Hi all. So, my brother is supposed to have his second round of chemo begin today - still waiting to hear from the hospital to tell him to come and check in. This is frustrating!! It's been nearly three weeks since he began his chemo, and I feel like we're waiting too long in between treatments. At his first round the tumor shrank to about 1/2 the size that it was within the first 24 hours, and continued to shrink. But now its back and about the same size it was before he started chemo. What does this mean? Anyone have a clue?

I really do wish someone would respond to this. Did anyone else experience this - with the tumor shrinking/growing?

Chemo is highly personal. What works in one person may only work partially in another. For some people after an initial response to a drug, it no longer works, and patients switch drugs and try the next one in the list of possible things that might work. Each one may work for some period of time, then cease to. Too often patients run out of options that work at all. Why some disease responds completely to a drug or not is not knowable. Why some diseases adapt to the the chemo and begin to prosper again is also not completely understood. I do not think there is an absolute answer to your question.

Thanks for your response Brian.

I know I sound silly, it's just that it was so encouraging to see how much it went down after the first treatment, and to see it come back again makes you think the cancer is getting a leg up on you.

I feel better though that he was admitted last night and will have round two begin this morning.

Hi there.

So brother was admitted last night. At his first round (three weeks ago) the regimen was 1 bag of Taxotere, 4 bags Cisplatin and 4 bags 5Fu. The taxotere stuff scares me because they also bring in an "emergency" kit in case you have an allergic reaction.

I had my sis-in-law promise to call as soon as he finished with the taxotere because I was worried about it. He called a while ago to say that they're not gonna give him the Taxotere until they've checked his heart first, his calcium level is high. They will begin the cisplatin and 5FU today though.

Is this bad? Should they follow the same regimen each time?
I realize I sound like a worry wart.......

My brother's blood levels were "off" a couple of times too, but his chemo wasn't postponed.

He did have an allergic reaction to something in the chemo treatment room (I can't remember which drug it was). The nurse gave his a shot of Benedryl and the reaction stopped immediately. After that, he receieved Benedryl via the IV (along with lots of fluids) first and then followed up with the chemo. It led to long chemo days, but he didn't have any more allergic reactions.

Iam so confused. I had two breast cancers. 1997 and again in 2002.Radical mastectomys both times. Chemotherapy the first time. Tomoxifin and Arimidex the second time.Then May 16, 2007, I had squamous cell carcinoma on left tongue. surgery to remove it. No treatment. Then April 3rd, 2008, I had radical neck dissection on left neck. Then treatment began on May 5th. Ethyol, a shot in the arm to control dry mouth before I went into radiation. The tomotherapy where you wear that crazy face mask all snapped down to the table and can't move. My first Panic Attack happened that day. So they put me on Ativan. Well I made it through 4shots, 4 rad, and 1 Erbitux. And I quit treatment all together. Could someone help me here? I don't know of anyone else who quit.

If I were you, I would run, not walk, and go for rads and chemo. I had tongue cancer and and believe me,, anything they wanted to do is fine with this guy. It is miserable to go thru the rads strapped down, but after a couple of them, it's easy. As all in here know, I lost a big part of my tongue and had the neck dissection, radiation tongue implants, whichare no fun at all and had to have my teeth all extracted before they did any of these. You just have to think positive about it and go for the GOLD. LOL I do talk a little funny and can't eat anything but liquids, but I enjoy life too much not to give it 200%. You go for it too and make us all happy in here. Gotta go clean my surgery from yesterday. LOL Peroxide and then a good antibiotic ointment. I'll help you all I can..just don't say , Jim you are full of it.LOL

Marly:

If you start a new post, then you will have much better responses. If you arent sure how, then on the forum list page, go to the first topic. Its for new users. There are many people here who will be more than happy to help you if they see your post.

Marlys, I think about the only way anyone here will "help you" is to tell you to get back in and finish the rest of your radiation and chemo absolutely as fast as you can manage it. Your chances of surviving this disease depend heavily on it. We've all (anyone who has had radiation) been through the mask and, although I know it is harder for some than for others, yuou should not be more scared of having another panic attack than you should be of dying of oral cancer. Jim is right that even if you are really panicked by the mask at first, it becomes easier over time. Not that it's easy. None of us who have been through it would say that. It's an ordeal.

But this is your LIFE we're talking about here. You are a fighter already to have gone through two mastectomies and chemo for the breast cancer (I had a battle with breast cancer at the same time as my oral cancer battle). Don't give up the fight too early now.

Nelie