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Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:20 pm
by Basil
Nohogirl wrote:Thank you all for your replies.
The surgeon didn't seem too care much about it. I asked him if this is possibly a reoccurrence, he said it could be or not. To my question if he can do a sigmoidoscopy he answered that it won't tell him anything. He said my husband looks good and he doesn't see any reason to be worried. His cold approach frustrates me. My husband looked good before his diagnoses and to me look is not the best prediction of the illness.
Whats killing me is that when i I read about local reoccurrence in rectal cancer, it says it has a very poor prognosis and is considered terminal
My husband didn't have any colostomy bag, when 24 cm of his rectum and colon was removed, his colon was reconnected together. So to make me feel a little relieved i am thinking this was probably to much trauma for his surgery site and will take more time to heal especially he also had radiation prior to it.
To address the middle part of your post - a local recurrence is not necessarily fatal. Small sample size, but I had two friends with local recurrences and they’re both Ned. One is from the 1990s. Distant presentation is more difficult.
Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 12:47 pm
by boxhill
I think it is normal not to do PET scans so soon after surgery, because chances are they would light up with a lot of surgical changes and it would be very difficult to determine what was what. Or so I was told.
Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:18 am
by CF_69
I was just looking over my CT from September, roughly 6 months post surgery.
I just saw my oncologist for the last time (hopefully) two weeks after the scan, and approximately 2 months after I finished 4 cycles of Xeloda.
There is similar wording in my CT report:
“Mild thickening of the rectum circumferentially likely post treatment related but can be reassessed on subsequent studies”
“Presacral thickening compatible with treatment related change”
They just don’t ever want you to relax.
In the summary it says:
“Impressions: post therapeutic change appreciated at the surgical site. No evidence of intrathoracic or intra-abdominal metastatic disease.”
I guess we never really get the definite “YOU ARE FINE” that would be so, so good to hear.
Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:31 am
by Rock_Robster
CF_69 wrote:I guess we never really get the definite “YOU ARE FINE” that would be so, so good to hear.
Precisely. Unfortunately as soon as we enter the cancer world, we enter one of uncertainty - where both diagnoses and prognoses are based on statistics - stochastic models of outcomes based on large populations. No prudent oncologist will ever say any outcome is 0% or 100%, and I believe finding a way to live with that uncertainty is a key part of wellbeing during survivorship.
Best wishes for continued healing.
Rob
Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:13 am
by claudine
Unfortunately as soon as we enter the cancer world, we enter one of uncertainty
Part of the conversation I had with the onc two days ago:
Me: "I know you don't have a crystal ball, but..."
Him: "I wish I did!"
(this regarding possible traveling we want to do in April. Way too far ahead to know where we'll stand then, alas)
Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:37 pm
by Rock_Robster
Claudine wrote:Unfortunately as soon as we enter the cancer world, we enter one of uncertainty
Part of the conversation I had with the onc two days ago:
Me: "I know you don't have a crystal ball, but..."
Him: "I wish I did!"
(this regarding possible traveling we want to do in April. Way too far ahead to know where we'll stand then, alas)
Hi Claudine, absolutely right!
Although as my therapist says, uncertainty also leaves lots of room for good outcomes - which I’m happy with. I’d much rather an uncertain outcome with good potential, than a definitely bad one...
She also taught me to make “options” rather than “plans”; as in ‘next week we have the option to go away for the weekend if I’m feeling good’. Now I just need the airlines and hotels to agree with the option mindset
Re: Post surgical changes. Reoccurrence?
Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:23 am
by claudine
Although as my therapist says, uncertainty also leaves lots of room for good outcomes - which I’m happy with. I’d much rather an uncertain outcome with good potential, than a definitely bad one...
She also taught me to make “options” rather than “plans”; as in ‘next week we have the option to go away for the weekend if I’m feeling good’. Now I just need the airlines and hotels to agree with the option mindset
Haha yes I like the bit about uncertainty that can have positive outcomes!
I'm looking into travel insurances that have a waiver for pre-existing conditions. Apparently one needs to read the fine prints, since some of them make an exception for cancer (= they don't insure cancer patients...)/