20th May 2002
Your post doesn't say why your mom isn't eating. Could it be because she's depressed? If that's the case, it would be a good idea for her to get some therapy for the depression, and also to find a cancer support group in her area.
I, too, have had cancer of unknown primary. It's fairly rare, occurring in only about 3% of all cancer cases, and not all CUP is the same.
The prognosis varies greatly depdending on the site where the cancer was actually found is. For example, CUP that is first found in the inguinal nodes (groin lymph nodes) usually has a better prognosis than CUP that is found in the neck/shoulder area. Also, the prognosis for CUP has dramatically improved since taxol came into widespread use in the early 90's.
My treatment was also with taxol/carboplatin. I was given steroids the night before treatment to avoid the allergic reactions that can happen with taxol. On treatment day, I was given the taxol first, then I was given IV zofran, to avoid the nausea from the carboplatin. The night of treatment, I took one compezine; then I took one oral zofran (or something similar) each of the next three mornings. I had absolutely NO nausea!
I did, however, have extreme achiness/pain from the taxol. Usually it didn't start until about 24 hours after the treatment, but then I would be bedridden and on painkillers for about 3-4 days. Vicodin helped tremendously, but I had to take it every 3 1/2 hours, and was so knocked out from the Vicodin that I slept for 3 days. Still, far better than the pain!
I didn't lose my appetite, but about the only thing I felt like eating was ice cream...frappes, etc. I learned, after the first treatment, that I wasn't going to have the energy even to make a sandwich, so I bought some Ensure, and used that.
Alan -
I don't know if you're aware of this, but sopme studies have shown that cancer cells tend to feed on fat. We probably won't know the truth of these theories for years to come! At any rate, you can see from the above that, despite knowing that, about the only thing I could get down was fatty ice cream! I think when you're going through chemo, you've just got to eat whatever it is that you can manage to get down, or whatever appeals to you.
In the weeks in between the chemo (my regimen was a treatment once every 3 weeks), I tried to eat a lot of anti-cancer type foods; lots of vegetables and fruits with antioxidants, etc.
First thing I would do is make sure that your mom is receiving appropriate anti-nausea medication. Then I would encourage her to drink Ensure (or something like that). If you suspect depression, you can encourage her to get treatment for it, and also to join a support group. I will tell you, though, that it's very hard to find anyone else who has CUP...if she has a computer, encourage her to write to me on this board.
[This message has been edited by SamQKitty (edited 05-20-2002).]
I, too, have had cancer of unknown primary. It's fairly rare, occurring in only about 3% of all cancer cases, and not all CUP is the same.
The prognosis varies greatly depdending on the site where the cancer was actually found is. For example, CUP that is first found in the inguinal nodes (groin lymph nodes) usually has a better prognosis than CUP that is found in the neck/shoulder area. Also, the prognosis for CUP has dramatically improved since taxol came into widespread use in the early 90's.
My treatment was also with taxol/carboplatin. I was given steroids the night before treatment to avoid the allergic reactions that can happen with taxol. On treatment day, I was given the taxol first, then I was given IV zofran, to avoid the nausea from the carboplatin. The night of treatment, I took one compezine; then I took one oral zofran (or something similar) each of the next three mornings. I had absolutely NO nausea!
I did, however, have extreme achiness/pain from the taxol. Usually it didn't start until about 24 hours after the treatment, but then I would be bedridden and on painkillers for about 3-4 days. Vicodin helped tremendously, but I had to take it every 3 1/2 hours, and was so knocked out from the Vicodin that I slept for 3 days. Still, far better than the pain!
I didn't lose my appetite, but about the only thing I felt like eating was ice cream...frappes, etc. I learned, after the first treatment, that I wasn't going to have the energy even to make a sandwich, so I bought some Ensure, and used that.
Alan -
I don't know if you're aware of this, but sopme studies have shown that cancer cells tend to feed on fat. We probably won't know the truth of these theories for years to come! At any rate, you can see from the above that, despite knowing that, about the only thing I could get down was fatty ice cream! I think when you're going through chemo, you've just got to eat whatever it is that you can manage to get down, or whatever appeals to you.
In the weeks in between the chemo (my regimen was a treatment once every 3 weeks), I tried to eat a lot of anti-cancer type foods; lots of vegetables and fruits with antioxidants, etc.
First thing I would do is make sure that your mom is receiving appropriate anti-nausea medication. Then I would encourage her to drink Ensure (or something like that). If you suspect depression, you can encourage her to get treatment for it, and also to join a support group. I will tell you, though, that it's very hard to find anyone else who has CUP...if she has a computer, encourage her to write to me on this board.
[This message has been edited by SamQKitty (edited 05-20-2002).]