Hi Mike and thank you for your post.

I am sorry to read that you now have been diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer  

with metastasis in your spine. I can appreciate you have a lot going on and I can imagine it is overwhelming.

It's understandable to be hesitant about chemotherapy (FOLFOX) and Denosumab.  especially when your hospital specialist has given you a potential prognosis.

However, these treatments could potentially offer some benefit, even within a shorter timeframe, and should be discussed with your hospital specialist.

The specialist nurse or chemotherapy nurse will go over specific things, such as potential side effects, in detail with you if they haven't already before your first chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy  is a systemic treatment, meaning it affects all the cells in the body (both cancer and healthy cells). This means that chemotherapy can potentially cause side effects,

about but how this affects one person will be different to someone else. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict how anyone will be, but the nurses and doctors looking after you will monitor you, and any side effects you may have, and manage these should they arise. Most side effects are short-lived and will ease off after each cycle of treatment. Some may persist after treatment has finished but very rarely are they permanent. The specialist team usually carries out a series of tests before commencing chemotherapy to ensure the patient is as fit as possible to be able to tolerate it.

Additionally We have a page on our website called prehabilitation before and after chemotherapy treatment which you may find useful to read. 

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5 pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Tina