That sounds like Induction Chemo, aka, adjunct treatment. I had TPF Induction Chrmo, which is high dose Taxotere, Cisplatin, 5-FU, but there are other variants and see Erbitux recently added, to shrink tumors and radio sensitize them as well. It is also used mid-treatment sometimes, if a tumor is non responsive, and is quite successful, but the toxic effects are high, and read one study that 50% receiving TPF induction chemo do not go on to complete the rest of their treatments, which is radiation, with or without chemo, or surgery, which is the real curative. Induction chemo, may eliminate all the tumors by itself, but it does not last, and cancer will come back in less than a year, and so did mine in 8 months. I had just about every illness from my 5 days IC, probably starting with septic shock, sepsis, and was in ICU for almost 2 months, and hospital for 270 days from it. Others may not have such a reaction. Good luck.