Tests during chemo

[Jstat]

A question I can help with...

Everyone of us has had a different reaction to Chemo I am sure, however, I was on a pulmonary function test at the beginning of each cycle, with 3 bleo's per cycle (one a week). Other than that I had a chest/abdo/pelvis CT w/ contrast during the 3rd cycle, and tumour markers and bloods done every 3 weeks as well, and an injection of GSF to stimulate white blood cells every 3 weeks.

Chemo is hard, whether you have the side effects or not (and trust me I did), but there is nothing to be fearful of. If you trust your Onc and you keep a positive face on it you get through it. I think for me the hardest part was seeing all the others in the Onc Ward on pallative care treatment. It made my nausea look like childs play. Those Drs and nurses should all be given medals for what they do.

I wish you all the best, and will pray for your husband. Hopefully he doesnt turn green at the aroma of toast and coffee as I did!

[Russell's Mom]

Keep asking

Hi,
I would suggest requesting a pulmonologist. Russell had a respiratory type reaction and now is on high dose steroids, fighting bleomycin toxicity. I do not know if research during chemo would have changed the dosing for Russell, but I do know there are articles indicating various body reactions that should be watched and may indicate dose adjustment or medication change. Non of this was done and I will always wonder! I understand that alternate medications can be put into place if needed. There is so much to watch for with so little time. Our oncologist was watching, the pulmonologist that we see now was a welcome addition. Take care, Russell's mom Sharon

[mercyriver]

Yes, there are giving him Bleomycin once a week. Isn't that what they are supposed to do? You are making me nervous.

His next chemo cycle where he gets the EP again starts Feb 19th.

[mercyriver]

Robert,

Yes his Bleomycin is every Tuesday and he started chemo last Monday.

It takes about 15 minutes to push, plus he gets fluids.

Yesterday he had a chills and a 103 fever because of the bleo, even when was on Benadryl and Tylenol. Not steroids though.

He is doing 3xBEP

As a refresher his Pulmonary Function Test came back with small airways disease, which the pulmonologist and oncologist both agreed it was a false positive, because he has never smoked

National Jewsih Hospital, the top lungh hospital in the country, said it could be asthma even, but you don't have to smoke to have small airways disease.

His last PET scan (which they did do a CT on the same day) was on December 20th and they started chemo on Janurary 29th.

Becki

[boyce]

What I had..

Was regular bloodwork, and my counts would sometimes vary dramitically from day to day.

Pulm function - I did 1 during chemo
Chest X-ray - had 2
CAT - had 1

A lot will depend on side effets and presenting symptoms.

We are all thinking of you and fighting beside you.

[mercyriver]

I was just wondering what tests, other the blood counts and metabolic panel tests, do they doing DURING chemo?

As far as I know right now we have no other types of tests.

Are they supposed to be doing pulmonary function tests? He's done his base test.

Should they be doing CT or PET scans? Chest X-rays?

Thank you

Becki