CHEMOTHERAPY for Small Bowel Cancer

 

FOLFOX 14 Day Regimen - Colorectal Cancer and (Small Bowel)

Note:  Due to the fact of Small Bowel Cancer being RARE, they treat it like they treat colon cancer.  

* Flourouracil (also called 5-FU. Brand name : Adrucil

*Leucovorin also called folinic acid, a type of vitamin B. This not a chemo drug, it is a type of folic acid      helps 5-FU work better.

*Oxaliplatin: Brand name: Eloxatin

What is chemotherapy and why is it used to treat small bowel cancer? 

Chemotherapy agents are drugs that kill cancer cells.  These types of drugs are called antineoplastic or cytotoxic medicines.  Many chemo medications identify and attack cancer cells because they divide (reproduce) quickly.  Some types of cells in your body normally reproduce quickly, such as cells in the blood, gastrointestinal tract, hair and skin.  These cells are more likely to be damaged or destroyed by chemo but they will return to normal when chemo has ended.

5-fluorouracil is a class of drugs known as antimetabolites, drugs that interrupt the cell cycle.  It is similar to a nutrient that cancer cells need to grow.  So, the cancer cells take in the 5-FU as if it were food, but once inside the cell, it stops them from reproducing.

Oxaliplatin is in a class of drugs known as platinum-containing compounds (metal salts).  It is also an alkylating agent.  Alkylating agents destroy cancer cells by damaging their DNA.

My chemo regiment includes medications delivered into a vein through a central line (a catheter passed through a vein into a larger vein near the heart).  An infusion pump is used to keep an infusion going for a longer period of time.  This is a 14 day regimen by giving...

Flourouracil: Day 1 given by IV over 12 minutes then once I get home, continuous infusion (CIVI) by infusion pump (referred to as my friend or my buddy) over 48 hours at my home.

Leucovorin: Day 1 given by IV over 120 minutes

Oxaliplatin: Day 1 given by IV over 120 minutes

Prior to receiving the chemo, I am given anti-nausea medications: 

*Palanosetron (Aloxi) .25 milligrams by IV, 30 mins before oxaliplatin

*Dexamethasone (Decadton)  (steroids)12 milligrams by mouth, 30 minutes before oxaliplatin

On each treatment day, labs are drawn prior to check your white blood cells (wbc) and absolute  neutrophil count (ANC): WBC help fight infections, Red Blood Cells count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hgb), and hematocrit (HCT) levels; iron-rich hemoglobin in red blood cells carries oxygen and gives blood its color.  A hatocrit measures how much space red blood cells take up n your blood.  Low heoglobin orhematocrit levels are signsof anemia.  Anemia can cause fatigue, weakness, cold hands and feet, and pale skin; Platelets )PLT); Platelets help the blood to clot and prevent bledeing.

Information taken from Patient Education from Roswell Park form PE1364