Just diagnosed

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hangingtough
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:20 pm

Just diagnosed

Postby hangingtough » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:42 pm

I am new to this forum. I was diagnosed last month with stage 4A colon cancer (spread to liver). I had a colonoscopy only 2 years ago. I was diagnosed with stage IIIB Hodgkins at age 13 in 1971. It is likely that the treatment I had in those early days, especially radiation, has led to this cancer. I am still somewhat in a daze, trying to stay positive and just finished my 3rd round of chemo.

Stewsbetty
Posts: 170
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2016 7:08 am

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby Stewsbetty » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:16 am

So sorry that you are having to go through this journey again. Speaking as someone who just finished my Folfox, I know that 11 more treatments seems like an eternity. But just showing up every 2 weeks gets in done in time.
Advice that I think is important - let your dr know if the chemo is too much. I had a bad reaction near the beginning and my dose was lowered. I don't know if I would have been able to do it all at full dose. So keep in mind if things are too tough they can lower it.

Beth
42yo At diagnosis. Female in BC, Canada
Dx: CC ascending
Right Hemi colectomy 06/16 clear margins
Adenocarcinoma 6cm High Grade
pT3 pN2a Stage 3
10 out of 16 lymph involved
MSI-h, Kras mut, Braf wild
Finished chemo Feb. 2017
PET scan showing active area April 2017
July 2017 CT showing LN mass and spread to other LN
Stage 4
Aug 2017 failed Fofiri
Sept 2017 keytruda scans every 3 months showing shrinkage and stability
November 2018 CT shows only 1 small tumour left
September 2019 clear CT finally NED!!!

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:37 pm

I'm sorry you're dealing with cancer again!*hugs* I hope your chemo goes well!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

fumaros
Posts: 273
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2016 10:26 pm
Location: Syracuse, NY
Contact:

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby fumaros » Wed Mar 15, 2017 7:10 am

I am so sorry you are dealing with another cancer. Glad you found this forum as it has been very helpful for me in staying sane through this disease and gaining a lot of helpful information. You beat cancer once before, you can beat it again. Hang in there.
Diagnosed 4/8/16, age 29
Colectomy 4/20/16
Stage III, T4bN1 Tumor 7x6.5x2. Muscinous Adenocarcinoma with SRC features
2/16 lymph nodes
Stage IV, Peri mets 5/2019
CEA 4/14/16 - 16.8
CEA 6/2/16 - 1.9
CEA 6/17/16 - 0.87, 7/16 - 1.33, 12/16 - 1.14, 4/17 - 0.6, 7/17 - 0.5, 10/17 - 0.9, 3/19 -5.8, 4/19 -10
FOLFOX began 6/24/16 - 11/25/16, FOLFIRI - 5/10/19
10 round FOLFOX, 2 round 5-FU & Leucovorin, 1 round FOLFIRI
MRI & CT 8/16 - NED, CT 12/16 - 10/17 - NED

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SEWHAPPY
Posts: 86
Joined: Tue Nov 15, 2016 4:25 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby SEWHAPPY » Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:08 pm

Welcome to the forum. Hopefully you will find it full of info and support! Hugs for courage - Laurie
Female age 51.
CC diagnosed 10/13/16 at first colonoscopy.
Lap colon resection 11/21/16, removed ovary & fallopian tube.
T4N0M0, stage IIC.
Lynch negative.
Power port installed 12/19/16.
12 rounds FOLFOX done 6/16/17.

User avatar
dianetavegia
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:47 pm
Facebook Username: Diane Weldy Tavegia
Location: Villa Rica, Georgia

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby dianetavegia » Wed Mar 15, 2017 7:57 pm

Radiation tends to cause leukemia type cancers and lots of other cancers. All those CT scans..... ugh

HOWEVER, were you checked for any genetic markers that show a predisposition to many types of cancer?

Best of luck. Sorry you have to endure this again.
Diane
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

TXLiz
Posts: 249
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:31 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby TXLiz » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:41 pm

So sorry you have been diagnosed with this disease.

I am sure you are quite overwhelmed. I know I was, and still am, at times.

Hang in there and fight it. It sucks this is your 2nd diagnosis and battle.

My best to you. Come here and read and learn when you can.
Vomiting and blockage 9/19/16 46 y F
R hemi colectomy 9/20/16
Stage 3 B CRC, located in cecum
3 out of 16 lymph nodes positive
perineural invasion/lymphovascular invasion
infiltrating, mod differentiated adenocarcinoma with a mucinous component
separate tumor nodules present in pericolonic adipose tissue
MSI-high
Baseline PET scan clear 9/16 CEA 0.5
FOLFOX 10/16- 3/17
April 16th, CT scan clear. CEA 1.1
Lynch "inconclusive"
Colonoscopy 10/5/2017 clear

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Marylandmaniac
Posts: 234
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 6:22 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby Marylandmaniac » Thu Mar 16, 2017 3:44 pm

hangingtough wrote:I am new to this forum. I was diagnosed last month with stage 4A colon cancer (spread to liver). I had a colonoscopy only 2 years ago. I was diagnosed with stage IIIB Hodgkins at age 13 in 1971. It is likely that the treatment I had in those early days, especially radiation, has led to this cancer. I am still somewhat in a daze, trying to stay positive and just finished my 3rd round of chemo.



Wow sorry to hear this. I assume your colonoscopy 2 years ago was clear? 2 years seems quick for something to advance to stage 4. Make sure they do genetic testing on your tumor. If you are MSI you may have success with immunetherapy.

I was dx at age 46 with what they thought was stage 3 but then my surgeon had her guys look at my scans (there was a spot on liver that first radiologist thought was nothing but wanted me t get scanned again in 3 months). They thought my spot was a met. I had a Pet scan and it lit up. Luckily there was an radiologist at the hospital that put my port in that also suggested we do live microwave ablation. I thank God for him every day. It was outpatient and the spot is gone now. I did 6 rounds of FOlfox and then had a resection Dec 14th. I am now looking forward to my last treatment next Wednesday!!! I am bringing bagels! :) SO far all looks good and I am NED. I know I am high risk for a reoccurrence but I am trying to do everything I can to enjoy life and make my body as healthy as possible to hopefully stay NED. There is hope. Stay strong!!
DX 6/29/16 7 cm tumor, 10 cm fr av
CT scan ab,MRI abdomen - 9mm spot on liver,CT scan of chest lungs clear
Special staging MRI - clinical staging stage 3b - T3N2M0 (unless spot proves to be met)
8/11 PET scan - spot lit up not nodes
8/16 Port in, 8/17 liver microwave abltn - spot gone
8/23 6 rds FOLFOX started
PET scan 10-13 43% red of tumor and no mets shown
Exam tumor greatly reduced. Surgery 12-14-16.
Clear margins, 7 out of 13 nodes positive. Tumor 2.1 cm
Kras wild, MMS, not MSI. 6 more rds FOLFOX

hangingtough
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:20 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby hangingtough » Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:16 pm

Thanks for all the well wishes! My colonoscopy 2 years ago revealed 5 polyps, all benign and all removed. I did go to genetic counseling. There is no colon cancer in my family going back to great grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc. Except for me, there is very little cancer of any type in my family. Something went haywire during the past 2 years. When I had the diagnostic colonoscopy in February of this year, I had over 30 polyps and a large, ulcerated tumor in the transverse colon. Fortunately, no blockage. Doctors suspect this new cancer is due to the intense treatment I had in the early 70's for Hodgkins.

So far the chemo side effects have been tolerable. Blood counts still good. 4th chemo is next week.

gfpiv
Posts: 157
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 9:24 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby gfpiv » Fri Mar 17, 2017 8:53 pm

Hi there. Forgive me for the unsolicited advice, but since no one has mentioned it on this thread-
Have you considered HAI (hepatic pump) treatment? I'm not sure what your physical situation is, but for people with mets limited to the liver, it can be an excellent option for many. I won't swamp you with details, but there should be massive amounts of searchable HAI info on this site. Either way, good luck, sorry you have to go through another major health challenge like this!
-Chip
Chip
DX stage IV CC Jan '10, numerous unresectable liver mets
FOLFOX + Avastin Feb-Jul '10
Colon resection, HAI install Aug '10
Systemic FOLFIRI and hepatic FUDR Dec'10-May'12
Chemo break May'12-pres (tumors calcified & stable, knock on wood)
Billiary bypass surgery and SBRT on pesky liver met in 2015

Basil
Posts: 275
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby Basil » Fri Mar 17, 2017 9:30 pm

Hello, forty y/o male, no previous health issues. Had a requested precautionary colonoscopy yesterday. Found a mass, 99% sure is rectal cancer. Had ct yesterday and MRI today. Supposed to get report this evening but it's not available yet, which I interpret as a bad sign. Waiting is killing me. How far has it spread??
40 y/o male (now 46), kids 11 & 14.
Dx 3/16/17, rectal cancer s3,t3,n1,m0
PROSPCT trial (FOLFOX in lieu of chemorad)
FOLFOX 4/5/17 - 6/26/17
LAR 7/31/17, temp ileo
pathological complete response
Adjuvant chemo cancelled (IDEA Study)
Ileo reversed 9/25/17
NED
1 year scans - clear
2 year scans - clear
3 year scans - clear
4 year scans - clear
5 year scans - clear (considered cured)


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