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Is There A Possibility Of Increased Metastasis When On Irinotecan Chemotherapy?

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Posted on Fri, 2 Jan 2015
Question: If a person is on irinotecan alone due to a liver met (small) and
Node met, can further mets occur while on treatment?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (51 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Unlikely

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for your question.

When you are on a chemotherapy like irinotecan it usually is to treat the existing metastasis and prevent others. It would be unlikely that you would form another metastasis while on this chemo. It is not impossible but it is unlikely.

Good luck to you and I hope you get a complete remission.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (9 minutes later)
Hi.my father has 1 liver met of 16 mm and 1 aortocaval node of 10 mm which has a met .hes had 3 sessions of irinotean so far so i was concerned.

What is the prognosis like if hopefully further mets dont form?

But his cea is 9 its not come down ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (9 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Hopeful prognosis if no further mets

Detailed Answer:
If the chemotherapy is working then the CEA should come down and the scans should show that the node and met are shrinking.

It is also possible to have the liver met removed surgically, though this may be more difficult with the node due to its location.
His oncologist would be able to give you the best idea of prognosis, but usually if the chemo can prevent further metastases, then the outlook is hopeful.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (47 minutes later)
Can they not remove the liver met since theres one and leave chemo for the node?

The cea has been as follows- went up at 9.8 in august .

Xeloda stopped - sept dropped to 8.

Irinotean started and december cea 9 . 3 sessions so far

I thought it would have gone down..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
surgery possible

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for your follow up.

It is possible that surgery could be done on the one liver met. This depends upon the patient's general condition and risk for such a surgery. However, sometimes surgeons do not like to remove mets if they are indifferent places. It is sometimes felt that if mets are in different places that radiation or chemotherapy are more effective. It may take longer for the Irinotean to be successful in lowering the CEA or shrinking the met and node.

Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (17 minutes later)
I see. Is a 16 mm met large? Also
If the xeloda did
Not work could it be that irinotecan
Wont too?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (5 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
possibly other chemo needed

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thank you for using HCM.

16 mm would be considered of medium size for metastasis. 2-3 mm would be small and over 20 mm would be considered large. The oncologists try to pick the chemotherapy that has been show to work on a particular tumor type. Unfortunately all of our bodies are different and the various chemo drugs do not work on everyone. Luckily we live in a time when many possible chemotherapies are available so that if one does not work, there are many others to try.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (14 minutes later)
Thanks . What is the smallest tumor size a pet scsn can pick up?

He has a scan in january. Last one one was october .in three months can more mets show up?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (10 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
PET scans

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thank you for your follow up. PET scans do not detect actual size of lesions or mets. The PET scan is about activity of a lesion. Cancers have a lot of metabolic activity and so they show up on PET scans. If there is active cancer in a lesion it will show up as "hot" on a PET scan. To see the actual size of a lesion MRI scans are more often used. Yes if he had new mets they might show up after a three month period.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (5 hours later)
So 1 node snd 1 liver met is not really wide spread right ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
true, that is not widespread

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for this question It is true that two metastases does mean that it is not widespread. It is however, concerning that they are in two different organ systems, the liver and the lymph node. Widespread would mean many metastases in many organs or systems.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Answered by
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Dr. Kathy Robinson

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1989

Answered : 3535 Questions

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Is There A Possibility Of Increased Metastasis When On Irinotecan Chemotherapy?

Brief Answer: Unlikely Detailed Answer: Hello and thanks for your question. When you are on a chemotherapy like irinotecan it usually is to treat the existing metastasis and prevent others. It would be unlikely that you would form another metastasis while on this chemo. It is not impossible but it is unlikely. Good luck to you and I hope you get a complete remission.