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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Cancer / January 2006Effects of delaying chemo?
Hi, My father's chemo has been delayed another week. How will this impact his cancer? Will it give the cancer a chance to become resistant to the chemo? Will there be any negative effects from the delay? Should we be concerned for any other reason I have not listed? He is on two different chemos for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus with mets to liver. He has been responding better than hoped for to his treatments. Nina P.S. the chemo is being delayed for two reasons.. one he is fighting a virus and two the Dr wants to rule out a small bowel obstruction (partial) because he is still vomiting (I think from the virus). > My father's chemo has been delayed another week. How will this impact > his cancer? Will it give the cancer a chance to become resistant to the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > virus and two the Dr wants to rule out a small bowel obstruction > (partial) because he is still vomiting (I think from the virus). Hi Nina, As far as I know taking a break from chemo does not cause chemo resistance; probably the reverse, being on same chemo for quite a while. So I wouldn't worry, although the cancer can probably grow some, since there's little cancer cells speckled through his body, that can't be seen on scans. I am concerned about the vomiting. Your experts are going to say "who's is J suggesting something" Maybe it's a waste of time and resources, maybe it's not. Maybe I'm paranoid because we lost Lowkey to this, but he'd had vomiting for quite a while and was responding well to chemo, but suddenly ended up in hospital with an aneurysm and hemorrhage which killed him. So from then on, when I see vomiting (with no definite reason), I want the person's brain checked for that. Seems to me that virus or flus only last a few days, but I could be wrong or maybe they agree because they're wondering if there's a partial blockage. I do not know which test finds an aneurysm. Hugs J > I am concerned about the vomiting. Your experts are going to say "who's is > J suggesting something" [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Hugs > J Curt's vomiting came way before the vision problems and the tumor is the size of a walnut per the MRI I believe that you could see an aneurysm on MRI.  SignatureLori Devoted wife of Curtis Prostate Cancer mets to bone at age 40 > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > a virus and two the Dr wants to rule out a small bowel obstruction > (partial) because he is still vomiting (I think from the virus). I had my chemo treatments delayed a week every single cycle. 3 cycles were do to a to low of white blood count and one cycle was due to a virus (fever). I don't believe the delay caused any problems at all. From what I've heard it is actually normal for this to happen. My girlfiriend said her's were delayed each time also due to her white blood count being low and it taking a little longer to get back up there. Penny > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > virus and two the Dr wants to rule out a small bowel obstruction > (partial) because he is still vomiting (I think from the virus). It won't have any impact on survival time. It may impact quality of life, either positively or negatively > Hi, > > My father's chemo has been delayed another week. How will this impact > his cancer? Will it give the cancer a chance to become resistant to the > chemo? Will there be any negative effects from the delay? Should we be > concerned for any other reason I have not listed? Not with a delay of a week I was told. I postponed chemo a week once because I wanted an extra week to recover from the effects and that was no problem. I was told it was actually very rare that people on the same protocol finished the cylcle with no delay. Anne >Not with a delay of a week I was told. Not strictly a delay, but Ken has chemo one week a month and three weeks off. Has anyone ever heard of a schedule of that type? > >Not with a delay of a week I was told. > > Not strictly a delay, but Ken has chemo one week a month and three weeks > off. Has anyone ever heard of a schedule of that type? Yep, when Tony had his first two rounds of chemo, it was a 10 day course with a six week break between between. Hugs Alayne >> Not with a delay of a week I was told. > > Not strictly a delay, but Ken has chemo one week a month and three > weeks off. Has anyone ever heard of a schedule of that type? My cycle was wk 1, three days of chemo, 3 weeks off. I always had to wait an extra week before starting again. Penny Hi, I have a month delay between my last radiation and my full dose of chemo. I am getting mild doses once a week for 6 weeks, 1 week left with radiation and chemo this week...then the oncologist is making me wait 4 weeks since I am raw on the inside. I am worried about waiting a month,but trust her. Odie > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > virus and two the Dr wants to rule out a small bowel obstruction > (partial) because he is still vomiting (I think from the virus). > I have a month delay between my last radiation and my full dose of chemo. I > am getting mild doses once a week for 6 weeks, 1 week left with radiation > and chemo this week...then the oncologist is making me wait 4 weeks since I > am raw on the inside. I am worried about waiting a month,but trust her. Good idea, it's better to pull back until your esophagus recovers. J > My father's chemo has been delayed another week. How will this impact > his cancer? Will it give the cancer a chance to become resistant to the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > virus and two the Dr wants to rule out a small bowel obstruction > (partial) because he is still vomiting (I think from the virus). How's it going this week, Nina? J- thinking of you and your father J, Dad is having a head CT sometime this week to rule out (or hopefully not "in") brain mets. He is doing one of his chemos only, since he is still vomiting and having a hard time keeping and getting food in. (The one that gets the cancer when it is dividing, vs the other one that gets it as it is.) My nephew is still vomiting from his stomach bug so I really hope that is all Dad has. He has lost a lot of weight this last month. He is having a lot of pain when he eats. I am also hoping that is from the stomach muscles being sore from the vomiting. My mother is a mess right now. She has lost a lot of people in the last couple of years, both parents and two siblings. She is also fighting with one of her sisters at the moment. Dad's protein markers went up a bit from 140 to 240. It is still a great improvement from 8700. We are all trying to stay positive, it's hard. On a seperate note, I seem to be going into remission. At the very least my condition has been downgraded from severe to mild. It's a tightrope at the moment. Thanks for asking, Nina > Dad is having a head CT sometime this week to rule out (or hopefully > not "in") brain mets. He is doing one of his chemos only, since he is [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > least my condition has been downgraded from severe to mild. It's a > tightrope at the moment. Hello Nina, Gosh, I'm sorry that the vomiting is continuing. I can understand how difficult it is to know what is causing what. I don't get the news from out your way, so I don't know what's going 'round. That's almost 3 weeks (from your posts). Do make sure they're not eating in the same places and/or check the fridge temperature and foods in your fathers refrigerator. (just to make sure that it's not something happening from their foods or their food sources). I'm happy to hear that your condition has been improving. Take care of you. Your family needs you to stay healthy, while they get the rest sorted. Take care and hugs, J There is a gastro bug going around the lower mainland... My nephew has not been with Dad for a few weeks and Mom is nuts about making sure food is safe and healthy. I suppose that we'll know soon what it is. Nina > Dad is having a head CT sometime this week to rule out (or hopefully > not "in") brain mets. He is doing one of his chemos only, since he is [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > last month. He is having a lot of pain when he eats. I am also hoping > that is from the stomach muscles being sore from the vomiting. Hello Nina, I read your other reply. Are you saying he's still on one chemo? If so which, I can't find where you told us what he's on. I went back up the threads and you were telling someone about a feeding tube. He doesn't have one, does he? It's unusual what's happening because this BC website says 2 or 3 days for gastro flu http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile87.stm (my friend gets that several times/winter and she's also the 2-3 day type person and then back to normal) That webpage also mentions how it spreads. I'm posting separately about diligently looking for the cause. (and some of the causes) You mentioned, back in September that your Dad had brachytherapy to open the esophagus. They usually dilate but your father didn't require it, due to his primary being so small. (I'm making a list, in case something here catches Steph's eye). Seems to me if there's a bunch who are still vomiting and have other gastric distress, it's likely something going around, but if the others are all now fine, your cousin and your father have separate reasons for contining to be ill. Hugs J I don't recall what the names of the chemos he is on are. He is on only one for this round. The Dr's did a gastro scope today, we'll get the results soon I hope. It's hard because my parents don't want me to advocate too much for them because of my own illness. (I am a medical radiographer who does interventional and angiographic studies..... when I am not on disability). I simply must have faith that what can be done for Dad is being done. Thanks, Nina > I don't recall what the names of the chemos he is on are. He is on only > one for this round. The Dr's did a gastro scope today, we'll get the [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I simply must have faith that what can be done for Dad is being done. Well, here's my opinion. There's something very wrong with a doctor who continues chemo on a patient who's been vomiting for 3 weeks. J J, The chemo he is still on is considered "gentle" with minimal side effects. The one they are not doing is much, much harsher. It sounds like the cause of the vomiting may have been found! Dad got sick right after his feeding tube came out (at the same time sick children were around him as well...). The gastro thinks that he has a fungal infection as a result of the tube, which would apparently cause the vomiting and pain he is having. He started on meds two days ago and is starting to feel better. big sigh of relief with fingers crossed....... Nina > J, > The chemo he is still on is considered "gentle" with minimal side [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > big sigh of relief with fingers crossed....... Good to read they've found the problem, Nina. Fingers crossed here as well. Hugs J > The chemo he is still on is considered "gentle" with minimal side > effects. The one they are not doing is much, much harsher. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > big sigh of relief with fingers crossed....... how's it going, Nina? Haven't heard from you in ages. Hugs J J, Things are O.K. Dad had a CT today and will start full chemo again in a couple of weeks. Apparently he had a delayed reaction to the radiation with lots of ulcers at the bottom of his esophagus. This is why he was vomitting and feeling so unwell. The Dr's are impressed that he is still able to eat and did not need a feeding tube given how ulcerated things are. They also said that given how well he responded to the chemo that this delay should not be a big deal. I just pray that the CT does not show that the cancer has gone "wild" while he was not doing chemo for a few months. He really needs good news at this point. He has maintained his weight, which we are happy about! I still hold hope that he will be around for a few years instead of months. So far that is not unreasonable to ask for, let's hope it stays that way. Thanks for asking! Nina > Dad had a CT today and will start full chemo again in a couple of > weeks. Apparently he had a delayed reaction to the radiation with lots [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > months. So far that is not unreasonable to ask for, let's hope it stays > that way. Hello Nina, I'm sorry to hear about the ulcerations. Good news that your Dad can restart the chemo. We'll be here, hoping along with you. Thank you for the update. Hugs J |
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