When I had chemo/radiation at MDACC four years ago the doses of chemo were small and short. If I recall I only had the chemo approximately 4 times for about 4 hours each to go along with my 5 weeks of standard radiation. I had no hair loss or any other side effects from the chemo of which I am aware. I was participating in a study.
Now I hear from many folks both here and from a fellow that I met through CanCare in Houston that are receiving very large doses of chemo along with the radiation at MDACC and elsewhere.
Have things changed? Do they use larger doses of chemo to go along with IMRT?

Danny G.

I don't know how small yours were but I received a very large bag of cisplatin every 3 weeks during my 7 weeks of daily IMRT. CO said that the cisplatin stayed in my cells for 3 weeks. I only suffered hair loss due to rad...I don't have to shave below my upper lip anymore and I have no hair on the back of my neck where the rad exited. My hairless skin is as smooth as new born skin and I was told the wiskers won't come back (damn) but the hair on the back of the neck will.

David the very large bag was, no doubt, glucose and water to hydrate you since that is a must for Cisplatin ct. The 2 little bags are the Cisplatin and the Zofran (or whatever antemetic you're on). Typically they will hydrate you for quite a while before they infuse the Cisplatin.

Gary, I know that the hydration bag was done first and was big. It was followed by the antinausea small bag but the Cisplatin bags were like dark brown in color and I'm almost positive they were about as large as the hydration bags. I could be wrong but that is what I remember.

Gary...what is the answer to my protocol question. You always know this stuff. The fellow that I spoke to is receiving day long doses of chemo for several weeks before they even start the radiation. Mine was concurrent. His diagnosis is similar to mine and he is being treated in the same hospital that I was.


Thanks,
Danny G.

I was just referred another MDACC patient through CanCare who is also being treated with several weeks of chemo before the radiation begins. I wrote my MDACC oncologist and asked about this protocol. He responded that the researches are trying to answer a couple of questions but that the standard is still the chemo/radiation combo like many of us here received. I assume that they are attempting to see if chemo can shrink tumors enough to use less radiation, but I have no definitive answers on the matter. I guess that the cancer hospitals are always conducting studies to see what yields greater success and longevity.

Danny G.

Danny, so far as I know, 2-3 rounds of Cisplatin every 3 weeks in conjunction with RT is still the firstline treatment. Some here have had other types of ct as well - some last ditch and some clinical trials.

David the Cisplatin they gave me was in a small brown bag, about the same size as the Zofran bag.

Gary, I'm sure they are all the same size so that's probably what dose I was given. Whatever size bag they were, the 2nd two packed a hell of a punch. LOL

Hi,

David; I'm pretty sure my Dad's chemo was a large brown bag also. Same as you; large hydration, large chemo, small anti-nausea.

Danny; I just talked to a man who had totally different treatment; first surgery then 67 IMRT rads and simultaneous carboplatin and taxoterechemo; and now even though his CT is negative a few months after treatment he's doing a 6 course round of carboplatin and taxol.
That is different.

Amen to that David! It always seemed worse a day or later and stayed bad until just before the next round. But as I recall the large bag (glucose) was not brown it was almost clear. Probably depends more on the supplier although I would imagine that Cisplatin and Zofran would only have one source. Actually looking back at my drug information sheets, it is also known as Platinol so there may be different sources and delivery methods.

Lisa,
Some others here have gotten carboplatin and taxotere or taxol and it always been a debate to do radiation first or last. In some cases they want to shrink the tumor pre op so they'll radiate first. I don't recall seeing that protocol in the NCCN guidelines so it may be off-label or part of clinical trials (but I could be wrong about that - I am just walking out the door and will check later or if someone else wants to check the NCCN guidelines feel free)

Taxotere original indications for use was for colorectal cancer and is now indicated for pancreatic cancer as well.

Taxol was originally indicated for breast cancer.