How much chemo can the body take?

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kandj
Posts: 314
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 11:29 am

How much chemo can the body take?

Postby kandj » Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:25 am

DH has been battling stage 4 CC for 6 years (in August) and has been on chemo for almost 5 years of the 6. I counted it out the other day and his last round (he does Irinotecan, a 5fu bolus and xeloda right now every 2 weeks) put him at 108 rounds. This has been FOLFOX (17 rounds of this), Folfiri, just Xeloda, and then combinations and variations of the 3. Oh, and 15 or so rounds of pump chemo. Through it all he’s never had chemo cancelled for low platlets or WBC. Only been cancelled for sepsis and pneumonia (had recurrent pneumonia because of a met blocking a brachial branch. Been good since they cut that out).

How much can the body take? I’m amazed daily at my husbands strength and perseverance .
wife to DH, dx 8/15 stage IV @36, 12+ liver Mets
HAI placed 12/15
Liver resect 5/19/2016 15-20 mets (surgeon lost count)
Liver Recurrence 7/2017-radiation
Lung met 10/18 VATS
lung/adrenal gland recurrence 11/19
Adrenal ablation 2/20 VATS 3/20
Radiation: 9/20 adrenal gland, 2/21 pancreatic node
9/2021 liver, 4/22 esophageal node
7/2023 proton therapy: liver
140+ rounds of chemo and counting
Chest nodes, lung nodules, and esophageal nodes currently.

Nor Cal
Posts: 89
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:18 pm

Re: How much chemo can the body take?

Postby Nor Cal » Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:38 pm

What a beast! 17 rounds of FOLFOX? No cancellations due to platelets? I'm impressed. Sounds like his body can take way more than most. Chemo sucks, but it's way better than the alternative.

I don't have insight into how long he can go, but my oncologist says we do it as long as it works.
Dx June 2020, stage IV, w liver mets in both lobes. M, age 50. Right-sided colon tumor. CEA 120.
BRAF+ TMB 5% MSS TDL1-1%
July 2020 - Present: 55 cycles chemo (All the various 5-FU regimens)
December 2020 - February 2021 Y90 Radioembolization, Chemoembolization x2

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: How much chemo can the body take?

Postby Rikimaroo » Sat Jul 31, 2021 11:00 am

Can he switch to just AVastin/5FU as maintenance chemo vs the hard core FOLFIRI (Irinotecan). I just switched from that and it seems to be keeping things stable. My oncologist also says as long as it works, we keep doing it to keep cancer at bay.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.


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