Agree wholeheartedly!!

heiders33 - I agree that CEA should be checked and followed. When I was diagnosed, my CEA was 1.9 (normal). However, when checked after the tumor was removed, it dropped to 0.4 and stayed there. My oncologist told me that it was not a big indicator for me, but she was going to check it anyway and if...

retiredteache- Thanks for the guidelines, that is really a great article. I just sent it to my dad. The surgeon won't speak to me. By the time I left, he wouldn't even acknowledge me in the room. Oh well. I am hoping my dad will read it and be informed. Thanks again.

weisssoccermom- Well hello there!! It HAS been a very long time. I'm so glad you are doing well. My dad went to see the oncologist. No chemo. Yay! Still nothing on CEA's but he ordered genetic testing and a PET scan. I thought the genetic testing was weird because my genetic testing was negative. Al...

Radnyc- I totally agree. That was actually one of the options I laid out for him. I explained chemo, what it entailed, and told him that he gets to decide how he wants to live his life. It didn't sound like something he wanted to do for the small increase in percentage it may give him in reaching a ...

Thank you everyone. Your experience and knowledge is greatly appreciated. My mom will be going with him. They are both 87 but sharp...not used to talking back to doctors but I've told him to ask, ask, and ask more questions. I cannot be there with him but will send him a list of questions. We will s...

CR Guy, I agree with all of the issues you listed. The surgeon definitely does things "his" way and that's it. Everyone there thinks he is a god. He was not open to questions or suggestions. I asked about postponing the surgery for a couple of weeks because my dad had had a prior urethral ...

Exactly, That is what I thought too. But I am thinking that these doctors do not like being told what to do, not even suggestions. Either that or they don't know what a CEA is and so they told him they don't use it anymore. I told my dad that wasn't true and he should have it drawn but I don't know ...

Thank you, that is what I thought. I questioned the surgeon and he became angry. I won't even go into his inappropriate behavior, because in the end, it's a very small town my dad lives in, and my dad told me he likes the guy. But, this case has been really mismanaged. I'm glad I had the correct inf...

Hi, I am an old timer here,(15 years out) so I am not exactly up to date with follow up treatments for newly diagnosed patients of CRC. My father who is 87 was just diagnosed with colon cancer. He had 2 tumors, one at the hepatic loop and one in the transverse colon. No lymph node involvement. The s...

It will be NED 10 years since diagnosis this August for me! Nine years since surgery & completion of chemo. Knock on wood!
Pam

Phuong,

It sounds like it went as well as could be expected. I absolutely LOVE reading your blog. You have the best attitude, it's infectious! Wishing you only the best.

xoxo,
Pam

I was diagnosed in August 2003 with Stage 2A sigmoid colon cancer. This year will be 10 years NED! I had surgery and 8 months of chemo- 5fu and Leukovorin. I still get yearly bloodwork and then colonoscopy's every 2 years. So far, so good.
Pam

Phuong, I haven't been on the forum in a while so this is the first I've read about this. I'm so stunned, I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry that it has come back. I know that whatever plan they come up with, you will forge ahead with strength and dignity and a sense of humor. We all look u...

Really AWESOME!!! Thanks for sharing!
Pam