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View Full Version : More questions...RFA Anyone?


jessica
10-09-2004, 06:46 AM
Hi & thanks for your response...I have more questions, can you help me?
I consulted w/an Radiologist that specializes in interventional radiology & has done many RFA's.We had a very thorough conversation, looked at my MRI, he even did an ultrasound & was able to see the lesion.He agreed that yes, I am a candidate for RFA, it's in a difficult location, but not the most difficult case he's seen or addressed, and he's available to do the procedure.That's the good news.
The complication is re:how many total chemo tx's should I have in combination w/RFA?I asked him what his previous patients did and he said 2 rounds of chemo, RFA, followed by 2 rounds of chemo.BUT, the decision of how many rounds of chemo must be made between me & my onc.I'm not sure why my onc wants me to have so many rounds of tx first, then RFA last.
To make matters even more confusing, she said she has had 3 other patients w/bone disease, stable on a bisphosphonate & single liver lesions.They successfully RFA'd the single lesion and did NOT do add'l chemo.
So if I have NO disease, except for one lesion, why so much chemo in addition of RFA? I do believe it is important to do some chemo, but how do we determine how much?
Anyone have a specific protocol that they followed that combined chemo/RFA/chemo? I don't even know where to look for advice!
Thanks for sharing your experience & opinions,
Jessica

anonymous
10-09-2004, 12:28 PM
Jessica

There really is no answer to your question about how much chemo except that no chemo is not wise. There are always a few cells floating around somewhere and it would be a shame to go through this procedure and recur.

good luck