Chemo or No Chemo?

I just called Lisa at the Lombardi Cancer Center, and sort of what Dr. Marshall stated was accurate. If I go through with the study at Geogetown, which initially I was gun-ho for, then I will get 5FU, Leucovorin and Oxaliplatin, plus Avastin, if I am placed into that category, based on my tumor markers. If they test my tumor markers and I come back low risk, I may be placed into a category where they only monitor me, that isn't kosher with me, because I am stage II, meaning that there COULD be cancerous cells out there that are undetectable at the moment. The benefit of having this study done, is to save about 850 bucks and test my tissue to see if it has high or low tumor markers, talking with my genetic counselor, I could pay for this myself and it wouldn't be an issue, I could put it on the card or something. If I have this done and I am low risk, which is more a state of mind piece of information for me, then I wouldn't have chemo. My father had lung cancer, and didn't have any follow up chemotherapy and his came back. I think it's in my best interest to have at least some chemo. The Oxaliplatin is what messes up your fertility because it is more platinum based than the other ones which are low risk, besides Avastin, but if you combine enough low and med risk, you get high in my opinion.

If I go through with the study, it's the question of whether or not my insurance would pay for this, then it's the other question, of driving back up there two times every other week. I would have to go up there every other Monday, then back up there on Wednesday to have the pump discharged, because it is a clinical study, it would have to be discharged up there. Dr. Marshall stated it could be done at home by a home health nurse if my insurance paid for it.

I feel like the clinical trial is a risk for me, if I take part in this, the first thing to do would be to get my tumor markers sent off to get testing done, then I would have the mediport put in and go from there, the mediport has to be put in my chest wall regardless, I don't have an option of one going in my arm, or anything like that. They have only had males do the study, no females, so they don't know what the outcome on fertility is, or whether or not my period would resume. Dr. Marshall told me he had a few females in the study and they're periods resumed, was he talking about another study and getting it confused with mine? Or does he just want my input for the study? I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I have like 5 days to make this decision, I told Lisa I would call her tomorrow, to let her know, I am going to talk it over with a few people today and see what they think, I am also going to call my Oncologist down here and get their point of view, as well as their "official" treatment plan if I were to have the chemo down here.

To be continued..................