Alcohol use since diagnosis

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angie1975
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:30 pm

Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby angie1975 » Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:58 pm

Hello fellow members, sorry I don’t post much because I don’t feel like I have much to offer to all you insightful folks but I was wondering how many of you still drink alcohol after being diagnosed? I really enjoy a good glass of wine or 2 sometimes but I have also read that that you should not drink alcohol as it increases your risk of colon cancer. Given that all of us here have already had cancer do you think continuing tdrink occasionally increases your risk of recurrence?
Angela
Stage 3 RC, DX 9/15/15
Prospect Trial, Folfox only
Surgery 2/11/16, successful w/clean margins
1/13 nodes positive
4/11/16clean scan, NED
7/13/16, CLEAN SCAN NED
7/21/21 clean scan released by Doc
6 years NED

KimT
Posts: 695
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:53 pm

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby KimT » Fri Mar 02, 2018 11:23 pm

I’m not concerned about it. I have a mixed drink or two a couple times a month.
2/10 dx colon cancer
right hemicolectomy 3/19/10
Stage 2a 0/43 nodes
Lynch syndrome
3/14/10 colon resection/ removal of metal clips
Nov 11 dx ovarian cancer

HoneyJack
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby HoneyJack » Fri Mar 02, 2018 11:59 pm

I drink wine at the very least 3x a week. Not "drunk" but a good buzz. Two bottles a week for sure.
Wife & mom
Right colectomy 4/2014 @41yrs old
Tubulovillous T2-N0-M0 0/30 nodes (located in Cecum)
Stage 1 colon well-mod differentiated
Lynch negative
NED

5/2014 Chest CT showed enlarged lymph nodes/biopsied Sarcoidosis! (Not symptomatic)
3 incisional hernias fixed 3/2016

heiders33
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:08 am

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby heiders33 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:23 am

I think when they say that they mean excessive alcohol usage. A drink here and there can’t hurt. During chemo I hardly drank at all because it wasn’t appetizing. I maybe had 1-2 glasses of red during my good week. Now that I am done I have maybe 3-4 drinks a week. I’m not worried about it.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/201 ... 366394002/
40 year-old female
May 2017: Dx rectal cancer T3N2M0
MSS, KRAS G12D
6/17: 28 days chemorad
9/17: LAR/loop ileostomy, CAPOX six rounds
3/18: reversal
9/18: liver met, resection/HAI pump, 11 rounds 5FU, 1 round FUDR
11/19 - local recurrence, brachytherapy, 3 weeks targeted radiation
12/21 - end colostomy

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby susie0915 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:42 am

I don't drink every day. But if I'm at an event with alcohol I will have a mixed drink or some wine. I didn't really during treatment just because I didn't feel like it.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Ron50
Posts: 699
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:04 pm

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby Ron50 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 8:15 am

I had cancer over twenty years ago. That is when I stopped drinking. Ron.
dx 1/98
st 3 c 6 nodes
48 sessions 5Fu/levamisole
no recurrence cea <.5
numerous l/t side effects of chemo

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

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby rockhound » Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:40 am

KimT wrote:I’m not concerned about it. I have a mixed drink or two a couple times a month.


Same here, a few beers a week, sometimes a night with two, when out with friends celebrating something. I look at it like this- I did not go through all that crap to not enjoy things I like. Alchohol is not going to cause the cancer to spread if it is still in me (and I'll regret not enjoying life if things go get worse) and I am getting yearly scopes, so while there is data that shows alchohol can help cause polyps to form faster (as stated earlier- seems to be linked to heavy drinkers), the odds are they will be caught and snipped out. Moderation...
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)

Pemba
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:52 am

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby Pemba » Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:52 am

I have not had cancer only a semi nasty polyp, but I pretty much stopped drinking after that. I sometimes drink half a glas if vine, but I always get a bit angry at myself if I drink more, I want to take good care of my body and try to prevent more polyps and eventually cancer... I know that’s not how it always works, but alcohol doesn’t provide anything good, but it can give pleasure and life enjoyment which is also very important!

I have also stopped eating red meat, though I still enjoy it on special occasion :D
Age: 26
2017: 15mm Tubulovillous adenoma- Low grade dysplasi.
Next scopy: original 2020 probably 2018-19

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

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby Atoq » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:17 am

I drink a glass of red wine in the weekend, with meals. But only if it is good wine :mrgreen:
Actually, I even found a paper stating that one red wine glass per day during radiation helped with side effects. Obviously it was from an Italian team :lol:

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

Caat55
Posts: 694
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby Caat55 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 1:52 pm

I agree with the comments of the group, do what feels good. Nothing I have read indicates moderate drinking has any connection to cancer. Stress, anxiety they are bad for head and heart which are so important to kicking this disease.
Cheers,
Susan
Do at 55 y.o. Female
Dx 9/26/17 RC Stage 3
Completed 33 rad. tx, xeolda 12/8/17
MRI and PET 1/18 sign. regression
Surgery 1/31/18 Ileostomy, clean margins, no lymph node involved
Port 3/1/2018
Oxaliplatin and Xeloda start 3/22/18
Last Oxaliplatin 7/5/18, 5 rounds
CT NED 9/2018
PET NED 12/18
Clear Colonoscopy 2/19, 5/20

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

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby NHMike » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:56 pm

I normally drink a few ounces a year. I haven't had any alcohol since diagnosis.
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

Big Jay
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2016 5:41 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby Big Jay » Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:02 pm

I stick with the "everything in moderation" philosophy. There's actually a lot of evidence that moderate drinking can have various health benefits. However, pretty much anything is bad for you when taken to extremes.
DX at 45yo 6/9/16, 2.4cm tumor, 9cm from Anal Verge, 6/27/16
Clinical staging IIIC, CEA 3.1 7/1/16
30x Chemorad 8/5/16 - 9/16/16
CT/MRI/Scope => CCR 11/1/16... Rolling the dice on Watch & Wait
Snake Eyes: Tiny regrowth at scar 11/1/17
LAR 1/17/18: Path = 3mm tumor, 0/12 nodes Med Onc doesn't recommend chemo.
Reversal 4/17/18

mhf1986
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:30 pm
Location: near DC

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby mhf1986 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:26 am

DH had a few margaritas last weekend while we were on vacation in Florida. Even had the permission of his oncologist! Perhaps a dozen a day isn't the way to go because it would too much pressure on liver.
Caregiver to DH, dx @ 50, mets to liver/lungs, MSS, wild
9/16 CEA 114, blockage, left hemi, perm. colostomy
11/16 port in, FOLFOX + Avastin
6/17 CEA 15, 5FU + A only due to neuropathy
11/17 CEA 38, CAPOX + A
1/18 CAPOX = hi bilirubin/bad hfs, back to FOLFOX + A
5/18 growth; Vectibex + 75% Irinotecan
7/18 CEA 23, shrinkage
10/18 CEA 28, growth of 2 liver tumors/shrinkage of few and lung nodes
11/18 Lonsurf, looking at spheres, proton, trials
11/19/18 Peace

hawkowl
Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2014 5:29 am
Location: MN/FL

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby hawkowl » Sun Mar 04, 2018 1:23 pm

I have a cocktail at sunset a few days a week, and occasionally some wine. Never drank more than this, and I don't feel it played a role for my cancer
Dx 12/2014 T3N2MX (distant LPLN) low rectal
12/2014-4/2015: FOLFOX (8 cycles)
4/2015-6/2015: 28 cycles of chemoradiation with xeloda, SBRT
8/2015: Robotic APR with iliac node dissection; path showed ypT0,ypN0 (complete pathological response).
11/2015 scans clear, CEA 2.1
11/2015 parastomal hernia repair
3/2016 CEA 1.7, scans stable...
6/2020 5 years of normal CEA and stable scans
Now dealing with pyoderma gangrenosum.
Totally disabled due to oxaliplatin induced neuropathy and dysautonomia

angie1975
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:30 pm

Re: Alcohol use since diagnosis

Postby angie1975 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:50 pm

Thank you all for the replies. Those were my thoughts exactly but wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything
Stage 3 RC, DX 9/15/15
Prospect Trial, Folfox only
Surgery 2/11/16, successful w/clean margins
1/13 nodes positive
4/11/16clean scan, NED
7/13/16, CLEAN SCAN NED
7/21/21 clean scan released by Doc
6 years NED


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