What is the negative impact of missing a chemotherapy treatment?

[Frank]

My mother has stage 3c ovarian cancer. Very healthy up until her diagnosis. She's only 63 years old. She was scheduled for her 6th and last chemo treatment this past Thursday 8/14/08. All through her treatment, everything has been very good. Her blood counts have all been good, her CA-125 level has always been below 10. When the doctor completed her surgery - he was very confident that he removed all of the cancer. The only reason it's level 3c to my knowledge is that one of the lymph nodes checked for cancer came back positive. They checked 14 in all, and one came back. Damn that cancer!

As I mentioned, she was scheduled to get her 6th and last treatment. She gets carboplatin and taxol combined...and she's also on a study for Avastin. I hope she's getting that too! The study will continue on, but the chemo is done after this last time. Unfortunately, she could not get her chemo done this past Thursday because her platelets were low... they were around 80 or so. Today (Monday) she got her blood work done, and they have raised up to 125 which is an acceptable level to have the chemo treatment. Here is my question....How bad is it that she had to postpone her treatment. Are there any known longterm side effects to this? She can have her treatment as early as tomorrow (Tuesday) 5 days after her intial schedule....My family and I are going to Wisconsin Dells with my nieces and parents this upcoming weekend. My dad turns 70 on the 22nd of August and we were also going to celebrate my mom finishing her chemo treatment. I worry that if she receives the treatment tomorrow (Tuesday) - she won't feel that well for the trip. (we only live 3 hours away in chicago)... Typically she is fine for the first 3 days after chemo, then it gets kind of iffy for the following 4 or 5 days. So if she gets it on Tuesday I'm worried she won't feel right. She could get it on Thursday however and probably be OK for the trip...but that means it will have been a week since her scheduled day to receive the treatment.

I know asking questions on Yahoo might not be the best solution. Of course we are waiting to hear from her gynecology-oncologist on what we should do....but i would love to hear from anyone on here their opinion. Have the chemo on Tuesday or Thursday? My common sense tells me she should have it asap, regardless of what the plans are for the weekend...but i also know how much she is looking forward to this trip..and i want her to be healthy for that... does an extra 2 days really matter a lot? Thanks for any advice or help!

[inverse_mushroom_cloud]

If it were me I would have the infusion as soon as I was cleared for it.

Chemo protocols are determined through long clinical trials that establish the optimum dosage and frequency.

The more you deviate from the schedule, the greater the chance that the chemo will not have the maximum effect.

I certainly wouldn't let a vacation schedule change my treatment schedule.