Ideal Treatment for Colorectal Cancer Patients Post-surgery

	Asked by geomunoz (Male ) on Mon 21, Apr 2008 01:53pm :
	My sister was diagnosed with Stage III colorectal cancer in February. She is 30 yrs old. She's had a temp colostomy. This week is her last week of chemo (5FU) and radiation (6 weeks). She will have surgery next month to remove the tumor, uterus and ovaries. Her oncologist has told her she will need 6 more months of chemo after surgery. What is the ideal treatment for postsurgery colorectal cancer patients?
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	Answer by Dr Paul S, MD (oncologist) on Mon 21, Apr 2008 08:16pm: Hi there. From what you have described I can tell that your sister underwent "neoadjuvant" chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This means that the radiation and chemo was given "before" the definitive operation is done. Neoadjuvant treatment is usually given for large primary tumors, those that may already invade other organs, or those with multiple lymph node spread. The definitive procedure is still to do the surgical resection. After the surgery, it is recommended that she undergo "adjuvant" chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy aims to decrease the chance of the tumor recurring or spreading and it will usually take 6 more months of chemotherapy to achieve this end. There are several drugs that can be given for the adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancers including 5-FU, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, and Capecitabine used in different combinations and schedules. Surveillance after the surgery and chemotherapy is also important so that the early signs of recurrence can be detected. Surveillance can be in the form of imaging studies like CT scan, and/or blood tests for tumor markers. I suggest you discuss all of these things with your oncologist, and I'm hoping for an uneventful surgery and quick recovery. Regards.. Thank you for using our service.  If you are satisfied with the answer or if you want a detailed answer for your question, please make a donation and request for further clarifications.  Our oncologists will provide an elaborate answer for your clarification.   Please make a donation by clicking the button below. You may donate using funds from your PayPal account or Credit Card. Please rate my answer (select the stars below, no need to log in.)
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