I was diagnosed stage I, but I first had symptoms (trace amounts of blood in stool) ten years earlier. And I presented with mild anemia 3-4 years after that. I have no idea if it would have been a large polyp then, or if it was malignant but just very slow growing.

I study religious charities that helped post-World War II refugees and the groups' interactions with government bodies, and I actually use as an example a 33 year old refugee who was diagnosed with rectal cancer in the late 1940s and required a colostomy and lots of follow-up care. The religious gro...

I am a grad student in history, and, while doing unrelated research, came across informational sheets on colon and rectal cancer from the 1950s that suggested screening begin at age 40 or earlier. I am wondering if anyone has any information on colon cancer screening earlier in the 20th century - wh...

I've sort of "followed" your story since you first started posting here, and I'm so happy to hear that everything is well with you.

With regard to the question of the length of time people are on hospice, a dear friend's mother, who died of breast cancer, lived in a hospice facility for about the last eight months of her life. She was able to leave the facility occasionally for visits or for important events for about the first ...

When I was 20 years old, I underwent a very thorough physical before being started on a new medication, and the doctor found traces of blood in my stool. He sent me to a GI specialist, who looked at me and said, "You're 20 years old. There is nothing wrong with you. I don't know why you got ref...

I don't know who Stuart Scott is, but I was frustrated in much the same way when a prominent figure in my denomination spoke very openly about his cancer but never specified that it was colon cancer. If I had not had my own experience with CRC, I would not have known that he had colon cancer, but hi...

Thanks, everyone, for the responses. I passed the info on to my sister, though I don't think it will do any good. Ultimately, I think, she doesn't want to have a colonoscopy, and this is the perfect excuse - her doctor says she doesn't need it. I won't drop the issue with either of my older sisters,...

I am 2 1/2 years out from a stage I diagnosis. I had a 13 cm partially obstructing tumor in the sigmoid colon. This fall I had a clean CT scan and won't need another one unless I have symptoms of recurrence. I also had a clean scope, so I won't need another colonoscopy for 3 years, and I am on a twi...

You can see my diagnosis history in my signature below. I have a younger sister (2 years younger than me) who went in for a colonoscopy after my diagnosis that revealed a benign polyp. Both of my parents (early 60s) are on regular scoping schedules, which became more frequent after my diagnosis. One...

I also have benefited greatly from both individual and group therapy after my diagnosis. Like others, I also went to a general therapist, and my group therapy is not for cancer patients.

By the way, it's nice seeing a thread for Stage I's to swap stories. We've had a couple recently but they're unusual.

Hi, Michelle - I was Stage I. An oncologist handles my routine monitoring, but it included both colonoscopy and CT scans. I have had three CT scans and one PET/CT. One scan was before surgery, but I had a CT and a PET/CT one year after surgery, and another CT two years after. My oncologist wanted to...

Sorry, double post.

Just adding another welcome to the board. As a fellow Stage I, I'm curious whether or not you've been referred to an oncologist. I saw one every three months for the first two years after diagnosis, and now see him every six months until I'm five years out. I'm also on a regular colonoscopy schedule...