Az1971 wrote:
After the procedure, my consultant visited and confirmed all was ok. He highlighted signs of diverticulitis but did not require treatment. He also mentioned a small cluster of [I'm sure he said polyps] about a cm or so in size but there was nothing to be concerned about but it would be advised to check again in 10>15 years. Being a typical man, I heard all ok, 10>15 years and hot footed it out of there!
In 2012 I had changes in bowell, soft stools and some blood occasionally. I also lost weight but as I was actively looking to do so and was eating healthily and gym/swimming/yoga everyday, taking protein shakes etc just put it down to the fitness regime, and 'the haemorrhoids must've returned!
In April 2014, I 'hit a brick wall' in terms of energy. I had such bad fatigue I could hardly get out of bed.
I had various blood tests then an Endoscopy when they discovered the tumour. I was advised it was very 'bad' one of the worst they had seen and I would be referred for advice etc. I had a meeting with the surgeon who said the tumour was inoperable and I was referred to oncology for chemo and radiotherapy treatment. The mood then changed more positively when the oncologist said that as I was so fit, it would work in my favour as I will deal with the treatment better. No guarantee but...
Thankfully after a year of treatment, I eventually had an operation and I'm still here to type this query!
The answers I would love to establish are:
1. Can a polyp grow that fast to that size in three years?
2. Is it possible that there wasn't a polyp there three years prior but in that time a polyp grew and then developed into the tumour in that time?
3. In my medical records there wasn't polyps mentioned. Is that normal?
4. In the consultation after the sigmoidoscopy, where the 10>15 year diagnosis was made, could the small cluster referred to be anything other than polyps?
I have been advised that it is best practice to remove polyps when discovered, in fact during my last colonoscopy two weeks ago, I observed them remove one. It was after that procedure, when it was evident that that polyp had taken 2 years to grow as it wasn't there in 2016, that made me question what I was told in 2011 and that had the polyp been removed in 2011 I would have avoided this nightmare.
Any expert advice I receive would be most helpful.
Kind Regards
Az1971 wrote: He highlighted signs of diverticulitis but did not require treatment. He also mentioned a small cluster of [I'm sure he said polyps] about a cm or so in size but there was nothing to be concerned about but it would be advised to check again in 10>15 years.
weisssoccermom wrote:It's my understanding that an endoscopy only goes as far as the very upper part (beginning) of the small bowel. There is NO way that an endoscopy could discover some tumor in the colon or rectum. You state that your tumor was rectal....rectal tumors can only be discovered (scope wise) via a flex sig or a colonoscopy.
So, something doesn't make sense about this. When the endoscopy discovered the tumor, WHERE was that particular tumor located? What type of surgery did you have back in 2014?
So, I see that you answered many of my questions in response to Lee's previous post. So I am very confused by what you have posted.
You had rectal cancer, diagnosed in 2014. That couldn't have been diagnosed by an endoscopy. Now, it could have been diagnosed by a flex sig or a colonoscopy but not an endoscopy. AS for the small cluster of whatever it was, I have a really difficult time believing that ANY reputable doctor would have left polyps in a patient. Having a flex sig/colonoscopy is a preventative measure to check for changes such as growths, polyps, etc. and to PREVENT colorectal cancer, one would remove those growths, polyps, etc. Is it possible that the doctor said that there was some scarring that he noted perhaps, in his opinion, from the diverticulitis? My suggestion would be to get a copy of that report.
Let's assume that the cluster truly was a polyp....the answer is yes, it is possible in three years for something to turn cancerous and grow. We usually hear that colorectal cancer is slow growing but one thing we do know about cancer is that ANYTHING is possible. Cancer has a mind of its own and it can and does do what it wants. Even if you have a small polyp, without doing a biopsy on it, one has no way to know it's characteristics....is it aggressive, does that polyp/growth have negative factors to it, is it an adenocarcinoma or maybe something else like a squamous cell tumor?
At this point, unless you get a copy of that original flex sig report, you will have no definitive way of knowing what the doctor saw/didn't see. At this point, however, you need to make sure that you continue to get checked on a very regular basis. Not all polyps are created the same. On another note, once you have had radiation (which it sounds like you did) you are more prone to develop polyps....not ones that will necessarily turn into cancer, so don't be shocked if you find that even every 2-3 years (assuming that's your schedule for scopes) the doc finds a polyp or two.
weisssoccermom wrote:It's my understanding that an endoscopy only goes as far as the very upper part (beginning) of the small bowel. There is NO way that an endoscopy could discover some tumor in the colon or rectum. You state that your tumor was rectal....rectal tumors can only be discovered (scope wise) via a flex sig or a colonoscopy.
So, something doesn't make sense about this. When the endoscopy discovered the tumor, WHERE was that particular tumor located? What type of surgery did you have back in 2014?
So, I see that you answered many of my questions in response to Lee's previous post. So I am very confused by what you have posted.
You had rectal cancer, diagnosed in 2014. That couldn't have been diagnosed by an endoscopy. Now, it could have been diagnosed by a flex sig or a colonoscopy but not an endoscopy. AS for the small cluster of whatever it was, I have a really difficult time believing that ANY reputable doctor would have left polyps in a patient. Having a flex sig/colonoscopy is a preventative measure to check for changes such as growths, polyps, etc. and to PREVENT colorectal cancer, one would remove those growths, polyps, etc. Is it possible that the doctor said that there was some scarring that he noted perhaps, in his opinion, from the diverticulitis? My suggestion would be to get a copy of that report.
Let's assume that the cluster truly was a polyp....the answer is yes, it is possible in three years for something to turn cancerous and grow. We usually hear that colorectal cancer is slow growing but one thing we do know about cancer is that ANYTHING is possible. Cancer has a mind of its own and it can and does do what it wants. Even if you have a small polyp, without doing a biopsy on it, one has no way to know it's characteristics....is it aggressive, does that polyp/growth have negative factors to it, is it an adenocarcinoma or maybe something else like a squamous cell tumor?
At this point, unless you get a copy of that original flex sig report, you will have no definitive way of knowing what the doctor saw/didn't see. At this point, however, you need to make sure that you continue to get checked on a very regular basis. Not all polyps are created the same. On another note, once you have had radiation (which it sounds like you did) you are more prone to develop polyps....not ones that will necessarily turn into cancer, so don't be shocked if you find that even every 2-3 years (assuming that's your schedule for scopes) the doc finds a polyp or two.
muskokamike wrote:Az1971 wrote: He highlighted signs of diverticulitis but did not require treatment. He also mentioned a small cluster of [I'm sure he said polyps] about a cm or so in size but there was nothing to be concerned about but it would be advised to check again in 10>15 years.
Hope that dr has a great malpractice insurance. He dropped the ball big time with you.
Az1971 wrote:Lee mentioned that he could not believe that a reputable surgeon would leave polyps but many did. Some only took biopsy if they looked odd??
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