Posted 7/18/2012 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
Shortly after my RP my friend Ray had his. While they were in there they removed a large part of his colon and also found some cancer in his lymph nodes which would later be treated successfully with chemo. A cat-scan after that found some cancer in his lungs and he sent me this email because I was curious about the treatment:
So Deana and I met with the oncologist today and they had done a genetic test on my cancer cells and it is a mutation that makes it an aggressive cancer. There is a chance it can come back to my abdomen as well but so far it has not. It is just in the lungs at this point. So the chemo I am about to start on July 9th is a bit stronger and consists of Irinotecan, 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) and leucovorin. This will keep the tumors from growing in my lungs but won’t get rid of them. This combo works on 1/3 of the cases but does not eliminate the cancer, so there is a Phase 2 research clinical trial that the oncologist is recommending to me and we signed up for it today and they took blood tests and will take an EKG and present my file (not give them my name but initials, date of birth and a code) to the trial Sponsors to approve or disapprove my participation. Nobody is seeing any reason why I wouldn’t be able to participate. There are only 255 participants throughout the US and other countries that will be on this trial. When it goes to Phase 3 there will be a much larger population, but I won’t be able to do Phase 3 since I am doing Phase 2. And since it is early in this trial I have a better chance of getting the new drug. This new drug being tested changes the tissue around the cancer cells so it hopefully destroys the cancer cell by cutting off the support it needs to grow. This is a double blind study so if they accept me in the study there is a 2 out of 3 chance I will get the drug and a 1 out of 3 chance I will get a placebo. The drug has worked well in their study with rats so we are hoping I will get the drug and it will zap those little suckers!!!
So I will start chemo on July 9th no matter what, and if I am accepted in the trial, then they will start giving me the test chemo as well. The side effects are about the same as I had before except may be a little worse. The chemo will be every other Monday and I will go home with a pump with the 5FU like I did before. There will be a CT scan every 8 weeks. I had the one on 6/14 so the next one will be 8 weeks from that date.
So far that is where it stands. Need lots of praying from everyone. Please feel free to pass along to the group.
Ray
Everybody's experience with this culprit cancer that tries to steal life from us is different. There are so may variables to this cancer thing that treatment is often unique and complex. Like my uro says to me "You are one of the lucky ones".......I have learned a LOT from this forum. It has been helpful in making decisions and living with cancer.
Help Ray beat up on this bad boy with your prayers.