It's kind of funny that we no longer feel the terrible stress and anxiety we used to feel when he was first diagnosed and when, a year later, we had a scare which turned out to be nothing. It is almost like we have become desensitized to bad news....not completely of course, but it is sort of a sens...

Our onc said at the time that his lungs were clear but I had the bug too and it was a horrible one! I am still hoping it was that that sent the CEA up.

We have not got that far yet! I took the scope report to our oncologist today so we will see what he thinks we should do now. I guess we will have to wait. You cannot treat something that is not there!

Yes, sorry, I should have been more specific. He had a PET/ct combo. He had a CEA test two weeks earlier and that was 11. Last year, it was 4.5 but his CEA has always been on the high side, even though he is not a smoker. No, CEA is not involved in prostrate cancer. He will see his oncologist in ano...

I think this may be my first time posting on this forum but I have checked in from time to time. My husband was dx Stage 111C rectal cancer July 2003, had surgery and was treated with 5Fu and radiotherapy. He has been NED since then although he now has prostate cancer, which is under control. A rece...

Hi tahb! Good to see you...I have sent you a pm. It is so sad to hear about Tony Snow and I have read some of the really negative comments about the prognosis of colon cancer that has spread to the liver. However, we all know people dx stage 1V who are doing really well! I hope Tony Snow is reading ...

From what I understand, it is OK to have breaks in treatment as long as the course can eventually be completed. My husband's chemo had to span out over a longer period of time because he had been weakened by complications during chemo/radiotherapy. He still completed though...in eight months instead...

I agree so much with the two wonderful responses you received. It is such a difficult decision. I would hesitate though in telling him what you have been told unless you are getting the feeling from him that he would want to know. I think I want to know if I only have a limited time left...some do n...

Hi, what a wonderful attitude you have! I am sure that positive spirit is helping you in this journey to wellness! It sounds as if it all went pretty well and that you are dealing well with the challenges with which you are faced. I hope you continue to see improvement and can go home soon. Keep us ...

Hi Amy, I am glad you found this forum...as you will discover, there are several people who were diagnosed stage 111 and are doing well. Take it one day at a time. It seems you are already feeling better and you may find some days are better than others. Look after yourself. As to the smoking, it is...

I hope this forum is for rectal cancer too, or several of us will have to leave! I am sorry to hear about your father and can understand your concern and fears. This is a tough one. It seems that they are so sure the stage is early and therefore no lymph nodes are involved, that they feel the risks ...

Hi Phil, it is good to hear from you and that you are pretty well advanced in your treatments. That must have been scary today! At least you have had quite alot of oxaliplatin, so if you have to stop, then I would not worry too much. It may well have already done its work. You have to weigh up the a...

From what I understand with CEA levels, it is only used along with scans to check for recurrence. If it suddenly goes up alot, then a scan would be done to see what is happening, if anything. Other things can affect CEA so it is not reliable in itself. My husband has one every three months. It is ve...

Hi, I am new here and looking forward to meeting current and new members here. Just a brief history. My husband, now 68 years old, was dx Stage 111C rectal cancer three years ago. He had a complicated surgery and took awhile to recuperate but started chemo soon after discharge from hospital as he wa...

I live in The Bahamas but my husband had part of his treatment in the UK because at that time, we had no radiotherapy here. He had a scan half way through treatment in the UK because of a blockage but would not have had one otherwise. I think, had we been here, it would have been the same protocol. ...