The end of chemo

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Capri
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:59 pm

The end of chemo

Postby Capri » Wed Aug 01, 2018 3:20 pm

On July 30 my son got his 12th and final FOLFOX chemo, and today got un-tethered from the chemo pump. Hooray! Major hurdle done. Thank God. Now begins the slow road getting back to his healthy self, and surveillance. The oncologist told him at least 2 months before he begins to feel like himself again.

Tell me...when is the typical time for port removal following chemo? I have mixed feelings about taking it out too soon, if God forbid, down the road more chemo is needed. I hope it's not ever needed. I'm still praying for no recurrence.
Mom to son 46 yo at Dx (2017)
1/18 Robotic resection, sigmoid adenocarcinoma, Stg. IIIA T3 N1 MX, mod. differentiated, margins clear
2/18 - 7/30/18 Port placed; completed 12 cycles of FOLFOX
6/18 Put on Early surveillance CT,PET scan-normal. Neuropathy has started.
11/18 Clean colonoscopy; 11/20 CT normal.
2019 to 7/22 colonoscopies, CTs neck to groin have been normal.

lovelife789
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:28 am

Re: The end of chemo

Postby lovelife789 » Thu Aug 02, 2018 10:09 am

Congrats to your son!!!
My Dr told me usually at least 1 year after treatment completion he will consider removing the port. But if I really want it out asap he could do it too.
I'm 7mth after treatment completion and I went from hating the port to feeling ok with it. Now the Dr just found out I have an undefined nodule in my lung. I'm happy I still have my port to do all the blood work and IV during my surgery.
F/38 - Dx 8 Mar 17, CEA 189.5
Stage IV Sig. Colon, Liver mets, T3N0M1a, KRAS NRAS Wild
3/17- 6/17 - 6 x FOLFOX + Erbitux
7/17 - 1st & 2nd Liver resec
9-12/17' - 13 x FOLFOX
1-6/18 - NED
6/18 - PET SCAN showed a 0.8mm lung nodule, VATs
8/18 - 4/19 - NED
5/19 - recurrence 1 x PALN, 1x common iliac
FOLFIRI + Avastin x 12 - complete response, SBRT
12/19-5/20 - NED
5/20 - recurrence in LNs, tiny liver spots x 2, W n W due to COVID
8/20 - LNs very slightly increased, liver stable, one new liver spot

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: The end of chemo

Postby NHMike » Thu Aug 02, 2018 11:39 am

I finished Adjuvant Chemo around June 7 and had the port removed July 30 but there was a CT scan at the end of June. It's not necessarily an easy question to answer. In my case, the CT scan was done because my CEA rose to above normal levels but my oncologist has seen this in many patients on Xeloda.

It looks like I will have another CEA test next week. Talk about anxiety.
Last edited by NHMike on Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Hey Daddy
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2016 8:42 am

Re: The end of chemo

Postby Hey Daddy » Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:25 pm

My son had his port removed 6 months after chemo. It was a big deal psychologically as it sent a message of confidence from his doctor. For my son, the procedure to get the port was not that difficult but the benefits of getting rid of it were significant, so it was worth the risk that he might have to get another one someday (heaven forbid).
DS dx CC Stage IIB (T4N0M0) 3Aug16, 21 yr old
poorly differentiated, lymphovascular and perineural invasion
CEA 29
Colon resection 4Aug16
CEA 2.5
Genetics testing negative
6 mo FOLFOX Sep16 - Mar17
CT Scan Mar17 clear
Colonoscopy Apr17 clear
CEA 1.8
NED
Emergency appendectomy Jun17
Adhesion surgery to clear small bowel obstruction Dec 17

benben
Posts: 324
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:18 pm
Location: Washington State

Re: The end of chemo

Postby benben » Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:45 pm

I am 9 months post Chemo. I still have a port. I got an all clear CT-SCAN, just inflammation in esophagus and colon - but no mets.
My oncologist finally approved port removal, but then my CEA level came back that night at 4.6. Now my ONC says "lets wait on port removal".
So now I'm stuck with it for at least another 3 months. I'll have CEA draws on Aug 30th and another early September. If they are down I can proceed with removal.
Personally I'm fine with the port physically. It's the mental implications that do a number on me. Mostly in regards to dating. Unfortunately I'm single and traversing this rough cancer road.
I started dating in March after things drastically improved for me. Energy levels, hair, bowel movements etc.. I finally had the confidence to meet people. The entire discussion of diagnosis and revelation of the port physically gave me PTSD. I pushed through it and had an extremely pleasant 2 month relationship, but then she decided to go her own way. So I dread the entire scenario of revelation of diagnosis and the physical port is just a physical and very evident reminder of it, not only to the inflicted but also to the significant other.

My centers policy is usually 6-9 months post treatment provided CT and markers are good.

Congrats to your son on chemo completion - it's a big milestone!
celebrate!
----------------------
3/29/17 diagnosed CRC - 44 y/o Male
4/17/17 ULAR - Straight anastomosis - no ostomy.
Path: low grade T3n1m0 - moderate diff.
KRAS - NO, MLH1/PMS2/MSH6/MSH2 - Normal.
5/3 med port install
5/22 folfox - first treatment.
3rd treat, delayed - low ANC - reduced to 90% OXI
zarxio all treats
Treat 7 - 75% OXI
Treats 8-12 - NO OXI, Luke & 5FU
10/20/17 CT- NED
3/18 Scope - Clean
11/8 PORT OUT!
7/22 CT - NED (5 years!)

Tdubz
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 11:01 am

Re: The end of chemo

Postby Tdubz » Thu Aug 02, 2018 9:19 pm

I finished chemo at the end of September and had my port out in December. For me, having to take off work to go get my port flushed was more hassle than I wanted to deal with. Also, I had already met my out of pocket max on insurance so as long as I had it removed before the new year started, it would basically be free.


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