Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

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

Postby Laurettas » Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:10 am

Thank you Mummabear for being willing to talk about the reality that many of us have had to face. My husband, like yours had extensive lymph involvement, as well as peritoneal involvement, so his surgery was only able to remove the initial tumor in his colon. Sometimes I wish the doctors would be more upfront about the reality for those in this situation as well. I sometimes felt as though we were being given false hope. Made it difficult to make good decisions.

I will look forward to reading you new thread if you start it. It could be very helpful for many.
DH 58 4/11 st 4 SRC CC
Lymph, peri, lung
4/11 colon res
5-10/11 FLFX, Av, FLFRI, Erb
11/11 5FU Erb
1/12 PET 2.4 Max act.
1/12 Erb
5/12 CT ext. new mets
5/12 Xlri
7/12 bad CT
8/12 5FU solo
8/12 brain met
9/12 stop tx
11/4/12 finished race,at peace

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

Postby Helen » Fri Apr 19, 2013 11:19 am

Hello All~I am bumping this to see if we can get more input and to see if a new thread is being started as mummabear suggested.


Helen
My partner of almost 18 years ***Wife as of July 1 2013***Pam was dx in Nov 2011
Stage IV advanced mCRC
Nov 2011 colostomy
Feb 2012 Folfiri
March 2012 Erbitux
May 2012 3 blood clots
June 2012 Lovenox
May 2013 FOLFOX
Dec 19 2013 My beloved was set free

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

Postby Mummabear » Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:14 pm

I just started a thread....A day in the life living with inoperable stage IV CRC....for everyone dealing with this disease at the advanced stage that surgery of any type to remove the cancer is not an option.

Love and prayers to you all,
Colleen -aka mummabear <3
Husband diagnosed stage 4 rectal cancer 4/2012 at age 41
Rec,col, lymph, liver, lungs & spleen
Ileostomy April 2012
12 oxaliplatin, 5fu,leukavorin, avastin
21treatments chemo
Avastin -discontinued
Free from cancer 01/20/14 rest in peace my love

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

Postby prissysis » Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:52 am

Diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer in January '13. I had 4 cycles of chemo first to try to stop or shrink everything, then 26 days of radiation to further shrink the primary colon mass, which was small grapefruit size, surgery in August to remove everything involved, and now I'm taking my last 7 cycles of chemo -- they say as an "insurance policy" although I am declared cancer-free after surgery. My colon surgeon, liver surgeon, gynecology surgeon, and radiologist all have indicated they believe I'm a Stage IV who can be cured (my oncologist is the only one who won't step out and say that...she says she doesn't have the luxury to speculate until I'm done with her chemo). I had a small met to the liver in a very operable area, and the tumor had pushed into the ovary, so I had a full hysterectomy, plus the colon resection. All of this was done in one 8-hour surgery in August. The initial chemo in the spring worked well, and the radiation, pretty much killed the cancer in the primary mass, but it still had to be removed of course. My pathology report after surgery showed no cancer cells in any of the wide margins they took, and showed the 26 lymph nodes removed to be "clear." For this reason, my colon surgeon verbalized to me in the hospital that she really doubted my cancer would recur. My liver surgeon, who is more reserved and cautious with his words, said that there ARE Stage IV patients who are cured, and he believed I very well may be one of those. The gyne. surgeon said, I had the best possible outcome and he was also very optimistic, although admitted he wasn't the expert on colorectal cancer. So I believe a Stage IV can be cured, yes sir! The factors they gave me for this: cancer could be surgically removed, chemo was a success, I am young and healthy (54!...but their words), no side issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc., and I have a positive demeanor. Was happy to find some of you others have seen success!

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

Postby DucFanDan » Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:19 pm

I was dx'd with Stage IIIB RC in Feb 2012. Radiation+chemo+surgery. They now see a single spot on my lung. It's too small to biopsy, but it grew 1mm in 4 months.

Appointment with my onc is next week, to find out his take on how soon we should act, whether surgery alone is an option, or whether chemo is necessary.

It kinda scares me to think I may be reclassified as Stage IV. :shock:

Just wanted to say, thanks to all who have shared their stories of long-term survival after a stage IV dx. There may not be a "cure" in the fullest sense of the word, but individuals getting 10 years or more beyond that diagnosis is good to hear. Especially when I'm sitting at work staring at a computer screen wondering "should I even be here?" The shorter/worse the long-term prognosis, the more I am tempted to cash in the 401k, bail out of work, and spend the rest of my time with my wife. Not saying I'd give up on life; I'd still finish my sport pilot certificate, fly as much as I can, work on the cars and motorcycle... just not sure how much time should be devoted to building my career. Thankfully, I read encouraging things here.
DX 2/13/12 - Advice: Don't get a colonoscopy on the 13th.
Stage IIIB RC
Xeloda + rad pre-op
Bowel resection
XELOX post-op
1 spot on lung at 6/2013 CT scan; grew ~1mm in 10/2013 scan... plan of attack in the works.

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

Postby LKGower » Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:25 am

Prissysis - absolutely love your story and positivity!

It's alway a bonus when your dr's believe you can be cured. Seems like we had a similar diagnoses.. I didn't have the hysterectomy though given my age, so makes me a little nervous about reoccurrence in that area. My colon and liver surgeons were known to be perfectionists (always good to hear) so they were both so confident with themselves when they said they got it all (well anything visible or suss). My oncologist as well is very cautious with what he says but I also think he'll give me a good answer when I'm done with chemo (hoping only 3 months).

I believe you have to be optimistic in our/everyones situation.. I hope you continue to get positive feedback and may you stay disease free forever! :)

Lisa
Dx 10/12 @ age 28 Stg. IV CRC spread to both ovaries, bladder and liver
Surgery 11/12 - 8/16 LN positive
9/13 Liver resection & RFA - 1/1 LN positive
10/13 boo its back already! Back to chemo

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

Postby dianetavegia » Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:57 am

DucFanDan, You'd be restaged for Stage IVa which is a new subset of staging for those who have 1 or very few small mets and can have surgery with curative intent.

I was up staged to Stage IVa 20 months ago and had a liver resection 18 1/2 months ago. Still NED as of last week.

Stage IV colon cancer is divided into stage IVA and stage IVB.

In colon cancer, if the cancer has spread only to the liver and if surgery is possible–either before or after chemotherapy–the patient has a chance of complete cure.

Stage IVA: Cancer may have spread through the colon wall and may have spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. Cancer has spread to one organ that is not near the colon, such as the liver, lung, or ovary, or to a distant lymph node.

Stage IVB: Cancer may have spread through the colon wall and may have spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. Cancer has spread to more than one organ that is not near the colon or into the lining of the abdominal wall.
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

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

Postby DucFanDan » Thu Oct 24, 2013 2:55 pm

Thanks for the info, Diane! I see in your sig they did no adjuvant chemo. If they cut it out and this spot turns out to be a met, I'm hoping the surgery alone is considered enough. XELOX was not exactly fun... I still have significantly reduced sensation in my fingers, and very little feeling on the bottoms of my feet. Typing takes me longer than it used to, but at least I have enough feeling to operate the controls of my motorcycle and the Piper Cub I'm learning to fly.

20 months since they found it, eh? I will raise a glass to you tonight, that you may have many more NED years! Image
DX 2/13/12 - Advice: Don't get a colonoscopy on the 13th.
Stage IIIB RC
Xeloda + rad pre-op
Bowel resection
XELOX post-op
1 spot on lung at 6/2013 CT scan; grew ~1mm in 10/2013 scan... plan of attack in the works.

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

Postby Kathryn in MN » Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:04 pm

dianetavegia wrote:DucFanDan, You'd be restaged for Stage IVa which is a new subset of staging for those who have 1 or very few small mets and can have surgery with curative intent.

I was up staged to Stage IVa 20 months ago and had a liver resection 18 1/2 months ago. Still NED as of last week.

Stage IV colon cancer is divided into stage IVA and stage IVB.

In colon cancer, if the cancer has spread only to the liver and if surgery is possible–either before or after chemotherapy–the patient has a chance of complete cure.

Stage IVA: Cancer may have spread through the colon wall and may have spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. Cancer has spread to one organ that is not near the colon, such as the liver, lung, or ovary, or to a distant lymph node.

Stage IVB: Cancer may have spread through the colon wall and may have spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. Cancer has spread to more than one organ that is not near the colon or into the lining of the abdominal wall.


You do not get restaged. The pathologic stage from original dx is always your staging. It is just "recurred." So someone who was a stage IIIB and has a recurrence is a stage IIIb recurred. Also the difference between IVa and IVb has nothing to do with curative intent - it has to do with whether the spread is to just one location or spread to more than one location. You could still eventually have surgery with curative intent even with IVb. Or you can be a IVa yet, not expected to ever reach curative intent, depending on how much cancer is in the area it spread to (like a liver completely full of mets everywhere like my ex's fiance had).
CRC AUG09 Age 47
Sig Res T4a N2a Mx, KRAS mut codon13
Mets bones & nodes
FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, Avastin, Radiation
Irinotecan, Zaltrap & STAR RFA
APR13 pleurisy & ascites - more chemo & draining
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kathrynblume

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

Postby dianetavegia » Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:17 am

Sorry Kathryn but it depends on which doctor you ask. My oncologist and surgeon say I am now a Stage IVa and no longer Stage IIIB.
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

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

Postby GreenMonkey » Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:13 am

DucFanDan,
Can you tell me more about your plan of attack for the lung mass. I mm change from June to October doesn't sound like cause for concern. I am saying this because I have two spots on my lungs that were detected in June and have been monitored via CT. A 1mm change in my reports is listed as "stable"
RC - T3NXMX depth of invasion 3mm - diagnosed 5/26/13 age 53
High Dose, Internal Radiation at Johns Hopkins resulted in a PCR
LAR 9/10/13 - 0-26 nodes. CEA 1.9 post surgery
XELOX started 10/21/13(8 rounds)
11/14 NED
greenmonkeytales.blogspot.com

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

Postby Kathryn in MN » Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:25 am

dianetavegia wrote:Sorry Kathryn but it depends on which doctor you ask. My oncologist and surgeon say I am now a Stage IVa and no longer Stage IIIB.


Rectal cancer, unlike most cancers, has a clinical staging and a pathological staging. I guess I really don't know the complete dialogue for clinical staging, but pathologicial staging (which almost all of us use) is never changed/upgraded. You always remain your original stage, and if you have a recurrence, it is that stage "recurred." This is the terminology used by the NIH and other authorities (like the ACS), not mine. For CRC the treatment is the same either way. The difference comes in statistics, but that is all.
CRC AUG09 Age 47
Sig Res T4a N2a Mx, KRAS mut codon13
Mets bones & nodes
FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, Avastin, Radiation
Irinotecan, Zaltrap & STAR RFA
APR13 pleurisy & ascites - more chemo & draining
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kathrynblume

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

Postby dianetavegia » Fri Oct 25, 2013 12:17 pm

From live chat on Cancer.gov I got:
Generally, the stage is determined at the point of a person's initial diagnosis. For example, when first diagnosed, it sounds like the doctors said this was stage IIIB. Usually, when cancer comes back after being in remission, the stage is considered to be "recurrent" since the cancer has come back after the initial diagnosis and treatment.


Some doctors also will use the Stage I-IV numbering system even in a situation of a recurrence in order to help explain the extent of cancer in the body. For colon cancer, you can read about the staging in the links below. If cancer has spread to the liver, that is usually considered to be Stage IV because the cancer has become metastatic (meaning that it has traveled through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system to reach a distant organ).


Looks like it depends on the doctor and it does say staging terminology tends to evolve every 8 to 10 years and is not accepted by all doctors in all areas.

Curiously, my 'stats' are better now than when I got my original dx. Stage IIIB with T2N1M0 (COLON).
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

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

Postby Jette » Thu Jan 07, 2021 6:23 am

I’ve read enough to know the outlook isn’t wonderful but it’s a nice break from the doom and gloom to be able to read some positive stories. Thank you for this thread.
Supporting my sister:

Age 39 years Dx stage 4/lung nodules November 2020
Colostomy Nov 2020
Modified Folfox6 December 2020-August 2021
Radiation July-August 2021
Total Colectomy September 2021
-currently waiting to start adjuvant chemotherapy.

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justme123
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Re: Any Stage IV's that have been cured?

Postby justme123 » Thu Jan 07, 2021 5:31 pm

Me. Diagnosed in 2007. Ascending colon removed and 7 rounds of chemo “killed” tumors in liver. They resurfaced 9 mos later. Right lobe of liver removed in January 2009 where there were 3 tumors. Followed by 12 rounds of FOLFIRI plus Avastin. No more cancer.
Stage IV Colon Cancer 11/20/07:
3 small mets right lobe liver
colon resection 11/25/07
7 rounds chemo
3/14/2008-PET shows no evidence of active disease
1/07/2009-PET shows active 1.8cm liver tumor
1/20/2009-Right lobe of liver and gallbladder removed
NED!


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