Hello, I have been diagnosed with Goblet Cell Carcinoid and Low-grade mutinous neoplasm. Both in my appendix. This during surgery. Since I have had a right side colectomy and many scans and blood work. All came back clean and no other signs of any cancer. The question is how is it determined if chemo is working? If it is through my blood and it shows no sign of cancer, why go through chemo and if it shows clean after treatment how do I know it was effective or more importantly warranted. Thanks Chris
Recommendations for chemotherapy after all macroscopic (overt tumor that is visible to eye by imaging or clinical exam) tumor has been removed, is based on the natural history of the tumor which has been studied in clinical trials. If these tumors are not given chemotherapy in post surgery setting the microscopic cells which may be present at the site of tumor bed or in circulation will form a tumor sides resulting in relapse or metastasis. So you may never know how useful the chemotherapy is until it is not given.