HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

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Trying
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 10:11 pm

HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Trying » Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:24 pm

Please help. My dr just called and my liver tumor grew 2 mm. And my lymph nodes grew 2mm. Surgery bot option ad lymph nodes too distant
I'm currently on xeldo and avistan. Hes going to try me back on oxiplatin which I've been on a year ago for 12 rounds. Tried again 5 months ago and put me in hospital with such bad fever and nausea threw up 12vtimes on way home. Omg I can't handle this I'm shaking I'm scared. Please give me example of a small growth I had that shrunk with a med change please please. My poor baby keeps asking me up stop crying and I'm pretending I'm sad about a friend
38 yr old single mom of almost 2 year old at the time
April 2018 colon cancer stage IV 10 liver mets and peri met. Folfox and 12 rounds oxyplatin
Fec 2018 Down to 2 mets in liver. 8 dissapeared
July 2019 switched to xeloda pills as I prefer to 3 day infusion. Also on avistan
Oct 2019 emergency colostomy due to perforated bowel. ( unreal pain)
Feb 2020 show 2mm tumor increase.
Plan to go back on oxy
Oxy failed- irinotecan as of of Sept 2020

AmyG
Posts: 371
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby AmyG » Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:30 pm

Shit. This was supposed to be an all clear update!

I know you have to be freaking the hell out right now. I have absolutley no experience with what you're having to deal with, and I have no idea if that qualities as a significant growth or something that's still under control that can be shrunk with meds.

What I do know is that if you need someone older than three to talk to about anything, I am more than happy to listen.
42 dx @ 9wks pregnant w/baby #8 8/18
Sigmoid colon resection 9/18
Adenocarcinoma, G2, T3N0M0..or so we thought
KRAS/BRAF wild
Liver biopsy is malignant, stage iv now boys!
Delivered healthy baby 3/19
FOLFOX + Avastin 5/19
CEA 167 to 24 after 4 rounds
Liver resection 8/28/19
NED!! CEA 2.3
CEA 5.8 idk wtf is up with that, but everything else is clear!
CEA 3.7 make up your damn mind...
CEA 1.5 that's a new low!

Siti
Posts: 269
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:58 am

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Siti » Thu Feb 06, 2020 9:16 pm

Sorry to hear this! I think there’s a possibility of trying a different chemo cocktail and it would work again. Your doctor would be monitoring you closely to know if the new chemo works. Try to take this in baby steps because it’s all to overwhelming.
DH (54) DX on 5/7/19
Sigmoid|G3|LN:30/31|MSS|WT KRAS, NRAS, BRAF
7/19 PET distant LN para-aorta neck hip (0.5-1.5cm)
7/19 Lap resection
26/8 to 20/12/19 CAPEOX+Bev 7x
6/11/19 CT 3 cycle LN shrunk
1/20 Cap+Bev
4/20 TS-1+Bev due to bad HFS
NED 4 years
8/23 PET recurrence chest LN growing since Feb. CEA May(4.5>5.1>5.9)
9/23 Stopped Bev, CEA Sept(8.7) Radio 17x
11/23 PET 1+ supraclavicular LN, CEA (3.4>2.5)
12/23 Lymphadenectomy
1/24 Narrow margins, 1/5 +LN, 1.4cm +tissue, TMB (19)

claudine
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:41 pm
Location: Montana

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby claudine » Thu Feb 06, 2020 11:00 pm

Trying, I know from your signature you’re a single mom, but do you have anyone (relative, friend) you could call to have come and be with you right now? You shouldn’t be alone with your child to handle something like this, if that’s at all possible!
Also, I don’t know but 2mm growth doesn’t sound a lot to me, I know it’s worse than shrinkage or stability but it doesn’t seem that things are completely out of control. Have you ever been on Folfiri? My husband is not responsive to Oxi (had a huge tumor develop while on it) but Folfiri worked really well for him, so if you haven’t had it yet it’s worth mentioning to your doc!
Wife of Dx 04/18 (51 yo). MSS, KRAS G12A, no primary

Tumors: L4 04/18; left adrenal gland & small lung nodules 03/19
rectum 02/22 (pT3 pN0 stage 2A); L3 09/22

Surgeries: intestinal resect. 05/18 (no cancer - Crohn's); adrenalectomy 02/20
L3-L4-L5 fusion and corpectomy 05/20; LAR 04/22; ileo reversal 09/22
L2-L3 fusion and corpectomy 09/22

Treatments: EBRT 04/18; SBRT 02/19; Failed adjuvant Xelox ; Folfiri/Avastin 03/19 - 01/20
adjuvant chemorad (Xeloda) 06/22; SBRT 11/22; Xeloda/Avastin since 01/24

Trying
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 10:11 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Trying » Thu Feb 06, 2020 11:40 pm

My mom is living with me right now thank goodness and I sent my boy to my dad's. I have done folfox. I previously had a great response to oxy so praying it works again

Nicole
38 yr old single mom of almost 2 year old at the time
April 2018 colon cancer stage IV 10 liver mets and peri met. Folfox and 12 rounds oxyplatin
Fec 2018 Down to 2 mets in liver. 8 dissapeared
July 2019 switched to xeloda pills as I prefer to 3 day infusion. Also on avistan
Oct 2019 emergency colostomy due to perforated bowel. ( unreal pain)
Feb 2020 show 2mm tumor increase.
Plan to go back on oxy
Oxy failed- irinotecan as of of Sept 2020

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

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Rock_Robster » Fri Feb 07, 2020 1:56 am

Hi Trying,

Sorry to hear the scan news - while 2mm is not a lot, obviously not what you were hoping for! May I ask how big the tumour was previously?

It sounds like if you had a good response to FOLFOX last time and didn’t have progression (or haven’t had it for a while), then there’s every chance you could again. Also as others have mentioned, some people also do very well on FOLFIRI. Many more things to consider still.

Deep breath, regroup, and back in we go (with literally hundreds of us with you). You got this.

Rob
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

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

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Punky44 » Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:23 am

I cursed out loud when I read the title of your thread—I am sorry you didn’t get the news you wanted today. I really hope the new cocktail is the answer and I also hope your mom was able to help provide some comfort tonight. You are one strong mama! You’ve got this.
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.

stu
Posts: 1613
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby stu » Fri Feb 07, 2020 3:04 am

Hi Trying ,

I see this as window of opportunity for you to step back and consider your whole treatment , that is after going to your kitchen cupboard and taking out a grain of rice . That is roughly 2 mm in diameter. Now I am no expert and I don’t know how it’s measured in volume but I do know 2 mm is a tiny amount of growth and I am also not sure where the margin or error is in collecting images , or the quality of the image . These are all valid things to ask your oncologist about . But it is tiny !

My mum had oxaliplatin for a second time . It’s a Brute but it did a marvellous job the next year and she only had six cycles to achieve this .

However I really do think it’s time to pop over to some of these big cancer hospitals in America just to see what ways they would treat you . Just for an opinion. Some may even do it from your scans . It would give you more of a starting point to open up a discussion with your oncologist. Why do they think you are inoperable? Is it a location thing ? My mum had 73% of her liver removed.

This is a blip , I would be much more alarmed if you were up in double figures . But it might just be a good time to re-evaluate your plan . See what your options are .Arm yourself with knowledge.

I do also think you can draw breath a bit , it’s requiring an evaluation but they are on it quickly

Take care ,

Stu
supporter to my mum who lives a great life despite a difficult diagnosis
stage4 2009 significant spread to liver
2010 colon /liver resection
chemo following recurrence
73% of liver removed
enjoying life treatment free
2016 lung resection
Oct 2017 nice clear scan . Two lung nodules disappeared
Oct 2018. Another clear scan .

Trying
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 10:11 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Trying » Fri Feb 07, 2020 9:58 am

Thank you everyone for your response. Im happy you are all in my team The tumor that grew was 6 cm and is now 2 I think. I'm in Canada at a major cancer center where all medical is covered. Might come to going somewhere else for other options.

Nicole
38 yr old single mom of almost 2 year old at the time
April 2018 colon cancer stage IV 10 liver mets and peri met. Folfox and 12 rounds oxyplatin
Fec 2018 Down to 2 mets in liver. 8 dissapeared
July 2019 switched to xeloda pills as I prefer to 3 day infusion. Also on avistan
Oct 2019 emergency colostomy due to perforated bowel. ( unreal pain)
Feb 2020 show 2mm tumor increase.
Plan to go back on oxy
Oxy failed- irinotecan as of of Sept 2020

stu
Posts: 1613
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby stu » Fri Feb 07, 2020 10:28 am

Glad you are feeling calmer . Am I reading this right ? It’s now down to 2cm ? Do you know the location of your lymph nodes ?
That’s great shrinkage overall and oxaliplatin is also effective for you .
Have they mentioned radio frequency ablation?
I really don’t see what you would have to lose by letting another set of eyes review . We always did this . Even if it’s to confirm you are doing the correct approach for you .

You have definitely got room to breath here and reevaluate. You current option works for you so that’s a positive going forward .
Take care ,
Stu
supporter to my mum who lives a great life despite a difficult diagnosis
stage4 2009 significant spread to liver
2010 colon /liver resection
chemo following recurrence
73% of liver removed
enjoying life treatment free
2016 lung resection
Oct 2017 nice clear scan . Two lung nodules disappeared
Oct 2018. Another clear scan .

Trying
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 10:11 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Trying » Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:05 am

Yes you read right. It was 6 cm to start. Oxy the first time also completely knocked out 8 tumors I think the distant lymph nodes are around my peritoneal met and liver as far as I know. The last time I talked about radio frequency they didn't want to do it because I also have peri mets maybe another dr would tell me differently

Nicole
38 yr old single mom of almost 2 year old at the time
April 2018 colon cancer stage IV 10 liver mets and peri met. Folfox and 12 rounds oxyplatin
Fec 2018 Down to 2 mets in liver. 8 dissapeared
July 2019 switched to xeloda pills as I prefer to 3 day infusion. Also on avistan
Oct 2019 emergency colostomy due to perforated bowel. ( unreal pain)
Feb 2020 show 2mm tumor increase.
Plan to go back on oxy
Oxy failed- irinotecan as of of Sept 2020

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

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby radnyc » Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:27 am

I feel your pain, be strong. Are you been seen at a well regarded cancer hospital? If not try to find one. There are various treatments and therapies that your local clinic or oncologist does not have access to. Don’t give up hope.

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

Detox
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 5:27 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Detox » Fri Feb 07, 2020 12:41 pm

I agree with the others in that I don't think your doctors are being aggressive enough. They should be able to remove your liver tumor as it's just one lesion and it sounds small enough. They should also be able to remove lymph nodes during the liver surgery. I've heard many instances of this.

Definitely try to go to another hospital, maybe somewhere else in Canada or in the USA if you can.

Trying
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 10:11 pm

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby Trying » Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:47 pm

I'm at a major cancer in Canada. He has sent me to surgeons and it had previously been a no. He had said before that if shrank on this scan we would send me to surgeon again. Now that it grew he said a surgeon wouldn't see me?? Hes in charge of the head cancer hospital and is highly regarded. Hes my second oncologist as he had such high recommendations but im starting wonder ....or push to see a surgeon again.
38 yr old single mom of almost 2 year old at the time
April 2018 colon cancer stage IV 10 liver mets and peri met. Folfox and 12 rounds oxyplatin
Fec 2018 Down to 2 mets in liver. 8 dissapeared
July 2019 switched to xeloda pills as I prefer to 3 day infusion. Also on avistan
Oct 2019 emergency colostomy due to perforated bowel. ( unreal pain)
Feb 2020 show 2mm tumor increase.
Plan to go back on oxy
Oxy failed- irinotecan as of of Sept 2020

User avatar
JJH
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:26 am

Re: HELP its grown. Please I'm sick I can't breath

Postby JJH » Sat Feb 08, 2020 12:07 am

Trying wrote:... He had said before that if shrank on this scan we would send me to surgeon again. Now that it grew he said a surgeon wouldn't see me??

If a surgeon won't see you, does that mean that your mets are currently considered inoperable? If so, do you know exactly why?

In your case, what are all of the things that they are looking at to determine "resectability"? Do you have a complete list of all the criteria at your particular cancer center? The criteria may be different at a different cancer center.

Reasons a Tumor May Be Unresectable
https://www.verywellhealth.com/unresectable-tumors-reasons-treatment-2249210

If they currently consider your mets to be unresectable and they plan to put you on another chemo regimen, do you know which of the BC Canada protocols they will be using, and have you read their Patient Handout on that particular protocol? There are several available protocols on their list:

http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/health-professionals/clinical-resources/chemotherapy-protocols/gastrointestinal


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