• From: Columbia, SC
  • Registered: Thu, 10 May 2012
  • Posts: 61

Topic: 2nd line chemo

Chris started on Oxilaplatin/5FU 2 weeks ago and he started 2nd dose today.  Last week his bilirubin dropped from 8.4 on day 1 of cycle to 6.1 on day 8.  This past week, we have noticed that he has become more jaundiced and found out today that it has gone up to 10.2, but he still received chemo today and will get another dose tomorrow. Doctor halved his dose of 5FU in response to this.  He is now scheduled to have a CT scan next Tuesday. 
If this scan shows that chemo is not working, plan is to do chemoembolization.  Can anyone tell us what their experience with this procedure is?  Are the results immediate?  How much pain is there afterwards?  Can more than 1 of these be done?  What about further systemic chemo?
Any information would be greatly appreciated!
                                        Thanks,
                                         Dianne

  • Registered: Fri, 12 May 2006
  • Posts: 8,174

Re: 2nd line chemo

Dianne....until others have a chance to respond to you, I thought to pull up some previous postings regarding Chemoembolization:
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=2136
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=7865
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=4889
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=1566
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=2601

Also, I found this article rather easy to understand:
http://www.medicinenet.com/chemo_infusi … rticle.htm

I hope this helped. 
Good luck and
Hugs,
Marion

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED NOR IMPLIED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER
  • eli
  • eli
  • Legend
  • Offline
  • From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: Tue, 08 Nov 2011
  • Posts: 562

Re: 2nd line chemo

Dianne,

I can answer two of your questions, based on what I learned on this board.

Yes, a patient can do more than one chemoembolization. One of our regular members did six of them.

Yes to the next question as well. A patient can do further systemic chemo after undergoing chemoembolization.

I'm sorry I cannot answer the rest of your questions, as my wife never had chemoembolization.

Best wishes,
Eli

  • From: Columbia, SC
  • Registered: Thu, 10 May 2012
  • Posts: 61

Re: 2nd line chemo

Thanks so much for your replies.  They were most helpful.
                                      Dianne

  • Registered: Fri, 15 Oct 2010
  • Posts: 1,738

Re: 2nd line chemo

Hi,
I had chemoembo and had no side effects what so ever such as nausea or pain.
I only needed to stay over night.
However, depend on what chemo agents they used, the responses may be different. Most of the chemoembo use mitomycin,cisplatin and adriamycin together, but some just use mitomycin and adriamycin . If the sizes of the tumors are small( ie: < 3 cm each and less than 3 or 4 tumors and the location of the tumors allow RFA( ablation) to perform, then they will do RFA and chemoembo together to get the maximum benefits out of the combination.
Chemoembo is also indicated for larger tumor in the liver but not tumors in the common or distal bile ducts.
God bless.

Please know that my personal opinion is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. If  provided, information are for educational purposes.Consult doctor is a MUST for changing of treatment plans.