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What to expect from Gemcitibine chemo/radiation?

Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Jul 11, 2023 | Replies (18)

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@ken240

I was stage 1 and had 12 rounds of Folferinox after distal pancreatectomy, hope was that the chemo would chase down any cancer cells, but it still spread to my liver, so on Gemzar and Abraxane for 2.5 months so far. My experience with Folferinox was that I was feeling lousy for about 5 days, then much better until next round. The Gemzar/Abraxane is less predictable and more cumulative as far as side effects. I think the fatigue is more intense than with Folferinox (still have neuropathy from the Oxaliplatin four months since ending that treatment). Hair fell out from Abraxane, but cumulative fatigue is the biggest side effect from Gem/Abraxane. I am 67 years old and that is my experience, and the doctors were always open to skipping rounds if I felt too weak. I hope this is helpful. Best wishes.

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Replies to "I was stage 1 and had 12 rounds of Folferinox after distal pancreatectomy, hope was that..."

Hi, ken240. Sorry to ask you a q? that should be addressed to my onc., but so far I get very little time with him.

My cancer (diagnosis in Feb. 2023; chemo began 4-4-23) hasn't been staged bc there's still some ambiguity about the nodules on my lungs (i.e., are they metastatic?). I've finished six rounds of Folfirinox, will have at least another two, and will learn, probably next week, what comes next (radiation, or surgery, or radiation plus surgery).

I too have five bad days from Fol., with days 1 and 2 the worst and days 3, 4, and 5 gradually becoming tolerable. Do you know why there's a lag between infusion day and the really bad days? For me, the lag is always four days -- chemo on Tuesday, feel lousy on Sat. and Sun.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and best wishes to you.