What has been keeping me busy for the past year
Jan 10, 2021 0:58:08 GMT -5
jim44444, saarinista, and 5 more like this
Post by Handy on Jan 10, 2021 0:58:08 GMT -5
Back September 2019 I had an emergency appendectomy I wrote about it on the forum. What I didn’t post that the appendectomy turned into the removal of about a foot of the beginning of my large intestine and the removed part had stage III cancer.
After the surgery I had to use adult diapers because I had no or little bowl control due to the removal of part of the large intestine. That lasted for about a month when things gradually got better.
The Chemo therapy part from my medical notes was:
colon cancer of the cecum with MSI loss and DNA mismatch repair.
CURRENT TREATMENT: - 12 cycles with chemotherapy with 25 cycles Atezolizumab (including time combined with chemotherapy for one year of therapy)
1. SYSTEMIC THERAPY, ADJUVANT: Start Oct 23, 2019 Alliance A021502 -
mFOLFOX6 - 5 Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, Atezolizumab all given day 1 followed by 5-Fluorouracil 2400 mg/m2 IV over 46 hours, in arm (Arm 1) with Atezolizumab
Cycle #8 HELD due to Grade 2 BMs for one week
Cycle #9 HELD one week due to platelet count of 64, then an additional week
due to an ANC of 0.7.
RESUMED chemo Mar 4, 2020, Cycle #9, with DECREASED dose of Oxaliplatin at
65 mg/m2 per protocol given cytopenias/delays, remained on full dose of
additional medications.
I have a very highly recommended oncologist, a nurse navigator and the person I feel that has done a super job is the clinical trial nurse in charge of the Atezolizumab. BTW Atezolizumab is not part of a normal colon cancer treatment. Atezolizumab has been approved for breast and lung cancer. The clinical trial is to determine if it is effective at reducing the re occurrences of colon cancer. I didn't know it at the beginning but your body actually repairs or eliminates new cells that are not formed correctly. The Atezolizumab helps this repair process.
A friend works at the cancer treatment center and suggested I apply for the Alliance A021502 clinical trial, so I signed up for it. The Atezolizumab if given to me for no charge but I had to pay for the doctor’s supervision and to have it administered at a reduced rate.
I have had more tests than I ever imagined related to cancer and some other things. I didn’t lose my hair and I actually gained some weight while in treatment. I never threw up but had some diarrhea.
The good news is, I have passed the 6 month and 1 year cancer free evaluations.
The side effects from the Oxaliplatin are still with me and some other side effects cause headaches, which are being investigated and I have received some help.
As far as my SM, I care less about sex and have less energy to think about a new relationship. I mostly do my own thing without being cranky or grumpy towards my W. I would be satisfied living alone but I do not have the energy right now to make that happen.
At one time I convinced myself if I ever had a serious medical condition I would end the M but when I ran out of energy it didn’t bother me to just coast through life.
At home I am mostly independent, don’t ask or accept help and usually do some walking and cooking what I have in the house and like to eat.
Of course Covid-19 is one reason why I don’t seek a new relationship. Number two is I don’t want to be a future burden to a new partner so I just continue to take care of myself and live life the best I can for now. I am very open to existing and new friendships.
After the colon surgery in September 2019 I was advised to stay away from people so I quit going to yoga and most other places, so I have been at this semi-isolation task for quite a long time. I do go to medical appointments. some were 3 or 4 times a week, so that kept me busy. I go grocery shopping once a week at minimum, sometimes 2X a week and sometimes buy take-out food once a week. I have one very careful regarding Covid friend I visit about once a month. As you can surmise I am eager to get the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available. I am considered hi-risk so it should be soon.
Why did I post about my cancer sooner? I wanted to keep my post on ILIASM about relationships and not about my medical issues.
Point two, I wanted to say some of my treatments, while not a joy to go through, they were very helpful and effective. I will say I have never been treated so well in my life and with great care and respect. There are some very caring people in my life.
Point three, is I might have avoided some of this had I gotten a colonoscopy every 3 years. My last colonoscopy was 5 years ago and I was advised to come back in 3 to 5 years. I chose the 5 year interval and it was too long. Yes the prep is a problem but not as much of a problem as cancer so if something like this seems to be hereditary in your family, get checked a little more often.
Point four, things happen randomly and some plans get interrupted or changed, them maybe you are stuck with what is.
During World War II, naval personnel who were exposed to mustard gas during military action were found to have toxic changes in the bone marrow cells that develop into blood cells. During that same period, the US Army was studying a number of chemicals related to mustard gas to develop more effective agents for war and also develop protective measures. In the course of that work, a compound called nitrogen mustard was studied and found to work against a cancer of the lymph nodes called lymphoma. This agent served as the model for a long series of similar but more effective agents (called alkylating agents) that killed rapidly growing cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
Not long after the discovery of nitrogen mustard, Sidney Farber of Boston demonstrated that aminopterin, a compound related to the vitamin folic acid, produced remissions in children with acute leukemia. Aminopterin blocked a critical chemical reaction needed for DNA replication. That drug was the predecessor of methotrexate, a cancer treatment drug used commonly today. Since then, other researchers discovered drugs that block different functions in cell growth and replication. The era of chemotherapy had begun.
Early in the 20th century, only cancers small and localized enough to be completely removed by surgery were curable. Later, radiation was used after surgery to control small tumor growths that were not surgically removed. Finally, chemotherapy was added to destroy small tumor growths that had spread beyond the reach of the surgeon and radiotherapist. Chemo used after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells in the body is called adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant therapy was tested first in breast cancer and found to be effective. It was later used in colon cancer, testicular cancer, and others.
A major discovery was the advantage of using multiple chemotherapy drugs (known as combination chemotherapy) over single agents. Some types of very fast-growing leukemia and lymphoma (tumors involving the cells of the bone marrow and lymph nodes, respectively) responded very well to combination chemo, and clinical trials led to gradual improvement of the drug combinations used. Many of these tumors can be cured today by appropriate combination chemotherapy.
The approach to patient treatment has become more scientific with the introduction of clinical trials on a wide basis throughout the world. Clinical trials compare new treatments to standard treatments and contribute to a better understanding of treatment benefits and risks. They are used to test theories about cancer learned in the basic science laboratory and also test ideas drawn from the clinical observations on cancer patients. They are necessary for continued progress.
After the surgery I had to use adult diapers because I had no or little bowl control due to the removal of part of the large intestine. That lasted for about a month when things gradually got better.
The Chemo therapy part from my medical notes was:
colon cancer of the cecum with MSI loss and DNA mismatch repair.
CURRENT TREATMENT: - 12 cycles with chemotherapy with 25 cycles Atezolizumab (including time combined with chemotherapy for one year of therapy)
1. SYSTEMIC THERAPY, ADJUVANT: Start Oct 23, 2019 Alliance A021502 -
mFOLFOX6 - 5 Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, Atezolizumab all given day 1 followed by 5-Fluorouracil 2400 mg/m2 IV over 46 hours, in arm (Arm 1) with Atezolizumab
Cycle #8 HELD due to Grade 2 BMs for one week
Cycle #9 HELD one week due to platelet count of 64, then an additional week
due to an ANC of 0.7.
RESUMED chemo Mar 4, 2020, Cycle #9, with DECREASED dose of Oxaliplatin at
65 mg/m2 per protocol given cytopenias/delays, remained on full dose of
additional medications.
I have a very highly recommended oncologist, a nurse navigator and the person I feel that has done a super job is the clinical trial nurse in charge of the Atezolizumab. BTW Atezolizumab is not part of a normal colon cancer treatment. Atezolizumab has been approved for breast and lung cancer. The clinical trial is to determine if it is effective at reducing the re occurrences of colon cancer. I didn't know it at the beginning but your body actually repairs or eliminates new cells that are not formed correctly. The Atezolizumab helps this repair process.
A friend works at the cancer treatment center and suggested I apply for the Alliance A021502 clinical trial, so I signed up for it. The Atezolizumab if given to me for no charge but I had to pay for the doctor’s supervision and to have it administered at a reduced rate.
I have had more tests than I ever imagined related to cancer and some other things. I didn’t lose my hair and I actually gained some weight while in treatment. I never threw up but had some diarrhea.
The good news is, I have passed the 6 month and 1 year cancer free evaluations.
The side effects from the Oxaliplatin are still with me and some other side effects cause headaches, which are being investigated and I have received some help.
As far as my SM, I care less about sex and have less energy to think about a new relationship. I mostly do my own thing without being cranky or grumpy towards my W. I would be satisfied living alone but I do not have the energy right now to make that happen.
At one time I convinced myself if I ever had a serious medical condition I would end the M but when I ran out of energy it didn’t bother me to just coast through life.
At home I am mostly independent, don’t ask or accept help and usually do some walking and cooking what I have in the house and like to eat.
Of course Covid-19 is one reason why I don’t seek a new relationship. Number two is I don’t want to be a future burden to a new partner so I just continue to take care of myself and live life the best I can for now. I am very open to existing and new friendships.
After the colon surgery in September 2019 I was advised to stay away from people so I quit going to yoga and most other places, so I have been at this semi-isolation task for quite a long time. I do go to medical appointments. some were 3 or 4 times a week, so that kept me busy. I go grocery shopping once a week at minimum, sometimes 2X a week and sometimes buy take-out food once a week. I have one very careful regarding Covid friend I visit about once a month. As you can surmise I am eager to get the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available. I am considered hi-risk so it should be soon.
Why did I post about my cancer sooner? I wanted to keep my post on ILIASM about relationships and not about my medical issues.
Point two, I wanted to say some of my treatments, while not a joy to go through, they were very helpful and effective. I will say I have never been treated so well in my life and with great care and respect. There are some very caring people in my life.
Point three, is I might have avoided some of this had I gotten a colonoscopy every 3 years. My last colonoscopy was 5 years ago and I was advised to come back in 3 to 5 years. I chose the 5 year interval and it was too long. Yes the prep is a problem but not as much of a problem as cancer so if something like this seems to be hereditary in your family, get checked a little more often.
Point four, things happen randomly and some plans get interrupted or changed, them maybe you are stuck with what is.
Evolution of Cancer Treatments: Chemotherapy:
During World War II, naval personnel who were exposed to mustard gas during military action were found to have toxic changes in the bone marrow cells that develop into blood cells. During that same period, the US Army was studying a number of chemicals related to mustard gas to develop more effective agents for war and also develop protective measures. In the course of that work, a compound called nitrogen mustard was studied and found to work against a cancer of the lymph nodes called lymphoma. This agent served as the model for a long series of similar but more effective agents (called alkylating agents) that killed rapidly growing cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
Not long after the discovery of nitrogen mustard, Sidney Farber of Boston demonstrated that aminopterin, a compound related to the vitamin folic acid, produced remissions in children with acute leukemia. Aminopterin blocked a critical chemical reaction needed for DNA replication. That drug was the predecessor of methotrexate, a cancer treatment drug used commonly today. Since then, other researchers discovered drugs that block different functions in cell growth and replication. The era of chemotherapy had begun.
Early in the 20th century, only cancers small and localized enough to be completely removed by surgery were curable. Later, radiation was used after surgery to control small tumor growths that were not surgically removed. Finally, chemotherapy was added to destroy small tumor growths that had spread beyond the reach of the surgeon and radiotherapist. Chemo used after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells in the body is called adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant therapy was tested first in breast cancer and found to be effective. It was later used in colon cancer, testicular cancer, and others.
A major discovery was the advantage of using multiple chemotherapy drugs (known as combination chemotherapy) over single agents. Some types of very fast-growing leukemia and lymphoma (tumors involving the cells of the bone marrow and lymph nodes, respectively) responded very well to combination chemo, and clinical trials led to gradual improvement of the drug combinations used. Many of these tumors can be cured today by appropriate combination chemotherapy.
The approach to patient treatment has become more scientific with the introduction of clinical trials on a wide basis throughout the world. Clinical trials compare new treatments to standard treatments and contribute to a better understanding of treatment benefits and risks. They are used to test theories about cancer learned in the basic science laboratory and also test ideas drawn from the clinical observations on cancer patients. They are necessary for continued progress.
