Lotus wrote:...Can I not assume that the surgeon will refer me to less invasive treatment if that is in fact what can fix my issue? ...
...the most important next step is probably to contact an experienced EMR doctor for a second opinion about your condition. Be aware that if you ask a mainstream gastroenterologist or a surgeon about EMR you are likely to get discouraging answers. You need to communicate directly with EMR experts if you want to know what they can do for you."
Reference: http://www.sease.com/polyp/emr.html
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Thank you O Stoma Mia for this educational article! I learned quite a bit.O Stoma Mia wrote:Here is an article that you could read in preparation for your meeting with the surgeon on Monday:
Removing a Large Flat Colon Polyp by EMR without Surgery
http://www.sease.com/polyp/emr.html
mozart13 wrote:Radiation/chemotherapy is standard approach to shrink cancer, and maybe completely erase it. Chemotherapy combined with radiation is usually in form of pills called xeloda.
You will not get full dose, as you would if you do only chemotherapy.
I did it, it was fairly easy for me, hardlly any symptoms. Cancer was completlly erased.
There is no easy way in treating cancer.
They like to shrink cancer first, as it is easier to operate on it. When cancer is smaller there is less chance of cutting through, surgeons try to get it out in one piece without pocking through, as there is chance that cancer will multiplly very fast if pocked or cut through.
MRI will give complete picture on cancer, and stage it.
I also had short MRI and CT scan by radiation therapy team for proper staging pointing radiation therapy to the right spot.
There is big trial going on now, leading hospital is Memorial Sloan from NY, chemo/rad than chemo in form of folfox, than re-assessment if one needs surgeryor not, or chemo first(folfox), than chemo/rad, than re-assessment.
On this forum you can find a lot’s of usefull info and links:
viewtopic.php?t=53498
Right now focus on what is in front of you, that being chemo/rad, how to get most out of it, also is very important how they focus radiation, with me they told me that they gona focus on lymph nodes, even though lymph nodes weren’t involved.
Good luck to you!
mozart13 wrote:Lotus, sorry to hear about your resp. infection. Maybe change antibiotic.
Couple of weeks won’t make much difference, you are low stage, it took years for cancer to grow. Use the time to boost your immune system, maybe check if you have any cavity, as those could create problem during treatment.
All the best!
O Stoma Mia wrote:Good luck on your Monday appointment. Be sure to take good notes on what the surgeon says.
I sent you a PM. Did you receive it?
O Stoma Mia wrote:Good luck on your Monday appointment. Be sure to take good notes on what the surgeon says.
I sent you a PM. Did you receive it?
mozart13 wrote:Hi Lotus,
yes dental cavity, eliminate any kind of possible source of infection, as chemo and rad will kill your immunity.
Stage 1 usually doesnt get chemo/rad, surgery only, but my initial surgeon is very aggressive when it comes to cancer, I kind knew him personally, thats why he got picked up by me. My thought was that he would make best dessicions, and he did.
Radiologist mentioned few times that I dont need radiation, but I never commented on that, and new that he wouldnt cross surgeon.
Focus was on lymph nodes, my Radiologist dessicion, there was one questionable nodal involment(on MRI), that vanished after radiation. Wheter that node was positive or just swollen will never know.
After 25 sessions of chemo/rad, cancer was completlly erased, no scarr or any kind of demage to the site was present.
Had Colonoscopy, MRI and CT scan within 2 weeks after finished chemo/rad, all negative.
2 months after same tests were done, all negative.
Started folfox ,scheduled 10 rounds, my oncologist said that she will try to get at least 8 in me. Managed to get 8 plus 2 rounds of xeloda.
All the tests have been negative so far. Will have MRI and CT this month.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Best of the luck to you!
mozart13 wrote:Lotus, sorry to hear about your resp. infection. Maybe change antibiotic.
Couple of weeks won’t make much difference, you are low stage, it took years for cancer to grow. Use the time to boost your immune system, maybe check if you have any cavity, as those could create problem during treatment.
Surgeon is the one who makes dessicion about radiation. When I went to see my radiologist, he wasn’t trilled, per him surgery would be more than sufficient.
I also went to see some one who is very good in trans anal surgeries, but dropped that idea after reading that most of the cancers that are removed this way come back.
Problem with these earlly stages is, some times they get under diagnosed, once radiation is skipped, and surgical procedure takes place, you can’t go back, damage is done. Surgeons like to take cancer out in one piece, without pocking wholes as there is posibility of cancer spreading from surgical procedure.
If cancer is under staged, it’s more dificult to obtain clear edges without shrinking it first with radiation.
It wasn’t easy dessicion, but what I learned from my line of the work, if in doubt, to treat problems by starting high than mowing low, instead of try to chasse it all the way up, and waste valuable time and opportunity. So using that formula I pushed for radiation first, at the end it’s my life, worked very well for me.
All the best!
Lotus wrote:O Stoma Mia wrote:Good luck on your Monday appointment. Be sure to take good notes on what the surgeon says.
I sent you a PM. Did you receive it?
Yes and I answered but my pms will not send.
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