More About Chemo

After meeting the chemotherapy doctor yesterday I thought of more questions (as happens so often) and wrote to Dr Patel who I will see today to start prepping for external radiation...here's how it went (my questions are at the bottom.)  

Hello. 

We had our tumor board meeting and Dr. Tavakoli and I were in attendance

The cisplatin is a chemotherapy agent used as both a systemic agent to treat the body as well as a radiosensitizer to help the radiation do its thing

When we give radiation - we always use the dose of cisplatin that is safe to give with radiation b/c full dose chemotherapy with radiation is too toxic (regardless of the stage of cancer) - so this has always been the plan

After chemo-radiation is complete - we let you recover for a few weeks and then reassess the situation (with exam and imaging) - and then based on that - Dr. Tavakoli can make recommendations on the role of more chemotherapy

Regarding the bones - we are treating the bones with radiation - so that will give us some mileage and should take away your pain AND the the bisphosphanate is the correct drug to treat patients when cancer has gotten to the bones - it can strengthen the bones that are involved and potentially prevent new spots from forming

Regarding the herbs - sounds fine to me (thanks for the info) - I would ask to just avoid any herbs or vitamins with high doses/content of anti oxidants such as Vit E and Vit C (a once a day vitamin is okay)

We can talk about all of this more in person and we can also set you up with our dietician to review the herbs if you would like

Take Care

Milan

----- Message -----
From: CULLEN,LISA D
Sent: 1/5/12 12:39 AM
To: MILAN DILIP PATEL MD
Subject: one more thing

Hi Dr Patel. I have a couple of questions I thought I would give you advance notice on (even though maybe I don't need to.)

- Dr Tavakoli told me I'll be getting cisplatinum which is a radio enhancer. Didn't you tell us we were changing from a radio enhancer to something that was going to help with distant disease? Why did this change?
- How is the bone issue (pelvic bone and left hip joint) being addressed? Dr Tavakoli mentioned Bisphosphonate but it didn't seem definite...
- is it expected that i will need to do radiation and/or chemotherapy more than once?

ok that's it at the moment! thanks.

p.s. When i was there last time the MA or someone asked me what herbs I was taking from my acupuncturist. I imagine you don't care about this that much but in case you do here they are: 

Base formula: Tangkuai root, Ligusticum root, White Peony root,
Rehmannia root, Condonopsis root, Atractylodis Macrocephalae rhizome,
Poria, Licorice root.

Added: Scute, Coptis (anitviral/bacterial), Coix, Atractylodes root
(dry damp), Gleditsia Spine, Vaccaria Seed (targets toxic heat).