Hi - I am not sure what your stage is, but oxaliplatin is pretty much the gold standard drug. I had 6 cycles of oxaliplatin (plus Xeloda and Avastin). I had acute neuropathy in my infusion arm (no port), but it gradually diminished over 2 weeks. I experienced the cold sensitivity - but again it got ...

Eve - i am so happy! I was going to send you email on Friday - great that you got your very good results sooner than that.

Don't party too hard!

Betsy

Here's a link to ACS's page on colorectal staging: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_colon_and_rectum_cancer_staged.asp MX is pretty meaningless, in my opinion. Technically it means "no description of distant spread is possible because of incomplete information." ...

Hi all - All this Neulasta discussion is interesting. I think there are a couple of points worth mentioning: 1) It is NOT a given that white counts (or red) will drop due to chemo. My CBC was normal throughout chemo. I'll grant that low blood counts are common, but not guaranteed, and I question usi...

Hi Eve - That's a good question. I think the "tumor" location is an issue. For example I had a large colon tumor and that was removed 2 weeks after my diagnosis. I was Stage IV with liver met (biopsy proven) - very small diffuse area on PET, another hypodense area on CT - the two did not l...

Bradyr - good post. That post combined with Tony Snow's death didn't exactly help me. But, that all is "LIFE". But, what happened to the honest, though depressing, post? I can't find it - has it been censored? Last nite I would have loved to have it censored as I had a bad "Stage IV&q...

Interesting, Eve. My eyesight has never been good - always nearsighted. During chemo and beyond and I "refraction issues" and I asked my onc about it (around 4-6 months after chemo). She told me there was no "DATA" on vision refraction issues associated with chemo, and more impor...

Hi Eve - Thanks - I am doing well. (All - I had my left hip replaced - thankfully not cancer-related, although I have to say recovering from this is more problematic than was recovering from colon surgery.) I've been on a cane (off the walker) since day 9 (it's day 21 now). I can drive, but I have t...

Interesting article, but I have to say that like anything based upon statistics, it ignores the individual patient. I was diagnosed Stage IV with biopsy proven liver met in May 2005. I had colon surgery only and in July started Xeloda/oxaliplatin/Avastin. By October 2005 - after 3 cycles - I was NED...

I think a PET scan might be in order - it will indicate whether or not the spots are metabolically active. Hopefully they are PET negative.

Betsy

Hi Eve - the CT does see inside the colon. However, the colon is such a "folded" organ that small things can easily be missed. That's why scopes are used. As an aside, my diagnostic colonoscopy suggested that my tumor was located at the juncture of the transverse and descending colon. Colo...

Hi Eve - I think exhaustion is typical. You are doing well and you should start feeling better in a few weeks. My last chemo finished 12/12/05 and when I saw my oncologist in the end of January '06, I remember telling her that I hadn't realize how bad I felt, because I felt so much better. ( I was s...

Hi Mike - Sorry to hear about your Mom. I had colon cancer, not rectal, so my comments may not all apply. I also was Stage IV at diagnosis (5/05) with liver met. Like your Mom, my mets were tiny and did not show on CT - only on PET (but they were biopsy proven during my colon surgery). (FYI somethin...

I'll mess this one up too! O negative.

Betsy
Stage IV, diagnosed 05/05

I have severe numbness in my feet toes and finger tips. As well I have severe red and peeling toes. The Onc. said that I should quit the xeloda now. I have 7 days to go. I still want to try for 2 more days. I have been instructed to call the Onc back in 2 days. Has anyone else been in this postion?...