Curious

[kitcat49]

How does being on a chemo pill (in my case hydroxyurea) relate to chemo infusions and radiation ?

[Foggymind]

Hi Kitcat49,

There are several methods used to treat cancer including tablets or capsules, Infusions, and radiation. It depends on the cancer and to some extent where you live in the world as to what type of treatment you will be given. There is also treatment using a combination of perhaps tablets and infusions. For example FCR chemotherapy treatment for CLL consists of an infusion of Rituximab (R), and two tablets, Fludarabine phosphate (F), and Cyclophosphamide(C). In the UK Rituximab is given by infusion at a hospital and the tablets are taken at home. In some countries the tablets are replaced with infusions of the same medicine. I assume that your hydroxyurea is for treating your essential thrombocytosis?

Hope this has been of some help, take care and best wishes

Kevin – Essex, UK

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero in reply to Foggymind]

Radiotherapy is totally different and you can't compare it to chemo or immunotherapy...

For me radiotherapy was easy, but the daily one hour trips to the hospital over 2 weeks was a bit of a struggle, especially as the nausea developed, but once controlled it was OK...

Thank heavens for the volunteer Cancer Car drivers who made things manageable, and never failed to get me ot treatment and back home with good humor...

The actual treatment under the particle beam accelerator was 12 seconds from tbe front and 20 seconds from the back... 30Gy in total, very approximate radiation dose of about 2200 full body CTscans

😜

~chris

[kitcat49 in reply to Cllcanada]

Yikes Chris , that sounds tough ! I live in central Alberta, I've sure been fortunate (I like to say blessed by God ) to have had it so easy, I sure can't..and don't complain...Cat

[kitcat49 in reply to Foggymind]

Hi Foggy, yes the hydrea is for ET. You sure know a lot of 'stuff'. I also wonder if my ET in some way counteracts my cll...thinking here about keeping platelets up so to fend off neutrapaenia. It a rather rare combination I've heard.....Cat

[Foggymind in reply to kitcat49]

Hi kitcat49,

I don't really know that much stuff. I looked at your previous posts, useful for background information, and saw that you also had essential thrombocytosis. It is a rare combination of illnesses and I really don't know enough to comment as to whether your ET or its treatment somehow counteracts your CLL.

Best wishes

Kevin - Essex, UK

[kitcat49 in reply to Foggymind]

Thx Kevin...Cat