How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

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Punky44
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:29 pm

How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby Punky44 » Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:04 am

Curious of the typical timeframe.

We are told by our hospital 4-6 weeks is pretty typical. I’ve seen articles saying 6-8 weeks is typical in most trials. But then there are also studies suggesting it should be within 4 weeks.

Right now we don’t even have a oncology consult until 5 week post-op so she wouldn’t be able to start any chemo until 5.5-6 weeks. Should I be concerned?

I should note that she has had 8 rounds of her chemo upfront already so this would be the remaining 4 rounds.
Caregiver to my amazing mom (68 at dx)
10/1/18 DX with rectal cancer; CEA 17
T3N2M0
Total neoadjuvant therapy:
8 rounds Folfox 11/5/18 - 2/11/19
Short course radiation 3/14/19 - 3/20/19
Robotically assisted laparoscopic LAR 3/21/19
Pathology report says yT2N0M0 with 0/38 nodes
6/28/19 Reversal and port out
CEA 2.1; 1.9; 2.6; 2.8; 2.3; 2.4; 3.0; 3.4; 3.1; 3.4; 3.0; 3.1; 2.6
Latest update: 8/21/23 Clear CT with CEA 2.6!

Me: 34, first colonoscopy 11/16/18—normal! Come back in 5 years.

KimT
Posts: 695
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:53 pm

Re: How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby KimT » Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:48 pm

I didn’t do chemo for colon cancer but I did for ovarian . I started chemo 6 weeks after surgery. Chemo interferes with the healing process so you have to wait until you are fairly healed. 6-8 weeks seems standard.
2/10 dx colon cancer
right hemicolectomy 3/19/10
Stage 2a 0/43 nodes
Lynch syndrome
3/14/10 colon resection/ removal of metal clips
Nov 11 dx ovarian cancer

Gravelyguy
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 6:03 pm

Re: How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby Gravelyguy » Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:08 pm

I waited 6 weeks after surgery for my mop up chemo.

Dave
6/17 dx mRC t3n1m1 very low rectal tumor 2 liver Mets 1.3 cm and .9 cm

6/17 begin 4 rounds Folfox w/Vectibix
9/17 short course radiation
10/17 rectal and liver resection LAR with coloanal anastomosis (no rectum left)
11/17-3/18 8 rounds Folfox
6/18 still NED!! Takedown
8/28/18 still NED! CEA .8 new low for me
10/18/18 colonoscopy clear
12/12/18 CEA .9 still NED!
6/11/19 CEA 1.0
12/19/19 CEA 1.0 still NED!
6/17/20 CEA 1.1 still NED!
12/15/20 CEA 1.1still NED!
12/16/21 CEA 1.2 still NED!

boxhill
Posts: 789
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:40 am

Re: How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby boxhill » Tue Mar 19, 2019 2:00 pm

I had surgery on March 17/18--it was around midnight! :) --and started chemo on May 4th, so almost 7 weeks. I would have started earlier, probably by 5 weeks, but it took a long time to get a consult at Dana Farber, which we wanted to do before starting.
F, 64 at DX CRC Stage IV
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 LN,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 LNs in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/20 MRI stable/NED
6/20 Stop Key
All MRIs NED

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby Beckster » Tue Mar 19, 2019 5:52 pm

I started chemo approx 7 weeks after surgery. I go to MD Anderson in NJ and ask my onc if this was within the "golden window" and he assured me that it was.
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

caregiverinSD
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2018 10:55 pm

Re: How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby caregiverinSD » Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:23 pm

My husband started chemo about 4 weeks after surgery. He was initially diagnosed with Stage 4 rectal cancer and achieved NED status after the surgery. They didn't want to mess around with any remaining cancer cells in his body.

tminor5
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:46 am

Re: How long after surgery did you start mop up chemo?

Postby tminor5 » Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:55 pm

My husband had emergency surgery 5/27? (It’s in my signature) and started chemo 6/25.
DH DX at 46  pT4a,pN1a CEA 1.6
5/25/18 ER bowel obstruction
5/26/18 Colonoscopy couldn't insert stint
5/27/18 Surgery removed 18", not seen on any near by organs, colostomy due to infection
6/25/18 1st FOLFOX (12 cycles)
11/26/18 Last chemo
12/17/18 Colonoscopy clear
3/29/19 Colostomy takedown (temp illeo because of scaring)
5/23/19 Scan (sm node lung believe scar tissue)
6/20-7/25-8/9-8/20-9/5-9/26 Colon stretch for illeo takedown
10/3/19 Scan (node same)
10/25/19 Ileo takedown


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