Hope for lifers: Shrinkage on xeloda and avastin

[ktwmn]

Hello guys,

I don't post very much even though I read almost daily. I am writing to give others who are inoperable some hope. When my recurrence was found in March 2015 there were lesions in the liver, pelvis and peritoneum in addition to the colon tumor found at colonoscopy. I went on Folfiri which managed to completely clear the liver and peritoneum. In 2016 folfiri lost its effectiveness and I revisited folfox, but then had an allergic reaction to oxi, and then my port migrated to the azygous vein and had to be removed. I still have 3 residual lesions in my pelvis which showed minimal progression on my scan last October. After a two month chemo break I went on maintenance chemo (xeloda) in October hoping to "tread water" until the right immunotherapy trial comes along. And last week I had an MRI: One small nodule between the right hepatic lobe and right kidney is unchanged in size. The largest pelvic mass slightly decreased in size from 1.9 x 3.1 cm compared with 2.3 x 3.7 cm on the previous study. Another has also decreased in size in the interval measuring 1.1 x 1.1 cm compared with 1.4 x 1.4 cm. A previously seen prominent right external iliac lymph node is no longer visualized.

Will it continue as a trend? That is the hope but no guarantee of course. Next scan can go the other direction. But for now, I will take it as a win. Thanks for listening.

[MDK]

Thanks for posting KT - more and more I am looking like a lifer - well for the moment.

I have been on Xeloda and Avastin for 7 months and it has shrunk the tumor in my liver and the nodes (tiny ones in my lungs - too small to tell really).

I feel very hopeless at times and it helps to know that there are others out there fighting this battle minute by minute for the long term. It is strange to say I may live two years, I may live 10 years - nobody knows, least of all me.

I don't post much either, but read almost daily.

Marianne

[sdino]

Hi Kt and MDK, just wondering is your tumors profile ? MSS or MSI, KRAS Mut or not. Thanks, and hoping for the best !

[ktwmn]

MDK:

Hang in there. It is great that you have had shrinkage with xeloda/avastin, as this is considered maintenance chemo. I've read your posts. I've been Stage 4 for 2 years and pretty much do everything normally although admittedly I have those moments of despair. Heck, who am I kidding? Sieges of despair! We are changed forever by this experience and those who haven't "seen the elephant" don't understand why we don't want discuss cancer with them and yet we feel there is noone to talk to. That's why this forum is so valuable.

sdino:

Like you I am MSS, KRAS-mut G12D. Just added to my sig. Note that when I finally had MSS/MSI tested it was on the tumor specimen from 2011 and there was a disclaimer that there may not have been enough of a sample.

Thx!