offered chemo

Hi  and welcome to the board. Im normally all for chemo as then you know you’ve done everything you can to prevent a reoccurrence and would never have that ‘what if….’ situation if it were to reoccur. Having said that I was never given any percentages and, as you say, 3% doesn’t seem a lot? 
I’ve no experience of fluorouracil so I’m going to see if Gemmary and  would mind sharing their experiences? Chemo affects everybody differently but if you’re in 2 minds then there’s nothing to stop you giving it a go - you can have a dosage reduction or stop all together if it really is unmanageable 

Take care

Karen x

Hi, , Karen is correct I had 30 weeks of 5FU and the folinic acid that helps it work. I think I was told it would make a 5% difference bringing mine up to 80%, might be wrong. Mine was rectal cancer with vascular invasion, no stomas. It is a low dose, and I managed to (just!) work throughout, but switched my week round towards the end. Click on my name for full details. The dose got reduced twice, couldn't any more. After about 20 weeks I decided I'd do one more week. Then there were no more weeks!

I agreed to do it so I wouldn't say if only. When I asked the medics they all basically said the same, try , then reduce or give up. There is some thought that 15 weeks gives most of the benefit, but don't quote me.

I had it by IV alternating hands each week. Keep them warm to get the veins up. They will suffer towards the end. Infusion only takes about half hour, but you have checks so allow an hour or so. Initially they check bloods every week, but if it looks settled this changes to every month. Lots of holes!!!! If it gets stopped for any reason, it gets added onto the end. 

It is a long haul, disrupts life, but doable. If I had a similar decision to make in the future (hopefully not!!!) I would give it a go. Much easier in my opinion than long covid.

Any questions please ask, and let us know what you decide. Take care, xx 

Hi 

welcome here. I’m on week 7/30 of Quasar ( the name of your regimen) my dose has bumped around  from 100% down to 85% and we are currently Re challenging my liver at 92% dose ( it’s rare to go back up  but I’m a persistent bugger ) 

I had no spread but intra-mural invasion  

If you click in my name you can see my chemo journey so far. The %’S depend  which calculator your dr uses and your stage. My advantage due chemo varied from 3% to 8% advantage. I agree with Kareno62 she always gives good advice and i too would always grab chemo if offered. 

happy to answer any other queries. I am a bit over the weekly puncturing for bloods and infusions consider a PIC line ??  and I always get given granesetron and Dex 30mins b4 infusion to avoid nausea which works brilliantly.