Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

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DocSavage
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:00 pm

Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby DocSavage » Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:07 pm

Hi -

It's me again....
So everything has been going pretty darn well since I last checked in. Everything has been running 'hot, straight and normal' for almost three years. However, my last set of labs showed slightly elevated liver enzymes. We re-tested and they dropped a bit but were still above normals. The Pig Dr. (oinkologist) scheduled a CT scan for this week. From what I am reading (I, know a mistake) it appears this is kind of the prime time for recurrence, showing up in the liver.

It could be the statin's (Crestor) I am on - but I have been on that particular drug for 10 years or so. It is causing a fair amount of anxiousness even though there is nothing I can do but get the scan and see what's up.

Just a quick neuropathy report. My hands have pretty much returned to normal - but my feet still feel like I am wearing wet wool socks. I suspect that is a permanent situation given the time that has passed.

-Andy
Embrace The Suck
Diagnosed at age 61 - Male
DX: CC 05/19/2016
Tumor Location: sigmoid colon
Tumor type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size: 3.9cm
Tumor grade: G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
TNM code: T3N2aM(N/A)
Stage: Stage IIIc
Positive lymph nodes: 4 out of 26
Mets: N/A
Baseline CEA: 1.7
Surgical margins: clear
Primary surgery type: laparoscopically assisted sigmoid-colectomy 06/01/2016
FOLFOX started 06/22/2016
NED: 12/14/2016
Recurrence: Liver mets 6/12/2019

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waw4
Posts: 847
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 8:44 am
Location: Durham, NC

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby waw4 » Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:24 am

Good luck with your scan Andy!
-Bill
Bill's Colonoscopy 6/29/10; Dx Stage I or II
Surgery 7/15/10; Dx Stage III,15/32 lymph nodes
FOLFOX4 start 9/14/10; end 1/20/11 (9 tx)
2021 dx MSH6 Lynch Syndrome positive
(as are my brother, sister & son, but not daughter)
Grateful for 2nd Chance NED time!

Pyro
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:40 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby Pyro » Tue Jun 11, 2019 7:38 am

Ever time I’ve had a liver recurrence my CEA spiked by 6-10, yours? Your wig has a baseline, not current?
Aug 2015- Stage 4 CC with liver Mets(38/m)
Sep 2015- Avastin/Folfox/Iron
Dec 2015-Not liver surgery candidate
Jan 2016- Erbitux/Folfiri, 2nd opinion at MDA in TX
Feb 2016 -MDA liver surgery
Mar 2016 -30% of left lobe rem, PVE
May 2016 - 70% of liver rem
Jun 2016-Rad
Jan 2017-perm colost @MDA
Jul 2017-Erb/FOLFURI
Nov 2017 -Lung & Liver ablations@MDA
Jan 2018 -Xeloda & Avastin mx
Jul 2018-Avast/FOLFURI
Sep 2018-Rad
Mar 2019 - Keytruda fail
Jun 2019 - FOLFURI
Aug 2019 - No more, quality time!

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DocSavage
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:00 pm

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby DocSavage » Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:07 am

Pyro -

Its been 'interesting' - my CEA has never budged, pre-surgery, post surgery. post chemo...
Did your liver enzymes show anything?

-Andy
Embrace The Suck
Diagnosed at age 61 - Male
DX: CC 05/19/2016
Tumor Location: sigmoid colon
Tumor type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size: 3.9cm
Tumor grade: G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
TNM code: T3N2aM(N/A)
Stage: Stage IIIc
Positive lymph nodes: 4 out of 26
Mets: N/A
Baseline CEA: 1.7
Surgical margins: clear
Primary surgery type: laparoscopically assisted sigmoid-colectomy 06/01/2016
FOLFOX started 06/22/2016
NED: 12/14/2016
Recurrence: Liver mets 6/12/2019

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DocSavage
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:00 pm

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby DocSavage » Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:24 pm

Well as we say in Texas - poop! I got a call from the oncologist and my scan showed mets to both lobes of my liver and possibly one on a lung. The next step is a PET scan and then a biopsy to confirm that is recurrent CRC.

I forgot what protocol he said we would follow - but it something and pill form and infusion every three weeks.

CEA never budged....
Embrace The Suck
Diagnosed at age 61 - Male
DX: CC 05/19/2016
Tumor Location: sigmoid colon
Tumor type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size: 3.9cm
Tumor grade: G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
TNM code: T3N2aM(N/A)
Stage: Stage IIIc
Positive lymph nodes: 4 out of 26
Mets: N/A
Baseline CEA: 1.7
Surgical margins: clear
Primary surgery type: laparoscopically assisted sigmoid-colectomy 06/01/2016
FOLFOX started 06/22/2016
NED: 12/14/2016
Recurrence: Liver mets 6/12/2019

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juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby juliej » Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:08 pm

DocSavage wrote:Well as we say in Texas - poop! I got a call from the oncologist and my scan showed mets to both lobes of my liver and possibly one on a lung. The next step is a PET scan and then a biopsy to confirm that is recurrent CRC.

I forgot what protocol he said we would follow - but it something and pill form and infusion every three weeks.

CEA never budged....

Well, crapola! :evil: :evil: :evil:

I guess CEA isn't a good marker for you. You might try one of the other tests, CA 19-9, LDH, etc, and see if one of them works better as a gauge.

Didn't your original CT scan have some non-diagnostic spots in the liver and lungs? Weren't they doing regular monitoring of them, like an occasional scan just to check on them?

The PET should help confirm or exonerate them. And the biopsy should let you know if it's CRC (which is most likely).

Pill + infusion sounds like Xeliri regimen: Xeloda + Irinotecan. Hopefully, it'll obliterate them in no time. You might consider an HAI pump, depending on the number and size of those liver mets. It eliminated my tumors (I had ones in every segment of my liver), and my liver has been clear for 7 years now.

Hang in there!
Juliej
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

User avatar
DocSavage
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:00 pm

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby DocSavage » Thu Jun 13, 2019 9:13 pm

Thanks juliej!

I am just taking it one day at a time. I have too many things to do to just give up... I did ask the Onc will it be irinotecan (don’t some people call it i-ran-to-the-can) and he specifically said that wouldn’t be on the menu at first.

With the PET scan you have radio-isotopes and I am hoping that it will bring out some nascent super powers. So there is that to look forward to.

Stupid liver....

-Andy
Embrace The Suck
Diagnosed at age 61 - Male
DX: CC 05/19/2016
Tumor Location: sigmoid colon
Tumor type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size: 3.9cm
Tumor grade: G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
TNM code: T3N2aM(N/A)
Stage: Stage IIIc
Positive lymph nodes: 4 out of 26
Mets: N/A
Baseline CEA: 1.7
Surgical margins: clear
Primary surgery type: laparoscopically assisted sigmoid-colectomy 06/01/2016
FOLFOX started 06/22/2016
NED: 12/14/2016
Recurrence: Liver mets 6/12/2019

AmyG
Posts: 371
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby AmyG » Thu Jun 13, 2019 9:17 pm

Stupid liver indeed!

Sorry to hear about your less than awesome news. Here's to hoping for some amazing super powers for you after the PET :wink:
42 dx @ 9wks pregnant w/baby #8 8/18
Sigmoid colon resection 9/18
Adenocarcinoma, G2, T3N0M0..or so we thought
KRAS/BRAF wild
Liver biopsy is malignant, stage iv now boys!
Delivered healthy baby 3/19
FOLFOX + Avastin 5/19
CEA 167 to 24 after 4 rounds
Liver resection 8/28/19
NED!! CEA 2.3
CEA 5.8 idk wtf is up with that, but everything else is clear!
CEA 3.7 make up your damn mind...
CEA 1.5 that's a new low!

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

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sat Jun 15, 2019 11:59 am

Good luck with your scan!*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! :)

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

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby Lee » Sat Jun 15, 2019 5:02 pm

I'm sorry to read this, I was hoping for a better out come. Can I assume you are being treated at MD Anderson?

Good luck with the PET scan. I will be thinking of you,

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!

User avatar
DocSavage
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:00 pm

Re: Back From The Shadows Again - And Scanxiety....

Postby DocSavage » Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:50 am

Right now - I am staying at Texas Oncology in Mid-town Austin. I will wait for the PET scan and see whats in there. If its ‘straight-forward’ (as if anything is) I will probably stay there as we really like team. If its otherwise I will see about getting referred to MD Anderson. I think they may do HAI pumps there as well.

Currently I am waiting for the insurance approval for the PET scan which they said could take up to a week. Now that we know something is going on I am ready to get to work!

-Andy
Embrace The Suck
Diagnosed at age 61 - Male
DX: CC 05/19/2016
Tumor Location: sigmoid colon
Tumor type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size: 3.9cm
Tumor grade: G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
TNM code: T3N2aM(N/A)
Stage: Stage IIIc
Positive lymph nodes: 4 out of 26
Mets: N/A
Baseline CEA: 1.7
Surgical margins: clear
Primary surgery type: laparoscopically assisted sigmoid-colectomy 06/01/2016
FOLFOX started 06/22/2016
NED: 12/14/2016
Recurrence: Liver mets 6/12/2019


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