Postby VeggieLvr » Thu May 31, 2018 11:59 am
Hi Trying, I'm still at the beginning of my cancer journey, so I don't have much experience behind me yet, but wanted to share my little story with you. I had an excellent surgeon for my colon resection, but I remember at my first checkup with him post-surgery (before I started chemo) I asked him "How much chemo do you think I will need?" His response was "Well, most Stage IV patients are on chemo for life - it doesn't mean it's a death sentence but it's more like how patients with diabetes have to manage that for life." Not what I wanted to hear - then I saw him for another follow up a few weeks ago (after my third chemo treatment) and I was complaining about my port, he said "Well one day they will take it out and this whole cancer experience will be behind you - you just have to get through it for now." Totally different than what he said originally! The truth is surgeons really don't know - they may have some experience but nothing near what your oncologist does, not even close.
F, 42, Stage IV CC
2/23/18 - colonoscopy/virtual colonoscopy, diagnosed CC
3/6/18 - left hemicolectomy, 12" removed, clear margins. Multiple mets to lymph nodes (removed), omentum & liver, 1 possible lung met
4/6/18 - port install
4/9/18 - Folfox (Oxaliplatin/Leucovorin/5FU) 4 rounds
6/19/18 - liver resection, HAI pump install
8/30/18 - Folfiri (Irinotecan/Leucovorin/5FU)
12/5/18 - Erbitux added
5/28/19 - 2nd liver resection/ablation