Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

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missjv
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Location: FLORIDA

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby missjv » Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:11 am

im doing great! last scan was clear. cea is 2. so far so good!


missjv

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cptmac
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Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby cptmac » Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:31 pm

I'm doing great. Thanks for asking...
cptmac
As long as you're alive, there is hope.
dx 7/04 stage IV
colon resection 8/04
liver resection 9/04 with HAI pump installed
Stage II trial w irinotecan as systemic and FUDR for direct chemo to liver via HAI pump
Cured since 9/04

mom_2_3
Posts: 361
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:09 pm

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby mom_2_3 » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:42 pm

Another story for this thread....

My husband was talking with a co-worker today about our cancer diagnosis and his co-worker said that his brother had had Stage 4 cancer with lymph nodes and mets to the kidney. He had his kidney and colon tumor and lymph nodes removed. He is here today, 10 years later, having spent those 10 years NED.
CC discovered during c-section (11/4/08)
Diagnosed Stage IV 11/10/08 -- Happy 39th Birthday! 5 bilobar liver mets
02/09: Colectomy, liver resection, HAI pump implanted, 7 of 42 nodes
7 months of FUDR and 5FU ended 11/2/09
10 years NED.

vancouver eve
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Location: Vancouver

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby vancouver eve » Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:01 pm

What about others with lung mets? What treatment did you do?

Karen T

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby Karen T » Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:54 pm

In November 2003 I was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer....I had a right colonectomy. The surgeon removed a small tumor from the outside of my liver while he had me opened up. I had 2 positive lymph nodes out of 25. Also, there were two small remaining possible tumors in my left liver lobe. I had chemo and the tumors shrank to being practically invisible. My oncologist was very excited by this, as only 40% of patients responded to regular chemo. Avastin was not yet available for this chemo round. The oncologist told me he wanted to probe the liver and destroy the spots that were still visible, but I opted for a second opinion at Duke, and 6 months later in July 2004, had the larger lobe of my liver removed. The surgeon said there were still small tumor fragments that had not been killed by the chemo. Since I had no peritoneal involvement, and a low Cea level (8), which went down after each surgery, things were looking good. Unfortunately, there was a spot that had appeared on my right lung, which they suspected to be cancerous, and it started growing right after I finished by second round of chemo with Avastin. I had a surgeon at Duke remove it, with little fuss, and that was in March 2006. The surgeon said he saw nothing else in the lungs.

It is now January 2009. My Cea level is <1 and my catpet scan have been cut down to every 6 months, instead of every 3. I have reached 5 years, 3+ of them disease free.
The literature suggests that recurrence in Colon cancer comes early on. The further one gets from the time of Stage IV diagnosis, the much higher the survival. If you make it to 5 years, there is an over 85% chance you will be alive another 5 years. The studies could make no further assumptions regarding survival, as they worked the the data they had, which covered only a certain number of years.

Md Anderson has a surgeon that has shown very longterm survival for patients who qualified for liver surgery. He even said he was astounded . So, there is Hope. Karen T.

Fredfc3

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby Fredfc3 » Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:38 am

Hi folks,

First timer here, asking inquiring for help. I think I've been too head strong. I'm a stage four-or diagnosed at 35/June 2007. I've bounced like a ping pong from dormant to active no blood marker to blood markers. Recently A more cancer in my live and like I said Blood Markers were there were none and then chemo again and thing have shrunk and plateaued, but my wife went in for major spinal and neurosurgery, so someone had to be the caretaker.

I haven't gone for help like the extra stuff my cancer center offers and should exercise more then my walk in the park when I can. My liver looks like a light brite or the stars up in the sky out in the country so surgery has been out of the question. I'm going to read more here at the Colon Club. I just feel kinda on my own even though my dad was diagnose with the same cancer, but her was stage 3 and now called a cure.

Thanks,
Fred

pamela b

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby pamela b » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:10 pm

My husband as well was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in January08 with six postive lymph nodes. He has since had surgery as well as 6 months of chemo with 12 months of avastin. All scans since initial surgery have come back clear with his cea level at 1.8. He continues blood work every 2months and scans every 3 to 4 months. We are praying the cancer stays away and are hopeful after reading so many postive posts.

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Terry
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Location: Silver Cliff, Wisconsin

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby Terry » Mon Feb 15, 2010 4:29 pm

cptmac, do you realize that when you originally posted this you were coming up on 4 yrs NED and now your coming up on SEVEN! Woo hoo!:)
DX 7/3/07
Chemo, radiation, 20 mo. chemo, IMRT, cyberknife, 6/11 lobectomy.
1/16 resection perm. colostomy intraop. rad.
PET 2/12 nose, thyroid, liver, lngs
Folfox 3/12
Lord I know You'll keep me here until
you know I cannot suffer any longer!

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dianetavegia
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Facebook Username: Diane Weldy Tavegia
Location: Villa Rica, Georgia

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby dianetavegia » Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:56 pm

These stories are amazing! I clicked on the profiles of many of you and see you are still healthy and going strong!
Stage III cc surgery 1/7/09. 12 tx FOLFOX
Stage IV PET = 1.5cm liver met. HR 4/11/12

14 years since dx and 11 years post liver resection.
Pronounced CURED and discharged by onc

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.” Psalms 30:2

SkiFletch
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Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby SkiFletch » Mon Feb 15, 2010 7:38 pm

I'd like to add another story to this, not my own but my late grandmother. She was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer at age 42 in 1965. Her cancer had perforated the bowel, spread to the nearby omentum in multiple metastases, she was septic and my mother tells me she had many mets right around the primary. And she was cured with merely a right colectomy, removal of the omentums and visible abdominal tumors and lived another 44 years beyond then. No chemo, just surgery. So yes, Stage IV absoloutely is curable. My grandmother didn't quite make it to see my own diagnosis as she passed away from Amyloidosis (rare blood disorder similar to cancer) this past summer, but I'm sure if she did survive, she'd be full of confidence in me and my ability to beat this just the same way she did. It always strikes me as freaky that our cases are nearly identical except I caught mine just before perforation and sepsis. I can only hope or pray to join her and the rest of you brave souls who have slayed the Stage IV Dragon.
11/13/09 5cm Stage IV 9/25 lymph nodes w/2cm peritoneal met at 29 YoA
12/15/09 LA right hemi-colectomy
6/16/10 Folfox FINISHED
8/10/10 Prophylactic HIPEC
10/9/10 got Married :D
Still NED and living life to the fullest

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life."

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cptmac
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Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby cptmac » Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:52 pm

Yea.... It's soo good to see the longevity of Stage IV's. :D
cptmac
As long as you're alive, there is hope.
dx 7/04 stage IV
colon resection 8/04
liver resection 9/04 with HAI pump installed
Stage II trial w irinotecan as systemic and FUDR for direct chemo to liver via HAI pump
Cured since 9/04

alexsdaughter
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:07 pm

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby alexsdaughter » Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:14 pm

For those of you who have been treated at Sloan, what were the names of your physicians? My father was diagnosed this week with colon cancer. We are new to this and are trying to reach out and get information from every resource available. Doctors are telling him that it has spread, and that it is inoperable. Our other concern is that he is a kidney transplant patient on immunosuppressant medication. So, we are still learning about how this effects his treatment and survival rate. Is there anyone out there with a similar experience (Stage 4, kidney transplant patient) who was cured?????

lexern
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Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby lexern » Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:16 am

Any stage IV's out there that have cancer in only the lympth nodes...no organs?

Lexern
2/15- diagnosed RC stage 4
mets to stomach and neck LN
4/5 - Folox started

karethompson
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:14 am

Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby karethompson » Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:17 am

I was diagnosed in Nov 2003 at age 55. Colon Resection then Chemo. Liver Surgery at Duke in July 2004. Had 2 lymph nodes positive out of 24. 4 very small mets to liver. One lung nodule removed in April 2005. Have been NED since then. I am at my 7th year sicne diagnosis. Am also interested in other long term survivors out there. I have met only one really long term survivor personally. Data shows that if you survive over 5 years after diagnosis, survival at 10 years is 87%. I know there are others out there, but I assume they are busy living their lives now and they may not check on these websites. Karen T. (Female, now 62)

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Canadianmom
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Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby Canadianmom » Fri Dec 31, 2010 12:59 pm

I love this thread! Thank you for bumping it up so that it may be viewed by other members who will find it as comforting as I do. The thing about being diagnosed at Stage IV is that "prognosis" stats take your hope away. I find so much HOPE reading this thread .... I have actually reread it many times. I hope that more of our cured members will see it and post.
30/09/10 Dx mCRC/ 39 yrs old
08/11/10 liver met; Stage IV
23/11/10 PET 2 lit LNs
25/11/10 RFA to liver met
13/12/10 Folfox 6 plus Avastin.
15/03/11 After 7 rounds. NED. No further tx. 2014 still NED
Praying for patience and strength.


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