I did one round of chemo and stopped, so yes, I declined it. My surgeon gave me odds on 5+ year survival with and without it and it raised my odds from about 67% to 80%. I tried it because I felt like I should, for my family's sake. I had a 'severe' reaction according to my doc, was unable to function after only one session. I couldn't walk or hold a pencil, and just laid on the couch shivering. I was ill prepared. 3 days into it, I apologized to my husband and told him I couldn't handle it and stopped the oral chemo and cancelled the future IVs. I immediately started to improve and within a few days I could stand up straight and start to function again. About 4 months later I met someone going through chemo for breast cancer who described her '3rd' day issues and how she just had a bad day and then she felt progressively better after each treatment. I wish I had met her before I stopped. I might have stuck with it. Unfortunately, my oncologist tried to soft sell the affects of chemo so I was expecting zero side affects after 1 treatment. It is such a personal decision. I think it's certainly worth a shot if your doctors believe it will help you. Stick with this group and ask questions of those with more experience than me. Options are good and it's certainly worth a try.

I have been on chemo for the most part of the last 7 years. I have wanted to say "NO MORE" for a long time. In december I went on CPT11..That was it! I cant do it anymore! I only did 3 treatments..it was BAD!! I couldn't get out of bed for 10 days. I had to do treatment every 14 days. I feel that you you have more sick days than good days...why do it? If it would cure me I would do it but I am stage 4, I know I'm not going to be cured. I guess what I'm to say is that you have to do whats right for YOU.

What's the name of the book?

When I was kid my grandfather had colon cancer. I don't know what stage it was. He had surgery and a reversible colostomy but no chemotherapy. I was recently talking to my doctor about it, and he told me they never used chemotherapy back then (60's). It wasn't until the 70's that they started using it for solid tumors. My grandfather never had a recurrence and died of heart disease in his 90's. I found an interesting article on the history of chemo -

http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/68/21/8643

BTW, I had Stage 1 colon cancer so I did not need chemo. It is not used for Stage 1 and controversial for Stage 2.

I'm not "advocating" chemo but this is from the end of the article I cited above:

"Finally, in 1990, the national incidence and mortality of cancer began to decline. Mortality has continued to decline each year since 1990, and in 2005, overall deaths from cancer have declined despite the larger and older U.S. population. In 2007, the rate of decline actually doubled. Whereas half of this decline is due to prevention and early diagnosis, the other half is largely due to advances in cancer treatment, much of it due to the inclusion of chemotherapy in most treatment programs."

The name of the book is "You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore" by Bill Sardi. It reads mostly negatively against the medical community and almost verges on "conspiracy theories" regarding the pharmaceutical industry. The last part of the book offers treatments with vitamins, herbs, diet, etc.

At least that's how I perceived the book.

I meet with my oncologist today for chemo recommendations and this book scared me more than helped.

Everyone is different and needs to make the choices they feel are best for them. I was a Stage IIIB, 3 nodes positive out of a sample of 19, and I would have done just about anything to improve my odds. I also had radiation and surgery. That is just me. If I were in my 80s I don't know if I would have done the same thing. Maybe. Chemo was tough for me but I got though it and finished up Jan 1of this year.

I agree diet, nutrition and exercise play a role. My biggest weakness is sugar. Good luck with your treatment and sending you good thoughts as you move through recovery,

CC

That is such a good question!
I was Stage 3 13 nodes and both my surgeon and oncologist recommended the chemo. I did research on alternative treatments and treatments outside the US and even the ones that are working on vaccines in Israel recommended the chemo first to kick the cancer back. The doc in Germany hung up on me when I said that I was joining a trial.. turned out he was right.
I agreed to the chemo and quit a couple of weeks shy of 6 months with my Onc's blessings.
I may have been one of the 50 percent that would have been fine without it. They have not figured out who those 50 percent are. . . so I wanted to improve my odds by almost 25 percent bringing me to 75 plus percent of no recurrence in the first 5 years. ... so I braced myself and did the treatments. Short of the anger I have about my Erbitux facial side fx. I m recovering from the chemo and getting on with life. Tough decision for some. : )
MPNC

thanks to all of you for your responses. What a great group!

The oncologist I saw yesterday is in his 70's and has been working in the field for 40+ years. He must love his work!

He said the treatments today are the best and said he would go thru them if he needed and he most certainly would advise his loved ones to do. He said not so long ago, there was much less hope than there is now and that 7-8 out of 10 people with StageIII who go through chemo don't have a recurrance.

Of course my family wants me to do this. So, I agreed and the older and wiser doctor seemed to know what he's talking about and made me feel more hopeful and confident.

I begin March 10