Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

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LMighty
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 6:16 am
Location: Hong Kong

Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby LMighty » Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:27 am

Hi everyone,

Have you any stories of stage IV survivors achieving long-term NED with chemo alone?

As mentioned in my signature, my mom is considered stage IV due to malignant pleural effusion despite the absence of any visible tumour. So resection is not an option -- we can only count on chemo, at least for the time being. I am aware of the low chance statistically but would really like to hear some positive stories to keep on fighting.

Thanks a lot.
Supporter to my mom (64 yr); KRAS wild type; MSS

2012: DX Stage I, rectal cancer; resection and colostomy
5/16: DX Stage III, mets found; right groin lymph node and soft tissue
5-6/16: Radiation + Xeloda
7/16: DX Stage IV, pleural effusion; cancer cells found in fluid
7-12/16: Xelox + Avastin X 6
1/17: Clean PET scan, NED
2/17: Pleural effusion; recurrence
4/17: Iri + Erb X 3
5/17: Ascites; Chemo failed
6/17: Keytruda X 1
7/17: TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab) + COTELLIC (cobimetinib)
9/17: At peace

recruiter
Posts: 82
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:01 pm
Facebook Username: Bill Wilson

Re: Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby recruiter » Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:17 pm

To quote my oncologist, "There is always hope."

Keep fighting.
DX Stage 4 2/16 with lung mets
4/16 CT, PET show "marked improvement" in size and number of lung mets, rectal tumor.
8/16 "Great report" from scans, lung mets continue to shrink in size and number, CEA 1.6, cancer "in remission" but surgeon believes tumor remains too large.
10/16 Xrays for constipation problems reveal tumor occupies 25 percent of rectal canal: Occupied 80 percent upon diagnosis 2/16
12/16 Back on Avastin; tumor can be removed, but need better margins.

Achilles Torn
Posts: 141
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:41 pm

Re: Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby Achilles Torn » Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:55 pm

Chances may be low but it is quite possible.

See Bob Ramey's story (Chemo only) on the Colon Cancer podcast

http://thecoloncancerpodcast.com/2016lybl008/

There are a few a few others on this board that if you search you may find. Also - there are those that when they had surgery after Chemo their tumors were virtually gone or 'dead' from the Chemo.

Chances are low (I would guess less than 1 in 10) but it can happen....Also possible to fail a chemo line and have a great response to the next.

Stay positive!

AT
Diagnosed as 40 yo Male. BC Canada. Sigmoid Colectomy Dec. 2016
Pathology T3N2bM1 19 of 24 Nodes Positive + tumour deposits
PET scan - Para-Aortic and Iliac Lymph node spread. Stage VI.
Moderately differentiated. MSS. KRAS/BRAF Wild.
Mutations: TP53, ERBB4, MLL3, PDCD1LG2, PRKDC, SMAD3
FOLFOX + Bevacizumab Commenced Jan 9/2017 PET Scan July 2017 - on maintenance 5FU/Bev every 2 weeks.
Progression after Covid19 induced break June 2020. Resume Maintenance chemo of Capecitabine and Bev

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LeonW
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun May 03, 2015 4:59 pm
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Re: Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby LeonW » Fri Mar 17, 2017 7:35 pm

Achilles Torn wrote:. . . there are those that when they had surgery after Chemo their tumors were virtually gone or 'dead' from the Chemo.

Yes this sometimes happens. I'm one of these lucky ones, see my signature. IIRC, my docs said that they see this in some 6% of initially non-resectable cases of liver mets. I sometimes wonder if, in retrospect and in theory, my (difficult) liver resection could have been avoided, but have no regrets.

I hope this helps a little, L
Dec 2012 - CC 2 unresect liver mets, CEA 41.8 (MM 65yrs)
Jan 2013 - colectomy @ spleen 2/26 nodes IVa T3N1bM1a
Feb-Jul - 1x Xelox-7x Xelox/Avastin, shrinkage from #3
Aug - 2x PV embolization (both failed)
Sep 2013 - R liver resect, 25d hosp (liver failure/delirium, lung emboli, encephalopathy), no living cancer (pCR)
2014/15 - recovery, scopy: 2 polyps
2016 - new town/life
2018, scopy: 2 polyps
2018/20 low (1.0-1.4) CEAs/clean CTs: 4x2014, 6x2015-17, 3x2018-20
next June 2021!

plastikos
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:09 am

Re: Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby plastikos » Sat Mar 18, 2017 11:21 am

Hey LMighty. This is a question that crosses my mind a lot. I would say it is possible but only in a small percentage of cases. Praying for the best.
St. IV Colon CA @ 37, male, Kras wild, MSI-high (2014)
11/2014 Right Hemicolectomy + Liver Resection
12/2014 - 6/2015 FOLFOX + Cetuximab
10/2015 - Recurrence liver
Liver resection 10/2015
FOLFIRI 11/2015 - 5/2016
Recurrence liver, nodes 11/2016
Pembrolizumab started 12/2016 -> pseudoprogression(?) -> biliary obstruction -> biliary stenting
Chemo 4x: most mets inactive and smaller on PET-CT
March 2017 - Back on Pembrolizumab again
Sept 2017 - SIRT - > NED
2019 NED

LMighty
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 6:16 am
Location: Hong Kong

Re: Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby LMighty » Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:37 pm

Hi everyone,

Thanks a lot for your replies and kind words. Happy to know some of us do achieve what seemed to be extremely rare. I really need those stories. I need hope to cling to. This is so tough.

Right now my mom is on some sort of a break before we start Xeliri in early April. She stayed in the hospital for a few days for thoracentesis and pleurodesis to relieve symptoms. PET scans done 2 months ago showed no visible tumors but I have really been worried about the possible progression during these few months off chemo. She is back home today, sleeping really well, and alive and kicking. We try to be positive, eat and sleep well, to prepare for another battle ahead.

I hope all the best for you.
Supporter to my mom (64 yr); KRAS wild type; MSS

2012: DX Stage I, rectal cancer; resection and colostomy
5/16: DX Stage III, mets found; right groin lymph node and soft tissue
5-6/16: Radiation + Xeloda
7/16: DX Stage IV, pleural effusion; cancer cells found in fluid
7-12/16: Xelox + Avastin X 6
1/17: Clean PET scan, NED
2/17: Pleural effusion; recurrence
4/17: Iri + Erb X 3
5/17: Ascites; Chemo failed
6/17: Keytruda X 1
7/17: TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab) + COTELLIC (cobimetinib)
9/17: At peace

User avatar
dianetavegia
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:47 pm
Facebook Username: Diane Weldy Tavegia
Location: Villa Rica, Georgia

Re: Chance for long-term NED for stage IV with chemo alone?

Postby dianetavegia » Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:07 pm

My sweet friend at church was dx's with rectal cancer and told with over 50 liver tumors, she wouldn't make it to summer. They haven't removed the rectal tumor and each chemo eventually has failed but she's on a new one right now and her CEA is coming down. With radioactive beads, they shrunk all but the two largest liver tumors. This is her 3rd summer and she's in church every Sunday, helps care for her 3 grandbabies and you'd never know she had anything wrong to look at her.

There's always hope! I sometimes say 'Cancer may kill me...... but NOT TODAY!'
Diane
Stage III cc surgery 1/7/09. 12 tx FOLFOX
Stage IV PET = 1.5cm liver met. HR 4/11/12

14 years since dx and 11 years post liver resection.
Pronounced CURED and discharged by onc

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.” Psalms 30:2


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