Comments on: Can We Take A Chemoholiday? http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday We envision victory over colorectal cancer Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:03:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Heinz-Josef Lenz http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday/comment-page-1#comment-1948 Heinz-Josef Lenz Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:12:39 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=4627#comment-1948 not sure about that you seem to do very well overall i am only afraid to do chemo if there is a lot of disease left. in your case it seems to be no evidence so there is a role of vacation.....i doubt that maintenance could have prevented this occurence of the disease. HJL not sure about that you seem to do very well overall i am only afraid to do chemo if there is a lot of disease left. in your case it seems to be no evidence so there is a role of vacation…..i doubt that maintenance could have prevented this occurence of the disease. HJL

]]> By: john http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday/comment-page-1#comment-1941 john Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:51:30 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=4627#comment-1941 Dr. Lenz, Thank you for this blog. I'm not sure if it is too late to comment on the chemo holiday post. In 2008 I was diagnosed with a recurrence in my supraclavicular and axillary lymph nodes. After 10 treatments of Folfiri and Avastin plus 33 IMRT radiation treatments, my oncologist put me on a chemo holiday for 8 months. My CEA stayed low but I was just diagnosed with 32 lung nodules and pelvic lymph node involvement. I am back on Folfiri and Avastin. I am now thinking that if I had been on a maintenance dosage rather than taking a long chemo break, I would be in much better shape today. Dr. Lenz,

Thank you for this blog. I’m not sure if it is too late to comment on the chemo holiday post. In 2008 I was diagnosed with a recurrence in my supraclavicular and axillary lymph nodes. After 10 treatments of Folfiri and Avastin plus 33 IMRT radiation treatments, my oncologist put me on a chemo holiday for 8 months. My CEA stayed low but I was just diagnosed with 32 lung nodules and pelvic lymph node involvement. I am back on Folfiri and Avastin. I am now thinking that if I had been on a maintenance dosage rather than taking a long chemo break, I would be in much better shape today.

]]> By: heinz josef lenz http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday/comment-page-1#comment-1829 heinz josef lenz Sat, 02 May 2009 03:07:57 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=4627#comment-1829 there is rationale for chemo the questions how long and not forever. However in high risk patients we have given maintenance therapies. however difficult and goes beyond an online discussion. HJL there is rationale for chemo the questions how long and not forever. However in high risk patients we have given maintenance therapies. however difficult and goes beyond an online discussion. HJL

]]> By: j.d. http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday/comment-page-1#comment-1828 j.d. Fri, 01 May 2009 23:24:14 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=4627#comment-1828 "I often ask them if they had diabetes or hypertension how long would they expect to take medication for that disease, and there is no hesitation answering that you take it for a long time, if not forever. So I try to explain that we give chemotherapy as long it works and is tolerated." Why would this logic not apply to a patient who has had the tumors resected? I guess the question really is: how does one know when it's time to stop adjuvant chemo? The rate of recurrence for stage 4 resected patients is very high, so would it not make sense for patients in this group to keep taking chemo for a long time, just like in the palliative setting? “I often ask them if they had diabetes or hypertension how long would they expect to take medication for that disease, and there is no hesitation answering that you take it for a long time, if not forever. So I try to explain that we give chemotherapy as long it works and is tolerated.”

Why would this logic not apply to a patient who has had the tumors resected? I guess the question really is: how does one know when it’s time to stop adjuvant chemo?

The rate of recurrence for stage 4 resected patients is very high, so would it not make sense for patients in this group to keep taking chemo for a long time, just like in the palliative setting?

]]> By: heinz josef lenz http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday/comment-page-1#comment-1827 heinz josef lenz Fri, 01 May 2009 21:03:16 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=4627#comment-1827 there are interesting data on western diet, aspirin, exercise etc can reduce risk for recurrence hjl there are interesting data on western diet, aspirin, exercise etc can reduce risk for recurrence hjl

]]> By: Judy Wells http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/dr_lenz/2009/05/can_we_take_a_chemoholiday/comment-page-1#comment-1826 Judy Wells Fri, 01 May 2009 19:56:17 +0000 http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/?p=4627#comment-1826 You don't mention non-toxic remedies such as diet, supplements, or other in your article. During the break from chemo, wouldn't a focus on these other activities to strengthen the immune system and support energy levels be a good idea? You don’t mention non-toxic remedies such as diet, supplements, or other in your article. During the break from chemo, wouldn’t a focus on these other activities to strengthen the immune system and support energy levels be a good idea?

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