Cause of colon cancer discovered

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Atoq
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:31 am

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Atoq » Mon Feb 12, 2018 12:53 pm

But isn’t rectal cancer growing very slowly? Can really something that happened three years ago or last year be the cause?

Claudia
1972, 2 kids
Dx rectal cancer 10.2017
T3N2aMX (met left lung 8 mm)
Lynch neg
CEA 1.8
Neoadjuvant chemoradio Xeloda + 25x2 Gy
05.12.17 laparotomic surg. for blockage, colostomy
25.01.18 laparotomic lar, hysterectomy, ileostomy
05.03.18 core needle lung biopsy
07.05.18 CAT scan, lung met 11 mm
04.06.18 ileo reversal
26.06.18 wedge VATS
24.08.18, 31.02.19 CAT scan
12.09.18, 06.02.19 scope, CEA 1.6
19.11.18 scope
20.08.19 CAT, eco
13.09.19 scope, CEA 1.2
18.03.20 CAT, eco, scope, NED
29.11.20 CAT, NED
2023 NED

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby NHMike » Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:04 pm

I can tell you that I felt it growing week by week. It can definitely accelerate.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Rikimaroo » Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:16 pm

eh? how you feel it growing? tumors have no nerves or feelings, I never felt mine until I noticed blood, then I knew something was up. But still didn't feel it growing.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby NHMike » Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:26 pm

The pressure that it created trying to go to the bathroom. It also popped out a few times.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Rikimaroo » Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:49 pm

What? I am confused, sorry. I mean my tumor is 9cm from anal verge, so how can it pop out? Yours is high up to mid rectum right?
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby NHMike » Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:53 pm

Rikimaroo wrote:What? I am confused, sorry. I mean my tumor is 9cm from anal verge, so how can it pop out? Yours is high up to mid rectum right?


My surgeon said that my tumor was extremely motile. I think that it means that it moved around a lot. It could pop out and it got stuck a few times. I put on a glove and pushed it back in.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Rikimaroo » Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:39 pm

Damn bro that is scary as hell. Well thank god its gone now. Chemo is really tough. My 5th round coming on Wednesday Valentines day,....booo...

I am feeling better today and starting taking stool softener so I don't get the constipation cause that is brutal. Still get the stomach cramps/shocks every now and then. Oxi is annoying, hate that closing up of the throat feeling.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

rockhound
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:00 pm

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby rockhound » Mon Feb 12, 2018 4:02 pm

Rikimaroo wrote:For Colo rectal Cancer, I think its mainly what you eat and how your lifestyle is in regarding movement. If you sit all day and don't get up to allow blood circulation, or eat a lot of red meat, and drink a lot of alcohol I think this contributes more heavily then this study.

Most docs I know have said high consumption, especially grilling open fire of meats increases the carcinogenic activities in the meats. Plus sitting down all day doesn't help either LOL...



real hard to pin down cause and effect. I am sure the Lynch syndrome was the main reason my polyp grew when it did (Lynch can lead to polyps that can become cancer in a year), but could it have been also related to too much beer in college and/or later? I exercise 50-60 min/day, swimming and weights. Generally eat fine, drink coffee, etc. Yet still I got the cancer (so again Lynch was driver?). My 70's yr old father who also carries the Lynch gene basically lives on steak/hamburger/any cooked red meat (esp. grilled!), potato chips, and cheap beer. He's had some polyps, at age 74, but nothing else... so again, real hard to pin down cause and effect even if there is a great amount of data showing something can occur (like what Rikimaroo mentions re: red meat and sedentary lifestyle and how they do increase cancer risks).

This study is interesting, but way more follow-up work needs to occur and more data needs to be generated (so hard to control and pin down causes of biological processes in real people, given all the possible external and internal variables). Esp. in the context of the much higher rates of those of younger folks getting it that are not getting it due to some kind of preexisting condition like Lynch syndrome. I do think diet and environment likely play a role and might exacerbate random mutations (and aging-related degenerative changes) when they occur, but I'm not a biologist.
45 yr old male
Diagnosed December 2016, age 41
Stage 1/IIA rectal cancer - T2/3N0M0 via MRI (MRI indicates stage 1; onc/surgeon = stage 2a)
Lynch syndrome, MSH6 mutation, MSI
2 to 3/2017 Xeloda + Radiation
5/10/17 - Robotic LAR with temp. loop illeostomy, 0/20 lymph nodes
6 to 7/2017 - Six cycles Folfox @ full strength
9/20/17 - Ileostomy takedown
10/17 - CT, NED
5/18 - CT, NED
11/18 - CT, NED
5/19 - CT, NED..moving to yearly CT scans
5/20 - CT, NED
5/21 - CT, NED (4 yr. scan)

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Rikimaroo » Mon Feb 12, 2018 4:51 pm

We are just unlucky, cries....No more casinos for me unlucky there too. LOL
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

zx10guy
Posts: 233
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 12:54 pm

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby zx10guy » Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:39 pm

Did anyone catch where the sampling they did was only on those with established genetics which would lean towards a higher risk of colon cancer? They only looked at those with FAP. While the theory sounds good, I would hesitate to make a broad correlation across all population sets of those that do develop CRC. Another case of a media outlet looking to create "click bait".

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Shana
Posts: 401
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:45 pm
Location: Sonoma, CA

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Shana » Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:53 pm

NHMike wrote:
Rikimaroo wrote:The statistics to get colorectal cancer at my age 39, is very low, I think like 2.4 percent I read somewhere. It is defintely some mutation or that one month in october of 2016 where I ate sausage every day cause we had like 40 left over from a bday party for my daughter. Who knows though really. I mean that year the the year before 2015 i ate alot of red meat and stuff, and sedentary lifestyle even though I am not fat.

You just never know, I mean I think I was still active enough to not get cancer, but I wonder all the time, why me and how the hell did this happen. I know people who eat way worse then me and big around the waistline and still no issues. I mean not sure what there old age will bring but always wonder you know guys.

We will keep the good fight, I just want to survive for my kids.


I had the flu from about November 2016 to April 2017 and I attribute my cancer to that. Might have been weakened immune system, stomach bug that introduced something bad into my digestive system or the body just not being able to cope with work and illness at the same time. But that seems to be the most obvious trigger to me for me.


I understood that CRC tumors are slow growing and develop in 5-7 yr range for the most part which is why routine screening can eliminate polyps before they develop into cancer. Hindsight is 20/20 and of course I should have been screened much earlier rather than waiting for symptoms etc. Has anyone read about stress contributing to cause of CRC because I've sure had a lot of that over the past 10 years.

Obviously our current screening recommendations of 50 yrs plus is too late for those diagnosed in their 30's and 40's as well as those even rarer diagnosed in their 20's. I hope to advocate for earlier screening protocol as part of my participation in Call on Congress in DC next month. We need to catch this disease in younger people at earlier stages!

I know I eat smarter and more organically today. I used to just go the gym but now I also work out with a trainer twice a week to maintain muscle mass and strength. I try to carpe diem each good day and I don't sweat the small stuff anymore.
DX - 12/16
MSS - KRAS wild
Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma at splenic flexure
Stage IV CC with liver mets
5FU - Failed twice - 1/17 and 3/17
Irinotecan + Cetuximab: 8/17
Irinotecan and Erbitux ran it's course. CEA rising
Primary tumor invaded tail of pancreas and spleen. Liver mets major concern
Y-90 radioembolization on 9/17/18, liver enzyymes have dropped. 10 Radiation treatments to primary tumor completed too. CT scan Nov to assess overall situation...

AlexMichelle
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:54 am
Location: California

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby AlexMichelle » Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:27 am

I have been a vegetarian for 40 years. I have exercised a lot most of my life. The genetic testing results just came back and no Lynch - no markers. Three years ago, I stopped drinking Diet Coke, but before I stopped drinking them, I drank two every day. Maybe that contributed? I drank wine moderately. Drank coffee. I was always told I was at the lowest risk of colon cancer and thought of all the cancers, that was the one I would not get. My mother died at age 43 of a malignant brain tumor. If stress is a contributor, I had a lot of that the past 20 years. Also, I had severe gallstone attacks and subsequent gallbladder surgery one year ago this month and then bile duct surgery last April. Started bleeding in September, so I wonder if the stress and pain from those two surgeries contributed or was it growing for years and had nothing to do with it. Ironically my gallbladder surgery was performed at a Cancer Center and I remember thinking how grateful I was not to be there for cancer, not knowing I would be diagnosed with cancer five months later. It's been 3 months since I had open surgery for colonrectal resection and I'm dealing with part of the incision not healing, deep and open, after spitting a stitch. Keeping it covered with ointment and gauze after two cauterizations. The fun just never ends. Hope we all find out the cause and cure very soon.
F 9/14/17 blood, 10/05/17 endoscopy/colonoscopy 4.5 cm tumor lower colon/upper rectum/left side -11/09/17 open Rectosigmoid Colon Resection remove invasive adenocarcinoma, moderately diff marg clear.15 lymph nodes neg malignancy. benign liver w/fibrous nodule- rectum at 15cm Tumor location: above peritoneal reflection 4.2 x 2.7 cm Tumor inv muscularis closest 1.5 cm. pT2pNO Stage 1. No Lynch

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Shana
Posts: 401
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:45 pm
Location: Sonoma, CA

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Shana » Tue Feb 13, 2018 1:20 am

AlexMichelle wrote:I have been a vegetarian for 40 years. I have exercised a lot most of my life. The genetic testing results just came back and no Lynch - no markers. Three years ago, I stopped drinking Diet Coke, but before I stopped drinking them, I drank two every day. Maybe that contributed? I drank wine moderately. Drank coffee. I was always told I was at the lowest risk of colon cancer and thought of all the cancers, that was the one I would not get. My mother died at age 43 of a malignant brain tumor. If stress is a contributor, I had a lot of that the past 20 years. Also, I had severe gallstone attacks and subsequent gallbladder surgery one year ago this month and then bile duct surgery last April. Started bleeding in September, so I wonder if the stress and pain from those two surgeries contributed or was it growing for years and had nothing to do with it. Ironically my gallbladder surgery was performed at a Cancer Center and I remember thinking how grateful I was not to be there for cancer, not knowing I would be diagnosed with cancer five months later. It's been 3 months since I had open surgery for colonrectal resection and I'm dealing with part of the incision not healing, deep and open, after spitting a stitch. Keeping it covered with ointment and gauze after two cauterizations. The fun just never ends. Hope we all find out the cause and cure very soon.


I don't believe there are any hard fast rules for avoiding this disease other than earlier screenings and more often if they find polyps. I read reports from NIH and other reputable sites which encourage plant based diets... yet here you are.. so go figure.. sighs

I started calling this my "New Abnormal" because there's nothing normal about any of this. Hoping for more treatment options and a cure too!
DX - 12/16
MSS - KRAS wild
Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma at splenic flexure
Stage IV CC with liver mets
5FU - Failed twice - 1/17 and 3/17
Irinotecan + Cetuximab: 8/17
Irinotecan and Erbitux ran it's course. CEA rising
Primary tumor invaded tail of pancreas and spleen. Liver mets major concern
Y-90 radioembolization on 9/17/18, liver enzyymes have dropped. 10 Radiation treatments to primary tumor completed too. CT scan Nov to assess overall situation...

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby mpbser » Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:39 am

IMO, diet soda most likely was the culprit.

Aspartame has been linked with cancers including colon cancer. In fact, I worked in the Regulatory Compliance Department of a bio-engineering company with a woman who used to work at the FDA during the time of its approval. The science showed that it should NOT have been approved but the politics and money behind it pushed it through.

Here's one of many interesting pieces about the history of aspartame: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-g ... 05581.html
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

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Shana
Posts: 401
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:45 pm
Location: Sonoma, CA

Re: Cause of colon cancer discovered

Postby Shana » Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:41 am

mpbser wrote:IMO, diet soda most likely was the culprit.

Aspartame has been linked with cancers including colon cancer. In fact, I worked in the Regulatory Compliance Department of a bio-engineering company with a woman who used to work at the FDA during the time of its approval. The science showed that it should NOT have been approved but the politics and money behind it pushed it through.

Here's one of many interesting pieces about the history of aspartame: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-g ... 05581.html


I drank diet coke for years but cut out all sodas and artificial sweeteners about 12 years ago, might have already caused the damages which I am now reaping. None of my kids drink sodas thankfully and my husband prefers water, coffee or beer... not that he'd listen to my dietary suggestions anyway.
DX - 12/16
MSS - KRAS wild
Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma at splenic flexure
Stage IV CC with liver mets
5FU - Failed twice - 1/17 and 3/17
Irinotecan + Cetuximab: 8/17
Irinotecan and Erbitux ran it's course. CEA rising
Primary tumor invaded tail of pancreas and spleen. Liver mets major concern
Y-90 radioembolization on 9/17/18, liver enzyymes have dropped. 10 Radiation treatments to primary tumor completed too. CT scan Nov to assess overall situation...


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