New here - rectal cancer, very nervous about radiation (update: tell me about xeloda!)

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HappyNao
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:30 am

Re: New here - rectal cancer, very nervous about radiation (update: tell me about xeloda!)

Postby HappyNao » Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:19 pm

So they're recommending 6 months of xeloda. I'm told it confers about a 2% reduction in recurrence rate in people with cancer like mine.

The only side effect that really makes me nervous is the hand foot thing, one thing I read said to avoid tub baths (I was really hoping be able to use my hot tub again!!) and activities like jogging and long walks, both of which I usually do several times a week.

Other downside is I'll have to wait to have the ileostomy reversed, which of course I can live with, but I was secretly hoping to be done with it sooner rather than later.

Any thoughts from folks who've done it are greatly appreciated!
38 year old stay at home mom to 8 and 3 year old

Stage 2a rectal cancer diagnosed April 2019
Short course radiation May 20-24
Surgery June 6 - LAR with temp ileo
Starting xeloda July 11 for 6 months

Pathology - clear margins, t3n0m0, grade 2

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

Re: New here - rectal cancer, very nervous about radiation (update: tell me about xeloda!)

Postby NHMike » Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:55 pm

I ran very little on adjuvant chemo but it was more about worrying about the ileostomy bag than anything else. I did walk 100 miles per week in my last month of chemo. I was also on oxaliplatin.

My hand foot thing is very mild. I seldom notice it but I think that it varies widely from person to person. I was 3B so adjuvant chemo was not really a choice. Stage 2 is the gray area of treatment.
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

Caat55
Posts: 694
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: New here - rectal cancer, very nervous about radiation (update: tell me about xeloda!)

Postby Caat55 » Fri Jun 21, 2019 3:00 pm

I noticed that Hand, foot stuff for sure but it resolved after I ended chemo. I walked, did yoga figuring what is good the the mind and body is what I needed. Drink a lot of water. Use good quality lotion. I even used a canna us salve which is rich in emollients, arnica and felt amazing.
You got this. Every little increase in a cure is worth it.
S
Do at 55 y.o. Female
Dx 9/26/17 RC Stage 3
Completed 33 rad. tx, xeolda 12/8/17
MRI and PET 1/18 sign. regression
Surgery 1/31/18 Ileostomy, clean margins, no lymph node involved
Port 3/1/2018
Oxaliplatin and Xeloda start 3/22/18
Last Oxaliplatin 7/5/18, 5 rounds
CT NED 9/2018
PET NED 12/18
Clear Colonoscopy 2/19, 5/20

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

Re: New here - rectal cancer, very nervous about radiation (update: tell me about xeloda!)

Postby Beckster » Fri Jun 21, 2019 3:13 pm

HappyNao wrote:So they're recommending 6 months of xeloda. I'm told it confers about a 2% reduction in recurrence rate in people with cancer like mine.

The only side effect that really makes me nervous is the hand foot thing, one thing I read said to avoid tub baths (I was really hoping be able to use my hot tub again!!) and activities like jogging and long walks, both of which I usually do several times a week.

Other downside is I'll have to wait to have the ileostomy reversed, which of course I can live with, but I was secretly hoping to be done with it sooner rather than later.

Any thoughts from folks who've done it are greatly appreciated!


I did 6 months od Xeloda for Stage IIA colon cancer. It is doable...I took baths every night. i did have hand/foot that developed after the 3rd cycle, but when my onc lowered the regiment, it subsided. Your hands and feet will darken, but it will go away when you are done. Drink plenty of water and avoid too much sun. Other than that, I found that eating numerous times a day avoided nausea. Also, take little naps. I fundtioned normally and no one knew that I was on chemo...

Beckster
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


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