Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

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Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby Daniellabella » Wed May 23, 2018 11:10 pm

Hi.

My husband was diagnosed with “rectosigmoid cancer” today.

A few questions...

1. Is this colon cancer? Or rectal cancer?

2. Is treatment usually just surgery (colon cancer) or radiation/surgery (rectal cancer)?

3. My husband has a “non-circumferential mass beginning at 10-11 cm and extending for st least 6 cm proximally?
What does that really mean? Is it really bad that it’s non-circumferential? And proximal?

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Mon May 28, 2018 3:15 pm

I'm sorry you and your husband are going through this!*hugs* Whether it is rectal cancer or colon cancer depends on how high up the cancer is. My cancer was in the rectosigmoid junction but was up high enough to be considered colon cancer. I had a ct scan to check to see if my cancer had spread and an MRI to better visualize my tumor. I didn't find out final staging until after pathology was back following surgery. I didn't need chemo and have been in remission since surgery. I would ask your husband's doctors for further clarification regarding his cancer and has them for a ct scan. Good luck!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

SurvivorsSpouse
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 12:38 pm

Re: Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby SurvivorsSpouse » Mon May 28, 2018 4:04 pm

Hi.

The determination of treating as rectal or colon is generally made by where the tumor is in relation to the Peritoneal Reflection.

Treatment will depend on stage based on imaging studies. A CT scan will be scheduled and maybe an MRI. The CT scan will look for spread to other organs/structures and the MRI will give more detail on the tumor itself to see depth of penetration and the potential for a clean radial margin resection as radial margins are the most important. An Endorectal Ultrasound may be used in place of the MRI, if they can image the entire tumor (IIRC there are limits to how high this can go).

As for “extending proximal,’ that means it extends up/away from the rectum. Think of proximal in relation to the start of the colon with the rectum at the far/distal end.

Hope this helps.

Daniellabella
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed May 23, 2018 10:32 pm

Re: Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby Daniellabella » Mon May 28, 2018 5:32 pm

Thank you for both of the above replies.

Tomorrow is the appointment with the surgeon. We are both a nervous wreck!

My husband has of course had biopsies, a lung X-ray and MRI....no CT scan yet.

I’m very concerned with staging and how this will be treated.

Do you think there’s any reason he still hadn’t had a CT? Are CTs sometimes skipped if am MRI has been done?

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby Lee » Mon May 28, 2018 5:53 pm

The surgeon should be able to tell you if it is rectal or colon. Per my GI doctor, I had colon cancer, it wasn't until I saw the surgeon that I learned it was actually rectal cancer.

When you see the surgeon, ask about the CT

There will be a lot of information coming to you at once. Just try to take it one day at a time. You will find a wealth of information and support here. You are not alone here.

Know that many people are beating this cancer. It is not the death sentence it once used to be. I'm a 14 yr survivor and there are many others.

You might find this thread inspiring

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10574&hilit=Ned+how+long+stage+III

Especially the last several pages.

Welcome, sorry for the reason you are here.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby Lee » Mon May 28, 2018 7:11 pm

Forgot to add, find out if this surgeon in is a "general surgeon" or a "board certified colon rectal surgeon" , If DH has rectal cancer, you want a surgeon with the extra training (board certified) to do the job right. Rectal area is small area and sometimes general surgeon don't not have the training for this type of job.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Soccermom2boys
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:29 pm

Re: Question about rectosigmoid cancer......

Postby Soccermom2boys » Mon May 28, 2018 10:07 pm

Daniellabella wrote:Tomorrow is the appointment with the surgeon. We are both a nervous wreck!


Yes, that appointment will be mentally exhausting, but also very important for the framework of your husband’s near future. I would recommend using your cell phone to record the visit (I definitely did for the early key meetings) so that you can replay it back to make sure you correctly heard it all and/or what all the surgeon said is in the future for your husband’s treatment. Think of it as an extra set of ears. It is easy to get frazzled and overwhelmed by it all and possibly block out part of the conversation. I would also strongly urge that you have any questions you want specifically addressed also written down and physically with you, because if you don’t have them where you can literally see them, you are in all likelihood going to not ask everything you wanted to going in to that appointment (speaking from experience on that as well! :roll: ).

Good luck at the appointment tomorrow and fingers crossed that the preliminary staging is as minimal as possible.
8/3/15 Went in with a hemorrhoid, came out with a tumor
8/12/15 Biopsy from colonoscopy confirms RC (45 yrs old--zero family history!)
9/21 - 10/29/15 chemorad 28 tx (with Xeloda)
12/17/15 APR with perm colostomy
Pathology report stages me as IIIA (T2N1M0)--1/15 LN detects cancer
2/3/16 chemo port inserted
2/8-6/2/16 8 rounds of Folfox


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