Beckster wrote:teacher2017 wrote:Did not like this Sloan surgeon. Told me all about my surgery before seeing my Ct scan. Basically dismissed that my lymph nodes were unremarkable. He said it is a tumor of a 60 year old. And I could get a resection or take the entire colon out and just resection the small intestine to the colon piece. To prevent more colon cancer. What on earth?!?!? Any one have this done?
Hi Teacher2017,
I am assuming that you are an educator...so am I. We both know how teachers can be...we want immediate feedback! I think that you need to be a little more specific. Where was the mass...rectum, right side, transverse, desending? My surgeon said that he normally does not see a tumor like mine until around 63 (right sided near the appendix). You can see in my signature all the information. He said 50% genetics and 50% environmental. If your CT scan and other tests state that it is localized and no lymph nodes are involved, you are probably Stage 1 or 2. Both do not involve any lymph nodes....that is a good thing. Your surgeon will probably want to do a resection and take out the part of the colon, which contains the mass. Many on this board, including me, have had a resection. That means the they are able to cure you. They took out the right side of my colon...in the hospital for two days. He told me after surgery that he got everything!
Now, depending on the pathology report after the surgery, the dr will determine if you need chemo. If it is Stage II, sometimes chemo is used as a preventative to prevent recurrence of the cancer. I took pills(Xeloda) for 6 months and had no port. It all depends on what the pathologist finds when he analyzes the specimen after surgery.
Take a deep breath! Everything will be ok. Write down all the questions you want to ask. Here are some suggestions (I used them when I spoke to surgeon).
1. How was the bloodwork and CEA level (from bloodwork).
2. Where the CT scan clear...showing no lymph node involvement or spread to liver or lungs?
3. Have them explain the surgery
4. How long will the surgery take and how long will I be in the hospital?
5. What is the preperative stage? Does he think it is Stage I, II....?
6. How long will it take for the pathology report to come back?
7. If the tumor is stage II or possible stage III, can he send out specimen to Oncotype to predict low, intermediate or high risk for chemo?
Good luck and let us know how you make out at the next appt.