Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation????

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going with the flow
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Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:04 am

Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation????

Postby going with the flow » Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:58 pm

They scheduled me for 4 wks and I put up a fuss. Now there is an opening available 5 wks and I am scheduled for then. Anyone have it that early?

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kellywin
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Location: Northern CA

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby kellywin » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:23 pm

I did mine at 4 weeks. My surgeon was completely comfortable with that. I had no issues.
Kelly, mom 14 yo girl
Dx 11/15/12 Rectal Cancer @ age 40
Stage IIIC
5.5 weeks Xeloda & Radiation - complete 2/5/13
Colectomy 3/12/13, 7 of 14 nodes positive - no ileo
4/24/13-8/20/13 - 5 rounds Xelox, 1 Xeloda only

weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby weisssoccermom » Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:13 pm

I personally wouldn't. The older studies all said 6 weeks but the newer studies are showing that a time frame between 8-10 weeks out is more optimal.
Allow the chemoradiation to continue to work. Every surgeon I spoke to (5 of them) indicated that radiation continues to work long after the last treatment. If you go through the treatments in order to accomplish tumor shrinkage and nodal field sterilization, then why not allow the treatments to continue to function?

I find it odd that a surgeon would even consider anything sooner than 6 weeks. Are you positive that this is a board certified colorectal surgeon and not just a general surgeon who does this surgery? Verify at this site and think carefully about what type of surgeon you want doing your surgery.
http://www.abcrs.org/verify-a-physician-2/

Think carefully about what you want to do. In addition to allowing the chemorad treatments to continue working, you also want your body to have adequate amount of time to heal because the next phase, surgery, isn't a walk in the park. This is your decision....not just your surgeon's. If your surgeon isn't willing to work with you....I'd find another surgeon.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

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BrownBagger
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Location: Central NYS

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby BrownBagger » Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:34 pm

I think I was 5 weeks. This was after he did a sigmoidoscopy and noted that I'd had a complete response, i.e., nothing left of my T3 tumor. So I guess there was no point in not getting on with it. I had my LAR the day before my 51st birthday.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

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kellywin
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Location: Northern CA

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby kellywin » Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:39 pm

weisssoccermom wrote:I find it odd that a surgeon would even consider anything sooner than 6 weeks.


Mine is very well qualified and sought after and the President of a regional society for American Society of Colorectal Surgeons. There are variables and that may depend on the type of radiation you have had, any scans radiation and any results of exams. For me, my surgeon wanted to do it between 4 and 6 weeks - no longer. He was completely comfortable with 4 weeks. Surgery went very well and no complications. I'm not advocating that it is the right decision for everyone. If you have a qualified surgeon that you are comfortable with, and their advice works for you then that's most important.
Kelly, mom 14 yo girl
Dx 11/15/12 Rectal Cancer @ age 40
Stage IIIC
5.5 weeks Xeloda & Radiation - complete 2/5/13
Colectomy 3/12/13, 7 of 14 nodes positive - no ileo
4/24/13-8/20/13 - 5 rounds Xelox, 1 Xeloda only

justin case
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Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby justin case » Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:40 pm

If I remember, mine was 6weeks as I like my meat tender and full of new blood 8) .Seriously I was in a hurry to get everything over with! I had a resection and reversal in 3 weeks also.
Michael
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

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BrownBagger
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Location: Central NYS

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby BrownBagger » Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:48 pm

justin case wrote:I had a resection and reversal in 3 weeks also.


Really? Your got your reversal 3 weeks after your LAR? Mine was more like 10 weeks--and I was pushing to get it done asap.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

Cathie
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:09 pm

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby Cathie » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:02 pm

My reversal was about 7 months.

Cathie
Dx'd colo rectal cancer Oct 2002
radiation chemo November December 2002
Surgery Mar 2003 which was a temp ileo
Summer of 2003 more chemo
Ileo reversed Mar 2004
Cancer free since then

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chemo sabe
Posts: 444
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:01 pm

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby chemo sabe » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:02 pm

putting up a fuss is not in harmony with your login name. If you have confidence in your surgeon, I think you would listen to your surgeon. If you don't trust your surgeon perhaps you need a different one. I hate to sound harsh but you don't actually know any of us, nor do you know anything about our education levels or personalities. A Doctor is someone you can actually research - the people here are a group of caring folks with experience to share, but we are not surgeons and not colo-rectal surgeons with many years of experience dealing with cancer.

My surgeon was not concerned about "giving radiation more time to work". His concern had to do with the tissue he was going to resection. Radiation turns the tissue to mush. Cannot put it back together. So the idea is to pick a time after it firms up again but before it gets really hard. So talk to your surgeon again and tell us why he/she feels you are ready for surgery and why there is no need to wait longer. I believe a Doctors opinion is worth much more than the opinion of a stranger on an internet forum.
64 year old male
Diagnosed Stage 3 Rectal Cancer - T3N1M0 - Oct 2011
28 radiation treatments with xeloda
Colon resection with ileostomy Feb 2012
8 Rounds of Xelox completed Sept 2012
Ileostomy reversal surgery Oct 2012
Incisional Hernia Repair Nov 2013

weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby weisssoccermom » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:07 pm

Chemosabe - while I only had an excision, my surgeon actually wanted me to have an LAR (standard of care) in April 2007 - 7.5 MONTHS after radiation....she indicated that it was no big deal that the tissue couldn't be operated on quite successfully. Other surgeons also expressed the same reaction so I'm not entirely sure that waiting is a big deal.....at least from the opinions that I received.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

Jachut
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Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:16 pm
Facebook Username: hutchinson@aanet.com.au

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby Jachut » Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:30 am

Interesting chemo sabe - because what ended up happening to me was that reversal after nine months was successful but within a year of that it was all hard as a rock and the pouch could not distend to hold stool or contract to push it out. But it took about eighteen months post radiation to get to that point.

Jachut
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Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby Jachut » Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:33 am

And my surgeon did a loop colostomy even though its permanent because he could not safely dissect enough out of the mess for an end one. And he told me to hope I never need a hysterectomy. So Id say waiting a long time could be quite a big deal - theres loads of info out there about how difficult surgery on irradiated pelvises can be.

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BrownBagger
Posts: 7954
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby BrownBagger » Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:17 am

If you have concerns, by all means get second opinion. Chemo Sabe makes a good point--that should be obvious by this point in the thread.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

justin case
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Anyone have their resection at 5 weeks post radiation???

Postby justin case » Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:25 am

BrownBagger wrote:
justin case wrote:I had a resection and reversal in 3 weeks also.


Really? Your got your reversal 3 weeks after your LAR? Mine was more like 10 weeks--and I was pushing to get it done asap.


I had my resection on Feb. 10, 2012, and my reversal on March 3, 2012. The surgeon and I agreed the bag and I were not meant for each other. During the 3 weeks in between, I was hospitalized for dehydration, and had a blockage resulting from the original surgery. I was off work for 9 weeks, but I returned without the bag, so no one ever witnessed all that wonderful part of my life. They were privy to my enjoyment of carrying a pump with me for 6 weeks during radiation, and the cantor that is associated with such enjoyment :roll:
Regards,
Michael
P.S. I think I was done with Radiation around Dec 21, 2011 and I had adjuvant chemo of 12 rounds after reversal(5FU only)
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012


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