Codman vs Medtronic

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Mohrfamily
Posts: 267
Joined: Tue May 22, 2018 4:04 pm

Codman vs Medtronic

Postby Mohrfamily » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:57 pm

So surgery is in sight with a Codeman pump.

DH isn't seeing the glass half full so to speak. He is focused on the numbers which never sound appealing from the doctor even when they say overall survival is better with the pump he hears only 50% better rate of lasting another 5 years.

The plan is to hit the liver with everything we got. Continue systemic chemo with HAI chemo to get better faster results for a possible liver resection.

Tell me anything and everything that could ease his mind!
Last edited by Mohrfamily on Thu Sep 26, 2019 4:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
DH dx stage IV liver mets largest 6x6.4 cm
Colonoscopy/endoscopy/port place 5/29
4cm mass in splenic flexure
1st round FolFox 5/30
08/2018 new CT no new lesions, clear lungs, slight decrease in colon.
3/2019 PET scan shows greater than 6-7 liver mets largest measuring 3x3 cm. No growth nothing new.
8/15/19 largest liver lesion 1.9x2.1
9/16/2019 OSU to proceed with surgery implant HAI and colon resection
11/19 resection of colon HAI placed
2/20 CEA back to 1000s, liver worse than when we began-start FOLFIRI

radnyc
Posts: 446
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:32 pm

Re: Codeman vs Medtronic

Postby radnyc » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:55 pm

You're on the best path for long-term, curative treatment, in my view. I got the Codman infusion pump almost ten years ago, an I'm at present free of cancer and no longer in any treatment. The important thing is that the doctors and nurses have been properly trained to implement this life-saving treatment, where are you been treated? I went to MSKCC, where the pump protocol was first established. It's also good that your husband is getting the original Codman pump, which stopped being produced a couple of years ago. This device has been proven to work for many years, it's a great design, no batteries needed, powered by your own body. The Medtronic pump that replaced it, I'm sure it's just as effective, but I'd like to go with what is proven to work. Your husband should feel positive about his treatment and outcome. He needs to stay healthy, eat well, exercise as possible, not smoke and drink alcohol very moderately. Good luck with all!

Peace
Al
DX Jan 2010, at age 47
Feb - colon resection - 2/17 nodes positive
April - liver mets - Stage 4
3 months Folfox chemotherapy
August '10 liver resection and HAI pump
7 months chemo FUDR HAI and Folfiri systemic
NED since August 2010
Last treatment April 2011
HAI Pump removed Dec 2015

User avatar
ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Re: Codeman vs Medtronic

Postby ginabeewell » Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:25 pm

Only 50% better? That sounds pretty good to me! And I know the 5 year survival rates for pump users at MSK was in the 70s.

I know he’s been tentative about this whole thing and I’m curious why that is. Is he worried about risks or just not feeling optimistic about the course of treatment? Doesn’t want to get his hopes up?

It’s definitely weird to have a pump, but other than not being able to drink (which I wasn’t doing much during chemo anyway), it hasn’t impacted my life too much. Now that it’s in and I know how easy it has been, it seems like not a big deal for something that’s going to improve my odds. Compared to, say, Vectibix, which has now given me a rash inside my eyelids and which I would like to bitch out daily...and is only probably getting me a few points better chance of survival.
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

My favorite posts here:
https://weareallmadeofstars.net/favorite-posts

Mohrfamily
Posts: 267
Joined: Tue May 22, 2018 4:04 pm

Re: Codman vs Medtronic

Postby Mohrfamily » Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:01 am

Gina and rad

Thank you both for your input. What I am really doing with this thread is taking a picture of the replies and sending them to my hubby so he can read it and I'm not just telling him. I think that helps.

He thanked me for yours yesterday Rad!
DH dx stage IV liver mets largest 6x6.4 cm
Colonoscopy/endoscopy/port place 5/29
4cm mass in splenic flexure
1st round FolFox 5/30
08/2018 new CT no new lesions, clear lungs, slight decrease in colon.
3/2019 PET scan shows greater than 6-7 liver mets largest measuring 3x3 cm. No growth nothing new.
8/15/19 largest liver lesion 1.9x2.1
9/16/2019 OSU to proceed with surgery implant HAI and colon resection
11/19 resection of colon HAI placed
2/20 CEA back to 1000s, liver worse than when we began-start FOLFIRI

Rock_Robster
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 5:27 am
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Codeman vs Medtronic

Postby Rock_Robster » Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:27 am

radnyc wrote:The important thing is that the doctors and nurses have been properly trained to implement this life-saving treatment

I believe this is very true. The HAI pump itself is quite old technology, but the techniques and algorithms that Kemeny and co developed appear to be what makes all the difference in outcomes. It’s great that so many hospitals in the US have pump practitioners who came through the MSK program (eg Northwestern, City of Hope). It will be fascinating to see how the trials go that don’t have this connection (eg NIH, Erasmus).
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial

Mohrfamily
Posts: 267
Joined: Tue May 22, 2018 4:04 pm

Re: Codman vs Medtronic

Postby Mohrfamily » Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:38 am

I was pleasantly surprised that the surgeon doing our pump at OSU did Her fellowship at MSK and is very familiar with their practices as well as Dr. Kemeny.
DH dx stage IV liver mets largest 6x6.4 cm
Colonoscopy/endoscopy/port place 5/29
4cm mass in splenic flexure
1st round FolFox 5/30
08/2018 new CT no new lesions, clear lungs, slight decrease in colon.
3/2019 PET scan shows greater than 6-7 liver mets largest measuring 3x3 cm. No growth nothing new.
8/15/19 largest liver lesion 1.9x2.1
9/16/2019 OSU to proceed with surgery implant HAI and colon resection
11/19 resection of colon HAI placed
2/20 CEA back to 1000s, liver worse than when we began-start FOLFIRI

Rock_Robster
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 5:27 am
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Codman vs Medtronic

Postby Rock_Robster » Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:39 am

Mohrfamily wrote:I was pleasantly surprised that the surgeon doing our pump at OSU did Her fellowship at MSK and is very familiar with their practices as well as Dr. Kemeny.

Great news!
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial


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