Oxiplatin as a stand alone chemo

[unlucky13]

Hi Everyone, I'm new to the group. Diagnosed with rectal cancer in May 2013. Started chemo 5-FU and radiation in June 2013. Found I had the DPD deficiency after the 5-FU put me in the hospital in July. Continued the radiation and had surgery in Sept. I now have a permanent colostomy. I have a question. Hoping someone has an answer. Since, I have the DPD deficiency my Oncologist is wanting to do post surgery chemo with Oxiplatin alone. He cannot tell me if the Oxiplatin will be helpful or not without combining the 5-FU. I know I'm not the first person that has had this problem. If anyone out there has had this problem what did your oncologist do? Please let me know. Thank You Robert

[hkbsmile]

Hi Robert. I just finished 8 treatments of oxiplatin alone post surgery for a different reason. I have Lynch syndrome and 5FU is not effective on patients with Lynch syndrome. My oncologist had no concerns about using oxiplatin alone. I recently got the good news of NED. I hope this helps & best of luck to you.

[unlucky13]

Thanks for the reply. Looks like I spelled oxiplatin wrong it should have been oxaliplatin.

[barbara jayne]

Hi Robert,
As you can see from my signature below 5fu ( Xeloda ) was discontinued because
of DPD deficiency, (seems I probably shouldn't have been given it all as I also have Lynch Syndrome but hadn't been diagnosed at that time,) so my oncologist continued to give me Oxaliplatin alone, he said he wanted to give me the benefit of at least some chemo.
I don't know if it was the right thing to I do or not I just trusted him, I'm just very happy to be still NED almost 6 years later,
day after tomorrow actually 3rd Jan.
Best wishes to you,

Barbara x

[unlucky13]

Thank You Barbara. I am trying to get an appointment with another oncologist for a second opinion. I had a follow up with my surgeon yesterday. He did not have anything good to say about Oxaliplatin. He said unless the oncologist could give a good reason for using it he would avoid it because of the bad side effects (mainly the peripheral neuropathy that it can cause).