Can chemo actually shrink a tumour.?

Hi 

I don't have personal experience of treatment with chemotherapy but noticed that your post hadn't had any responses. By responding to you it will 'bump' it back to the top of the page where it'll be more easily seen by someone who has had this treatment.

I've found this information for you on chemotherapy for oesophageal cancer where you'll see that it says "Chemotherapy is often given before an operation to remove an oesophageal cancer. This is sometimes called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It can shrink the tumour, making it easier to remove."

When you have a minute it would be really useful if could pop something about your journey so far into your profile as it helps others when answering or looking for someone with a similar diagnosis. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Edit Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

I hope this helps 

x

hi

This is my experience 

Yes. EC chemo shrank my breast cancer tumour. 

if you're bored read on ...

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2015 and initially was told I didn't need chemo and that surgery would be sufficient, surgery being the quickest way to remove tumours that are accessible, avoiding the rather harsh effects of chemo. However there are a lot of cancers that cannot be removed with surgery so in these instances the chemo side effects need to be endured. 

In breast cancer there are several different types and some of the more aggressive types require chemo post surgery as belt and braces. 

In my particular case I was left with a second tumour that was missed during surgery, partly because the MRI scan report hadn't picked it up.

My concern in having chemo post surgery was that there was no clear and obvious mechanism to check it had been effective and I was reluctant to proceed. 

However, since the team refused to surgically remove this second tumour, as I was, in their opinion, destined to have chemo anyway, I was then able to experience the effectiveness of the chemo regime I was prescribed. 

Hopefully someone else will be able to share their experiences specific to you but in my experience it does shrink tumours.

Carolyn

xx

Hi there,

Sorry you find yourself here but welcome to the forum, lots of supportive and friendly folks here.

The short answer to you question is yes it can.  Chemo is often used pre-surgery, and sometimes just on its own both with a view to shrink or contain a tumor.  

What kind of chemo has your doctor recommended you?  Not sure what stage you're at but I wish you all the best, I hope you have some support around you, feel free to write any time if it helps.

Hi 

the simple answer is yes. The more correct answer is That’s the intention.

The more difficult to answer question is so what? It will still need to be removed!

We also asked this question to our oncologist at one point and his honest answer was that the chemo treatment is more for the rest of the cancer contamination other than the visable tumor, and the objective to that is to improve the prognosis after the operation to remove the tumor itself.

The trouble with this disease is that if you dont kill whatever around and make a good resection, then you chance of recurrance at which point the patient is in bigger trouble..

In his exact words, shrinking the tumor was the added bonus

This is what we have learned from our doctor....

My oncologist said there was no guarantee. As Brent posted earlier even if it shrinks the tumour still has to be surgically removed. Everyone has to decide what they think is the best way for themselves.

Good luck and kind regards Frank.

Morning,

Echoing everybodies comments, there are no guarentees etc and everyone is diff.

However i have just completed 3 cycles of ECX chemo and my tumour has shrunk and SUV  9 < 4 with no evidence of any activity anywhere else, a great result for me. I now go into keyhole surgery on the 20th.

good luck with your journey.

Ricky.

Well done. Can you keep us updated please.

Hi Ukjazzer,

I am 18 months post my oesophagectomy and prior to this I had 5 weeks of combined chemo and radiotherapy. Are you having radiotherapy as well as chemo. I was T3 N0 prior to treatment and my oncologist informed me that the chemo and radiotherapy work together, the chemo is targeted so does have a direct impact on the tumour. When I had my surgery I was advised by the surgeon that they couldn’t see the tumour so clearly the treatment worked.

Really hope up you are on a curable path. It’s a long slog ahead and you need to focus on each stage and not look too far ahead. But I can tell you that 18 months on I am feeling relatively “normal” back at work and cycling most days.

Take care and all the very best!

Hi I had 5 weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy then op after the op the surgeon said the chemo and radiotherapy had worked and killed the cancer he said he done the op to confirm 100% it had gone he said I am 100% percent cancer free had op end of July still feel tired but getting better every day so I think it works I was very lucky and had no bad side effects from it hope this helps you good luck

John