The Colon Club

Hello,
One year ago, a cancerous polyp was removed during my colonoscopy. It was cancer and I had a colon resection. I had part of my colon removed and pathology said none of the 15 lymph nodes taken were infected or cancerous. I had clean margins. I was one of the lucky ones. My colon surgeon said to "go on with my life" and have routine colonoscopies.

Fast track to about a month ago. I started experiencing rectal pressure and pain, abnormal stools and very little if any blood in my stool. I have also been very fatigued and a sense of "not feeling right". My follow up colonoscopy is scheduled for December 9th. My CEA last month was 0.8 but that has never been an indicator. It was 1.1 when I was diagnosed last year. My CT and MRI this year was clear.

My question is how common is it for the cancer to "reoccur" or come back after only one year? I feel like a hypochondriac but something is not right. Sometimes the pressure and pain in the rectum is so severe. The pain level comes and goes but the pain/pressure is always there. One day I can be going to the bathroom just fine and hours later, it is constipation and then hours later, diarrhea. My bowel movements have also increased daily.

I know I won't get actual answers until my colonoscopy but I was wanting your thoughts on might be happening to me?

Thank you for your time,
Kellie

All I know is that cancer in the colon is very slow growing. It’s why they prescribe screening scans only every 5 years. My doctor told me that by the time I was diagnosed, with liver mets, I had probably had colon cancer for 8-10 years.

Given that, it seems unlikely that you would have a new growth pop up and be big enough to cause trouble so soon. I would think they would have needed to miss something the first time around. Obviously you need the colonoscopy to be sure, but sharing what I’ve been told for what it’s worth...

Thanks for your reply.

I have read that colon cancer is slow growing and I can't imagine what was missed but I guess anything is possible. It has me concerned for sure. Thank you for your input!

Sorry you are going through this. Did you have a low anterior resection? My husband did and since his surgery he gets a pressure down low (anastomosis) but it's this extreme pain/pressue that comes on if he gets constipated or starts having a lot of small bowel movements known as clustering. We have found out the pain is called tenesmus. His although started after his resection.

I'm sorry you're going through this!*hugs* I had a low anterior resection on the left side in 2014. I have been cancer free for 5 years and I didn't need chemo. Since my colon resection I have constant rectal pressure and can get pain or rectal spasms. I either have many small bowel movements a day(clustering), constipation or sometimes diarrhea. I always have cramping, bloating, gas and bowel issues after eating. I hope your colonoscopy is clear!*hugs*