Brearmstrong wrote:Timely post as I've been struggling with this same question the last few weeks. I've been NED for almost a year but have been on xeloda. My onc also says no to Avastin if no active disease and it caused a nasty pulmonary embolism when I was on it so I'm ok with his stance. However, xeloda has been increasingly very difficult for me. He has had to reduce dosage twice now and I've struggled to keep much needed weight on. My hand/foot syndrome has been extreme. I went from running marathons to having to use a cane. Dermatologist/oncologist gave me tons of different cremes but nothing has helped. I just had to take another 2 week break as my feet were so swollen and had lost so much skin that I was at real risk from infection. So frustrating as I don't even believe chemo works on my particular situation. It stopped my recurrence from growing but no shrinkage with folfiri and avastin. I wonder if I'm just feeling horrible most of the time for NO real benefit and won't change the final outcome of this disease.. then throw in there that onc's disagree on maintenance chemo and it's a real mind game as to what to do... Please keep us posted on your decision and how you make out.
I’ve been thinking along the same lines, if Keytruda fails me I may ask the Onc, if the cancer is going to take me away anyway, why suffer in the chemo. The again, I may chicken out and do it but be pissed off the whole time, and sick.