__ Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Chemotherapy

This week, Pal Caregiver, GF from the USA poses this question to pmppals@yahoo.com:

“My wife’s oncologist says she should begin the treatment of systemic chemotherapy to treat her diagnosis of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei. Should she agree to receive chemotherapy or not?”

PMP Pals responds: “As with any medical scenario, whether or not a patient commences chemotherapy is a topic that one should explore thoroughly with one’s personal physician and/or team of healthcare providers.

Each patient is unique. Pseudomyxoma Peritonei is not "one size fits all" disease. Whether or not a patient decides to pursue chemotherapy treatment will depend on the pathology, symptoms and aggressiveness of her particular case.

Pseudomyxoma Peritonei is generally treated by surgical oncologists with specifically detailed surgery (CRS), which may or may not include HIPEC (Hyperthermic Interperitoneal Chemotherapy.)

In the past, systemic chemotherapy was thought to be unsuccessful for patients diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei. However, during the past decade, due to the availability of more chemotherapies developed for the treatment of colon/colorectal cancers, some physicians are recommending systemic chemotherapy for specific Pseudomyxoma Peritonei patients.

When preparing to consult with the oncologist, the patient should prepare a concise, detailed list of questions and should have the following reports in hand:

Pathology report(s) from surgery, biopsy, paracentesis, etc, 

Laboratory test(s) for tumor markers specifically the current CEA and CA 19 9 markers, and

The radiologist’s written report from the patient’s current CT scans.

These are among the questions for consideration when meeting w/your oncologist:

Why is systemic chemotherapy being proposed?

What is the extent and location (ie on the small intestine) of remaining visible disease, per recent surgery or CT scan(s)?

Why type of chemotherapy(ies) does the oncologist recommend?

Why is he/she recommending this particular chemotherapy regimen for this particular diagnosis?

What data justifies the particular chemotherapy that the oncologist is proposing?

How does the oncologist anticipate this particular chemotherapy will help the patient?

What are the known side effects of this chemotherapy?

For additional resources regarding the efficacy of systemic chemotherapy, you are invited to participate in the PMP Pals’ Chemo Resource Group via www.pmppals.org and to read chemotherapies being prescribed to Pseudomyxoma Peritonei patients on the CHEMOTHERAPY link a http://www.pmppals.org”

 

Articles posted in PMP Pals and on www.pmppals.org are written from the perspective of patients and their families and are not intended to substitute for licensed, professional, legal or medical advice. Patients should seek the counsel of their licensed healthcare providers.        Copyright © 2012 by Gabriella Graham/PMP Pals’ Network/All rights reserved. Visit us on the web at www.pmppals.org  

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