The Colon Club

Hi prayingof3,

Looking at the results you just posted, I'm not a medical doctor and just a layperson so it's difficult to say. To me it looks like they need to do an MRI to say for sure whether or not the cancer has metastasized, but again I don't really understand the terminology. Have you met with the oncologist to have the results explained?

I do know that spots can show up that are not cancer, my mom had spots on her lungs show up and they were labeled "watch" as well. It was kind of freaky, but then by her next scan they had gone away and the doctor said it was probably just related to a cold.

I know it can be scary to watch a cancer patient's energy go down. Before my mom started treatment, she was very very ill with symptoms from the cancer. I wondered how anyone in her condition could start treatment. But she started chemo anyway, since her blood work was good. After 2-3 treatments, her energy returned since the tumors began to shrink. Now after 8 rounds of FOLFOX she is really energetic, almost back to normal. She's able to eat and exercise normally. I know it seems counterintuitive based on all of the stigma around chemo, but in her case chemo really helped alleviate the painful symptoms she was experiencing.

I saw earlier your husband was wondering about working. My mom's oncologist told her that many people work throughout FOLFOX, with the exception of a day or two off at a time during their weakest days. My mom is retired so it's not an issue for her, but the doctor was trying to alleviate our concerns about the severity of symptoms. Still, I would imagine my mom could have managed some days of work in there if need be. She has been able to even watch my two very energetic preschool-age children now and again! Of course- everybody responds differently to treatment and with some surgery as part of your husband's treatment plan I'm sure some time off will likely be appropriate.

I'm sorry you are going through this, I know first hand how tough it is. Glad you found this place!

prayingof3 wrote:..If anyone could shed anymore light on these results, please do! Thanks again!

All I can say is that the term 'nodule' seems to be a catch-all term that the doctors use whenever they see someting on the scan but they don't have the foggiest idea what it is. If they knew what it was they would use a more accurate term like cyst, atelectasis, hemangioma, etc.

I think you just have to wait until they do a test or type of scan that will give more definite information. Meanwhile, try not to worry if they are just talking about 'nodules' and 'lung thingies'.

I had a spot on my liver that they ordered a MRI with contrast to investigate further. Turned out to be a hemangioma, harmless.

I have a small 4mm nodule in my long that was seen in the May, 2017 scan. My oncologist is certain it's scarring of inflammation but is monitoring. I had a repeat scan July that showed no change. Dr. said cancer can double in size in 3-4 months. Too small to biopsy and too small for pet scan to pick up. So we have to wait and see if it grows.

Your husband's nodules could've been there for years caused by and infection in the past. He will be watched for any changes. There are some characteristics that a!low the radiologist suspect cancer and would be stated in report. Right now they don't know.

Thanks for the replies!! Several of you have asked about the oncologist. Well, we don't have one yet. Apparently the way they do things around here is you start with the colorectal surgeon first and they stage you after surgery and then you are sent to the oncologist after. The colorectal surgeon right now is the one ordering all the scans and giving us the results. I don't know how comfortable I feel with that, but apparently this is the way they do it. I would rather have already met with an oncologist beforehand.

And thanks to all of you that replied about his CT results. I'm being positive and trying to think that the spots found on liver and lungs will turn out to be nothing! His MRI is scheduled for Friday, so hoping we get results for the liver later that day. And it is looking like the surgeon will be scheduling his surgery after getting these results and he also said that even if that turns out to be cancer in the liver that he will also remove it during surgery. So this is good news right?

Honestly, I am trying so hard to stay positive for my husband and my kids, but this is taking a toll on me for sure. My heart goes out to all of you and your families that are dealing with this! Thanks again so much for the support on this board and I will continue to update as I get information.

Here is a link to a signature template. You can use this to set up a signature for summarizing the main points of.your DH's diagnosis, staging, etc.

http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=52681&p=421597#p421597

prayingof3 wrote: I want to learn as much as I can before we see the doctor so that I will half way understand what they are talking about and know what questions to ask...

Here is a link for some questions to ask the doctor/oncologist:
http://coloncancersupport.colonclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50520&p=388015#p388015