G3 in colon cancer

[Thetoad]

Hello. I've been looking up about the meaning of G3 relating to my report. It is the differentiation grade of the actual tumour cells and G3 is poor in that they tend to spread more quickly than normal cells and may require immediate or more drastic treatment. My treatment had to be emergency surgery and therefore everything was removed. Being an anxious type, I am wondering if my 5 year survival %age is lower than it would have been, or can I forget about that grading because they are no longer there? Everything has been good since surgery 40 months ago, except for my anxiety. Yes, I'm seeing a cancer councellor this month! Any reassurance will be welcome, along with prospects 40 months after surgery for T3N0M0 colon cancer, an extended right hemicolectomy.

[WriterGirl1969]

Hi Thetoad.
Congrats on being 40 months out! I totally get the ongoing anxiety. I don't think it ever really goes away. If it helps, every doctor I've spoken with notes that at 2 years out the chances of recurrence go down drastically, and life expectancy increases back to nearly normal. Then as we know 5 years is that magic number where they start using the word "cured." I can't speak to the G3 differential reference, but being that they caught it prior to spread and at Stage II is probably key. I've seen tons of long-term survivors from *all* stages, so don't let those google predictions on 5-year-survival rates for staging get to you. Dr. Google doesn't know dooky.

Hopefully soon you can give advice and encouragement to other G3 survivors on your long-term survival!
Here's to NED now and forever.

Oh, and how the heck were you able to get your signature thingy to let you put in so much?!?! Mine tells me I'm limited to 512 characters. ??? I have serious tag-line envy!!! LOL ;-D

Hugs and Prayers,
Tracy

[Beckster]

Congrats on 40 months and counting. I too had a grade 3 tumor and had the right colectomy. It was not emergency surgery but as a stage 2A, grade 3 tumor was suggestive to receive chemo. There were 6 risk factors that increase recurrence, and I had two (high grade and LVI)... obstruction, perforation, PNI and inadequate lymph nodes are others. However, I discussed the tumor grade with my oncologist....it is subjective and so is LVI. With that said, I would not worry about the grade 3 because another pathologist could grade it lower. I see that you did not receive any chemo. That is great. MD Anderson suggested that I take chemo as an "insurance policy" even though my risk factors are subjective and qualitative. My preoperative CEA was 1.9. There is alot of research out there that suggest tumor grading is qualitative not quantitative.

Wishing you many more months on being NED!

[Deb m]

My husband also had a right colectomy with moderately to poorly differentiated cell type. My husband was a stage IIbt4a though. He was also positive for lvi. Our oncologist at MDA was more concerned about the t4 rating than him being lvi or the cell type. Because of the t4, he did chemo and now over 6 years later, he is fine.

I can understand your anxiety and I'm sorry to say that no matter how far out you get, it never fully goes away, but does get a bit better. My sister is a 20 year cancer survior and she still has anxiety. I think its almost a normal response. You being over three years out being NED is a excellent sign that you are on your way to being declared cured. Hang in there!

Wishing you the best,

Deb

[Beckster]

My husband also had a right colectomy with moderately to poorly differentiated cell type. My husband was a stage IIbt4a though. He was also positive for lvi. Our oncologist at MDA was more concerned about the t4 rating than him being lvi or the cell type. Because of the t4, he did chemo and now over 6 years later, he is fine.

I can understand your anxiety and I'm sorry to say that no matter how far out you get, it never fully goes away, but does get a bit better. My sister is a 20 year cancer survior and she still has anxiety. I think its almost a normal response. You being over three years out being NED is a excellent sign that you are on your way to being declared cured. Hang in there!

Wishing you the best,

Deb

Deb

Very interesting... I am a T3N0M0 with LVI and that is one of the main reasons they put me on chemo... I also go to MDA. So I have LVI and poorly differentiated without a T4 and still on chemo. The pathologist graded my tumor as a 3 but the preoperative biopsy graded is as a 2....very subjective! What chemo did your husband take?

[Thetoad]

Thanks for the replies. They helped a lot and I also spoke yesterday to a Cancer Support person who was quite helpful too. So I do feel more confident now and will see what the councellor says later. Tracy, the only reason I can think of for my signature thingy character limit, is that I must be special or they didn't count properly.

[Thetoad]

Thanks for the replies. They helped a lot and I also spoke yesterday to a Cancer Support person who was quite helpful too. So I do feel more confident now and will see what the councellor says later. Tracy, the only reason I can think of for my signature thingy character limit, is that I must be special or they didn't count properly.

P.S. I had routine blood tests last week and my kind Dr included an 'unofficial' CEA test, which was normal. All of them have been, but still the anxiety. The real one is in about a month. I have no reason to be anxious!!
Thanks again.

[Stewsbetty]

Hello, I had a tumour near my cecum diagnosed just under a year ago. My first report after surgery labelled it as poorly differentiated cells. I had more pathology done later and the next report labelled it as moderate-poorly differentiated cells. I don't remember what the LVI is and I am away from home but I had chemo since I had 6/10 LNs involved.
Just heading out in vacation after a long year. I noticed that tomorrow is one year since I started feeling intense stomach pain and began the journey through diagnosis, surgery and chemo. Yay to end of treatment, feeling better and family vacations!

[Deb m]

My husband did folfox, last two with the oxi due to side effects. Thats what our oncologist at MDA highly recommended.

Deb