The conventional treatment I will undergo consists of several rounds of chemotherapy.
These rounds will initially follow the FOLFOX regimen. Each cycle lasts three days and is administered every 15 days.
It is estimated that I will receive about six rounds before undergoing a new CT scan to assess the treatment's progress. Therefore, we will not know for sure whether it is working until the end of April 2025.
On the first day of the cycle, a blood test is performed. The oncologist evaluates the results to determine whether chemotherapy can be administered.
Then, for approximately four hours, several IV drips (I have counted up to six) are applied, including anti-nausea drugs, preparatory medications, and the initial dose of chemotherapy. The remainder of the treatment is administered at home using a device called an elastomeric pump, which delivers the medication into the body over 46 hours.
After this period, you simply need to go to a healthcare center to have the infuser disconnected and prepare for the following days, which usually involve intense fatigue.
The list of possible side effects is extensive and varies from person to person. Some of the most common include loss of appetite, taste and smell alterations, dry mouth, mucositis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
So far, these are the symptoms I have experienced in each round:
Cerebral radiotherapy is an oncological treatment that uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells in the brain. It is used to treat both primary tumors and brain metastases. Thanks to technological advances, it is now possible to precisely adjust the dose and direction of the beam, reducing side effects (such as fatigue, hair loss, and skin changes) and improving patients' quality of life.
During the first preparation session, a mask or helmet is molded to the shape of the patient's head. This mask is used in each session to ensure that the head remains in the same position throughout the treatment.
In this first session, a CT scan is also performed to determine the exact areas to be treated. The obtained data is then used to program the radiotherapy machine.
The treatment consists of five consecutive sessions, each lasting between 15 and 30 minutes.
During the session, the patient lies on a table with the mask in place while the machine moves to different positions to deliver the "shots." The procedure is completely painless.
Some people may experience claustrophobia or anxiety from remaining immobile with their head fixed in place. In my case, I have not felt any of that, and in fact, I have almost fallen asleep several times.
It is possible to experience fatigue after the sessions. So far, I have not noticed any significant side effects.