Hi Everyone! I just wanted to check in and give my update. I know how important it was to me when I first was diagnosed to read all the updates. I am approaching the 3 year mark post surgery (the 3 year anniversary of stopping the post operative chemo will be in June). I have had either colonoscopy ...
Hopepray, It's my understanding that cells are cells, so the nature of them probably would not change. There's often no way to tell if a cancer is especially aggressive or not until a little time has passed. Obviously, an aggressive one will return quickly after CRT if any cells remain at all - and ...
Hi Hopepray, I am so glad for you that you've apparently had a complete or near complete response to the neoadjuvant therapy! It sounds like you have reason to be optimistic. When you say "get the surgery", what surgery is being recommended to you? I understand that the usual recommendatio...
Hi All, It's been a while since I posted - a busy time even before the pandemic. I hope everyone is well and doing OK with the phsyical distancing, etc. So far, I have been doing well although like everyone else, the covid-19 situation has complicated my follow up testing. I was meant to see my onco...
Hey Nifty - was just thinking about you and wondered if you started Chemo ! Congrats on the good pathology news ! What's your WW surveillance arrangement with your team like ? My mum had a port installed herself a few years back due to colon cancer and she appreciated it. Like you, they often could...
I completely understand your hesitation about elective surgery right now! For me, I would weigh my quality of life against the risk (and I'd read only top notch medical journals and studies for the information, just to be on the safe side). I didn't realise you had a port too! I missed that somehow.
Hi lakeswim, I just had my port installed on Monday. There was some inflammation/swelling as in many minor surgeries. I hadn't really heard anything about port installation possibly triggering metastasis. To be honest, I'm not sure how the port and its associated brief period of swelling could be an...
Hi Everyone, I'm glad to hear things went Ok for your first XELOX treatment. How is your arm now? I chad follow up with the oncologist and am now scheduled to start FOLFOX on May 1. I am having the port installed on April 29. I see the surgeon for follow up on Tuesday and in the interim, he communic...
Hi All, I had the TAMIS procedure last Friday and all went well, I have had very little pain and very little bleeding. My main challenge is getting the ileitis back under control after two days without meds. I've had to go back to the tincture of opium for a couple of days to stop the turbulence and...
Hi Jolene, I'm not sure if the port is required for everyone, or if my oncologist thinks it is necessary in my case. Due to the ileitis, I had a lot of difficulty with dehydration and there was a lot of difficulty finding good veins for infusions. It is all connected, of course - the chemo making my...
Hi Jolene! I am thrilled to hear your good news about the complete response and great biopsy results. I agree with weissoccermom - I believe there is huge value in doing mop up chemo. I don't think of it as a strategy to prevent local recurrence (though it may help, since chemo works systemically) b...
Jolene, Just to clarify something -- my tumor was located 4.5 cm from the anal verge. Quite low, I think. My surgeon does have concerns - he has warned me about the possibility of having to go back for an ileostomy if I cannot heal or develop infection. He did see scarring and also some healthy look...