Hi Kim Ann, I was diagnosed with a T4 rectal tumor and at the time of my surgery was classified as stage IIIC. You ask about the tumor invading the pelvis which is kind of vague, but I can tell you the tests and surgery that I had. For diagnosis, I had a digital exam and a rectal scan as well as a t...

Hi Ashlee - I had the same experience -- my hair thinned on FOLFOX but not to the extent it was noticeable to anyone else. The FOLFIRI was a different story. My hair thinned so badly on the sides that there were actual bald spots and I began to look like one of those neglected dolls that had hair pu...

Swimming should not be a problem if you can tolerate the pins and needles tingling. For me, it took awhile to get back into the pool just for some recreational splashing around, and I was surprised that the coldness of the water made my feet tingle like crazy, more than normal. Other than that, ever...

Hi, I understand your reluctance to trust CT scans, and I sympathize with your anxiety. But PET scans are not any more reliable -- I had a PET scan that showed no disease in my pelvis but a subsequent biopsy confirmed that there was. It is hard to realize that doctors are using the best tools they h...

Brian, I am so, so sorry this happened to you. It sucks and is horrifying to think that someone you trusted to take care of your health for so long really missed the boat on this. You asked "How could this happen?" Not that it matters, but here are some of the hows: Colon cancer unfortunat...

Kathy, Please meet with an employment lawyer to help negotiate and maximize your husband being able to continue most of his benefits when he is terminated. I did not do this when I lost my job and it cost me big time. In your husband's condition he will never be able to replace certain benefits such...

Oh, the 10th round! I remember it well. I thought, two more to go, I can do this. I was never laid so low by anything in my life as I was by that 10th round (and I was on Xelox, but it's the oxi that wreaks havoc). I so understand your frustration, your rant, your utter disgust with the very people ...

What does your doctor recommend? Many doctors recommend careful monitoring for LGD; others prefer their patients have their colons removed to avoid cancer. Sometimes the dysplasia progresses from low grade to high grade and then cancer; sometimes it doesn't. I would talk this over carefully with you...

Hi, If you are applying for SSDI, it's not enough that you have/had Stage IV cancer. You must show that having the cancer significantly impairs your ability to do ANY kind of work. If you are not in current treatment, you have to show that prior treatments have had lasting side effects that make you...

Hi, You need to be very careful with Avastin if you are on blood thinners. Although most people tolerate it well and it has few if any side effects compared to FOLFOX, severe bleeding is one of those side effects. This is not meant to scare you; simply to say you must bring your blood thinners to yo...

My nipples aren't as sensitive as they used to be. It's just one more subtle thing that cancer has taken away from me. I understand your need to rant, believe me. Of course you could care less about this woman and I applaud you for doing the right thing when you really just wanted to stand up and sh...

Hi, I agree -- not every body gets a boost for both. I've never been boosted for my red cells. Neupogen and Neulasta are not the same thing so it is not an "either/or." The way it was explained to me, Neulasta is the long-acting shot. I got this every round (4 rounds FOLFOX 8 rounds XELOX)...

Cindy, I had a lot of port problems (it flipped over, the catheter cracked once, was repaired, then cracked again) and low blood counts that caused my 6 month wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am treatment schedule to take over 10 months. I started to have treatments in September, 8 weeks after surgery, and had...

Cindy, I'm sorry to hear this news. But I went through all 4 cycles of FOLFOX and 8 cycles of XELOX before finding out it didn't work, so kudos to your docs that they found it at 8 cycles and will switch up the chemo now. I am on currently on IFL which uses all the same drugs as FOLFIRI but for some...

I'm sorry for all that you are going through. Yes, colon cancer is relentless, and the relentlessness of it sucks. I am not an advocate of waiting, so I'd disagree with your good doctor here. Do not wait. Get the nodes biopsied. That will give you a more definitive answer and make you feel like you ...