New to the stage 4 colon cancer world

Is it possible that she has the type of mutations, found in tissue from a procedure like colonoscopy, that make her a candidate for immunotherapy, a far less difficult treatment regimen ?

We don’t know and have that as a question when we meet with mayo doctor. The current oncologist didn’t bring it up and we didn’t ask. What a blessing that could be.

My prayers are with you… there are many options, many types of treatments…some are combos of immunotherapy and chemo… at a place like Mayo, you have a better chance of getting the option best for you.

Thank you for the kind words!

hi, I found out working with an oncologist naturopath is very beneficial. I have done 10x folfox and am now on 8th folfiri and I can manage the side effects reasonably well with the guidance on supplements and so on from my naturopath. Hope this helps, there are many ways to deal with liver mets, I just got 2 of mine ablated... Hope and stay positive!

Thanks for the note. Does mayo have the naturopath? If not can u pass on a recommendation of one? My wife is highly interested in this to the point it would almost be mandatory! Thanks so much. And prayers for ur recovery!

I just finished 8 rounds of FOLFOX and managed the symptoms fairly well. I did acupuncture before each treatment (treatments were in 2 week cycles). I also used compression socks and gloves during treatments and had an IV hydration when the 5 FU pump was disconnected. Throughout I did restorative yoga, chair yoga (free through Christina Phipps Foundation), mindfulness with the Calm app, and meetings with an oncologist physical therapist and pelvic floor therapist. It is really important to be an advocate for yourself and your loved ones - your wife is lucky to have your support.

Hi @bkrett - There is a non-invasive, FDA approved, technique called histotripsy, that uses sound waves to break down tumors in the liver. It may be used for both primary tumors and those that have metastasized to the liver. Here is a link on the MD Anderson website for more information: https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/histotripsy-for-liver-cancer--what-to-know-about-this-novel-cancer-treatment.h00-159773289.html

Additionally, here is a link to some discussions on the Mayo Clinic Connect site on histotripsy; https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/histotripsy-1/?pg=1#comment-1139038

My prayers are with you and your wife!

You are very proactive, really checking out options, and letting docs know how you feel- very important…i am very interested in informative responses…there are many treatment options- chemo being only some…sometimes chemo is combined with immunotherapy, to name one ,,, wish you the best !!!

We had our appt with mayo yesterday and the oncologist was great, however my wife is so upset and doesn’t have a good mindset in approaching chemo. Surgery to remove the spot on her liver is on Monday and after healing would start chemo. I am working to get some counseling and going over the top to do all the support stuff we can get to help her through chemo. I appreciate the comments here about things to do to make the chemo easier, and just hope and pray for positive results and that she can get the right frame of mind headed into it. We are both so upset with the past oncologist we had - it was just all treatment by the book with no individualized concerns and support. We both wish we had had way more info and support a year ago when the colon cancer first came up - we both just thought we were out of the woods.