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Back when my hub fought stage 4 tonsil cancer in 2009, they were starting clinical trials for targeted drugs but none for his type. Back then, all they were doing was testing the tumor to see what type of squamous cell it was and if there was HPV in it, there was. I knew that the chemo they used was known to work on HPV positive squamous cell.
Some cancers have come pretty far since then with the targeted drugs. Hopefully in the next few years the poison chemo that was used on my hub will be a thing of the past.
We can hope, but then we run into patients who want something. I suspect the cytotoxics will always be used on those patients searching for hope, searching for a cure, to the very end. And oncologists will comply. I've had two relatives in this group in the past few years, the only two who died of cancer. Chemo 'til the very end.
We can hope, but then we run into patients who want something. I suspect the cytotoxics will always be used on those patients searching for hope, searching for a cure, to the very end. And oncologists will comply. I've had two relatives in this group in the past few years, the only two who died of cancer. Chemo 'til the very end.
My father-in-law, too (pancreatic cancer). He had chemo a few days before he died, at a time when I could see that he really wasn't strong enough to tolerate it any more.
Of course the kind of cancer which is treated with chemo up to the very end is the kind people are going to die of anyway. Some people are able to face the prospect of death from cancer in such a way that they decline any further treatment. Others refuse to "give up"; taking the chemo gives them a glimmer of hope that they need, even though it makes them physically feel crummy. Neither way is wrong, in my opinion.
I had chemo twice for two difference cancers and haven't died yet. Two of my friends who have had similar cancers since then only needed surgery and radiation. One did need chemo; it depends on the exact type of cancer and doctors are getting better at distinguishing them and not just using chemo as a blunt instrument for everyone.
I agree that a time will probably come when people look back at chemo as something barbaric that isn't done any more, but we aren't there yet.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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My thoughts on chemo were shaped by my year+ of treatment, changing a couple of times. Chemo is the epitome of the expression "adding insult to injury." Yes, chemo saved my life, but any treatment with less side effects would be a welcomed improvement. My first treatment involved just some nausea, loss of taste, fatigue, and water tasting like metal, but it was not effective so the Oncologist changed it. The second was more effective with similar side effects but was compromising my kidneys which were already weakened from the location of a tumor in my bladder. The final treatment was effective, better for my kidneys, but in addition to the fatigue and lack of taste, I lost all of my hair, had worse nausea, and was very susceptible to infection with the lack of white blood cells. I ended up in the hospital 4 times, for 5-8 days and twice had blood transfusions.
My thoughts on chemo were shaped by my year+ of treatment, changing a couple of times. Chemo is the epitome of the expression "adding insult to injury." Yes, chemo saved my life, but any treatment with less side effects would be a welcomed improvement. My first treatment involved just some nausea, loss of taste, fatigue, and water tasting like metal, but it was not effective so the Oncologist changed it. The second was more effective with similar side effects but was compromising my kidneys which were already weakened from the location of a tumor in my bladder. The final treatment was effective, better for my kidneys, but in addition to the fatigue and lack of taste, I lost all of my hair, had worse nausea, and was very susceptible to infection with the lack of white blood cells. I ended up in the hospital 4 times, for 5-8 days and twice had blood transfusions.
Agree, chemo is insult to injury. I think that's why people fear being diagnosed, because of the effects of chemo. My hub has said he won't do chemo again, I wouldn't blame him. He also had bad nausea, they gave him a pill called Amend that the insurance didn't want to pay for because it's expensive but eventually did. It was the only nausea pill that did somewhat help.
A friend had brain cancer twice, said she was not fighting it a 3rd time. She was telling me about the headaches starting again. I begged her to go get testing done, she refused. I told her that her son was still young (senior in high school), still needed her around, but she wouldn't budge.
She messaged me one day to say that she did see the doctor, it was not only brain cancer again, like she and I knew, it was a totally different monster then the other she had fought. It was the worst type of brain cancer to have and it was aggressive.
She not only chose to fight, her son went to every appointment with her, standing by her side. Unfortunately, some appointments were not as soon as they needed to be, because she had to do things so he wouldn't miss so much school which only added to the cancer taking over. I never mentioned it to her because it meant a lot for her son to be there, plus they didn't hold out hope that treatment would work. She passed away about 7 months later.
Chemo is barbaric. The side effects are beyond horrible. I can't believe medicine ha not advanced farther than it has. We should have had smart drugs years ago.
Agree, chemo is insult to injury. I think that's why people fear being diagnosed, because of the effects of chemo. My hub has said he won't do chemo again, I wouldn't blame him. He also had bad nausea, they gave him a pill called Amend that the insurance didn't want to pay for because it's expensive but eventually did. It was the only nausea pill that did somewhat help.
A friend had brain cancer twice, said she was not fighting it a 3rd time. She was telling me about the headaches starting again. I begged her to go get testing done, she refused. I told her that her son was still young (senior in high school), still needed her around, but she wouldn't budge.
She messaged me one day to say that she did see the doctor, it was not only brain cancer again, like she and I knew, it was a totally different monster then the other she had fought. It was the worst type of brain cancer to have and it was aggressive.
She not only chose to fight, her son went to every appointment with her, standing by her side. Unfortunately, some appointments were not as soon as they needed to be, because she had to do things so he wouldn't miss so much school which only added to the cancer taking over. I never mentioned it to her because it meant a lot for her son to be there, plus they didn't hold out hope that treatment would work. She passed away about 7 months later.
Chemo is barbaric. The side effects are beyond horrible. I can't believe medicine ha not advanced farther than it has. We should have had smart drugs years ago.
We should also understand much more about the biology of cancer, but we don't. DNA sequencing of cancer cells raises as many questions as answers. Cancers (there are many) are complex, tricky diseases. We have "smart" drugs for a few, but for most, especially solid tumors, not a whole lot has changed, unfortunately, other than some targeted drugs that extend life for a few months.
I'm in a clinical trial right now for one of these targeted drugs. We'll see how it goes. The reported side effects are troubling, but not quality of life destroying.
all of us with cancer need to stay POSITIVE. I know easier said than done. I was diagnosed with Stage 2B pancreatic cancer. They surgically removed the tumor. I had chemo for 6 months which actually took 9 months because of low ANC (white blood cells). I was very susceptible to infections. All this happened right as the Covid was starting up. I did get an infection which required 5 days in the hospital. I am still here and still fighting and I will NOT give up. I had a reoccurrence in July so now having more chemo and doing radiation starting this Thursday. I'm a little nervous but I think it will be okay.
As far as side effects, other than the first couple chemo sessions I have had very little nausea. I mostly get extremely fatigued and end up sleeping. I had chemo yesterday and a doctor appointment today. I am ready to crash for the rest of the afternoon.
My daughter is 15 and because of stupid Covid she can't go with me to my appointments. She has school now but during the summer she wanted to but a resurgence forced my healthcare team to cancel all visitors. F*&KK cancer
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,117,303 times
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Sorry to hear of your problems CARas2020, hang in there and in time you will beat it. I never had any radiation, but my wife did with her breast cancer, and it made her very tired. I was lucky in that my treatment was well under way and close to the end when Covid hit, so when in the hospital I had the kids, grandkids and friends visiting. We finally beat the infections when my Oncologist prescribed a course of antibiotics a day before and 4 days after chemo. Of course the antibiotics had their own side effects. The hospital was my second home for the better part of a year, and I just dreamed of the days when it would be over. Now I still have 5 month follow-ups, scheduled for an MRI and a CT scan in January, plus annuals with my Nephrologist and my Urologist, but that's still far better than chemo!
Sorry to hear of your problems CARas2020, hang in there and in time you will beat it. I never had any radiation, but my wife did with her breast cancer, and it made her very tired. I was lucky in that my treatment was well under way and close to the end when Covid hit, so when in the hospital I had the kids, grandkids and friends visiting. We finally beat the infections when my Oncologist prescribed a course of antibiotics a day before and 4 days after chemo. Of course the antibiotics had their own side effects. The hospital was my second home for the better part of a year, and I just dreamed of the days when it would be over. Now I still have 5 month follow-ups, scheduled for an MRI and a CT scan in January, plus annuals with my Nephrologist and my Urologist, but that's still far better than chemo!
Stay strong!! I only spent a week in the hospital to have my spleen and tail of my pancreas removed. But a couple weeks later I was back in the hospital for 5 days because of an infection and pancreatitis. I was diagnosed Jan of 2020 so right before the Covid got going. I was lucky that my husband and daughter were able to come visit me everyday.
The radiation oncologist told me that fatigue would probably be the biggest side effect and it was cumulative. I was pretty tired today but that is probably a combination of not sleeping well last night and that I had chemo on Monday. My next radiation will be Monday.
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