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DiscussionI am suffering from rectal cancer. How do I know treatment worked?
Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (24)Comment receiving replies
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@susan38 Hi! So unfortunately there are no definitive answers. Yes chemo kills the good with the bad, but if its an aggressive strain like I have it can lay dormant and show up after treatment has ended. I was stage 3c when we caught mine. Mine is right sided, which has a poorer prognosis than left and is more aggressive while showing no markers for it. I had no symptoms. We caught it due to a different cancer that was during a hysterectomy. We did 12 rounds of folfox, though I could only do 2 rounds of the oxaliplatin due to an allergic reaction. 8 months after my last treatment I was spotting out of my vaginal canal…. I knew that shouldn’t happen cause of the hysterectomy. Got tested and it was the colon cancer back in that area as well as lymph nodes down there and a portion of my abdominal wall. What my drs have said is I will be on chemo until chemo stops working. My goal is to see my son graduate college. Thats a few years away. They could not promise me 10 yrs but said if he works thru summers and accelerates his courses they might be able to make that happen. Chemo buys time. However if you don’t have an aggressive strain you can beat it! I have prayed. I have done lots of research. Bottom line, is it worth the time it buys you? It is to me and my family so I will deal with the brain fog the mouth sores the diarrhea the sore muscles peeling skin and fatigue. Its worth it to me to give it my best shot and let my family know I didn’t give up. I am currently on folfiri and will be on it till it quits me. May I ask what stage you are in and the regimen you are on?