Postby Swimmer22 » Fri Jun 05, 2015 8:57 am
While I no longer post frequently, I continue to read and follow the events of my peers. I want to share encouraging news that as a Stage IV patient, as of my scans yesterday, I have been NED since surgery in September 2011. I don't share this to gloat but to provide encouragement to those with this staging diagnosis. I know that when I was originally diagnosed Stage IV right out of the gate in 2010, I was very scared and discouraged. I searched these boards to find those who experienced success in treatments.
I presented with rectal cancer (Kras mutated) and lung mets in December 2010. First, I completed VATS surgery in January 2011 to remove the lung mets then onto 6 Folflox treatments. That was followed by 28 days radiation and Xeoda treating to shrink the rectal tumor. I was fortunate to have a complete response to radiation. September 2011, I had orthoscopic LAR surgery to remove the scared tumor tissue and lymph nodes (and was given an ileostomy). Pathology was clean. Next followed 12 treatments of Folfiri with my ileostomy reversal in June 2012. Fortunately, all scans have been clean since surgery in September 2011, that will be 4 years this September.
I was scanned and labs initially at 3 month intervals for the first two years following LAR surgery, then moved to every six months. Yesterday, my oncologist said one more scan a year from now and, if that remains clean, he turns me lose. No special diet, supplements or such, just a healthy lifestyle. I was fortunate to have great doctors, excellent access to treatments, and a strong faith with daily prayer to St. Peregrine (the patron saint for cancer). My prayers for the best to all my peers suffering from this tough disease.
12/10 - Rectal Cancer Stage IV
1/11 - Lung Met- VATS
3/11 - Folflox begin 6 tx.
7/11- 28 tx. chemoradiation
9/11 - LAR Surgery (Complete response to Chemo)
10/11- 12tx. of Folfiri Mop-up
7/12 - Ostomy reversed
NED since 9/1/11
3/13 -Port Removed