5FU anyone ever done this

[danyelpolo]

Is anyone familiar with this ?

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[tad4]

My wife has oesophagus cancer and the latest round of chemo was 5FU (fluorouracil). If you have a sensitivity to this chemo, the side effects are quite severe, which happened in the case of my wife. She was hospitalised and chemo had to be stopped. She had a DPYD test (blood test to determine if she has a gene/enzyme deficiency). The test was negative. Now, if you have a DPYD deficiency, then the side effects are severe and can be fatal with two chemos, 5FU and Capacitabine. My advice is to check it out carefully and maybe have a DPYD test.

[Currumpaw in reply to tad4]

The test was done after she had an adverse reaction? That certainly makes one think.

An old saying by "They" using wit to impart some knowledge.

"There is no point in closing the barn door after the horse is gone".

It would always be two chemo treatments with 5FU? Suppose it didn't work that way?

Wishing you and your wife the very best.

Currumpaw

[tad4 in reply to Currumpaw]

She has been battling oesophagus cancer and lung cancer for 2 years. Initially she had Paclitaxal and Carboplaten plus Keytruda (Immunotherapy). All went well, sort of, with the only side effect being nausea and peripheral neuropathy. Lung cancer went into remission, but oesophagus cancer still present. Then had Brachytherapy followed by 28 sessions of EBRT. Nausea, sickness and extreme tiredness with the radiation. A PET-CT scan showed no sign of cancer. However, another Endoscopy showed cancer still in the oesophagus. Hence the treatment with the 5FU because a 94yr old with oesophagus cancer that had metastasised, the 5FU cleared her cancer. So, it was decided to use 5FU on my wife. The treatment phase is 6 on (once per week) and 2 off (for recovery) and then another 6 on, 2 off and a final 6 on and 2 off. My wife managed to have 6 treatments, each one making her worse. She had severe side effects, basically all the side effects noted with 5FU. The roof of her mouth became badly ulcerated, had severe oral thrush. She got infections (no immune system) and ended up in hospital. She then had another 3 treatments after a 3 week break but she then could hardly eat and could not take in enough fluids, back in hospital for a week and that is when they decided she must have a DPYD deficiency. Latest info is negative on the DPYD and because of her sensitivity to 5FU, chemo has stopped. Next stop, another Endoscopy and then decide what treatment she can now have. The battle goes on. And what are the odds, both of us having cancer, me with PC Gleason 9 and on ADT, brachytherapy and EBRT. We just keep keeping on. Good luck to you and all facing this ugly disease.

[Currumpaw in reply to tad4]

I am so sorry to hear that your wife has suffered so much from her treatments.

The Japanese prescribe PSK, or as it's common name is, turkey tail mushroom supplements to their chemo patients to help bolster their immune systems from the effects of chemo. You might ask her doctor if he had any objection. There shouldn't be.

"PSK has been safely used in people for a long time in Japan and few side effects have been reported. Studies show that the use of PSK as adjuvant therapy in patients with gastric (stomach) cancer may help repair immune cell damage caused by chemotherapy and strengthen the immune system.

Medicinal Mushrooms (PDQ®)–Patient Version - NCI

cancer.gov/about-cancer/tre...

cancer.gov/about-cancer/tre...

The treatment can be so awful.

Currumpaw

[tad4 in reply to Currumpaw]

Thanks for that, I do use a number of supplements beneficial in combating cancer and boosting the immune system, but have not tried PSK and I will now look into it.