You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

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scottg
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 8:27 am

You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby scottg » Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:05 pm

Just a reminder to those who are feeling low, i am a stage 4 , 5+ year survivor originaly given real 1% chance of 5 year survival, even had a recurrance,,now cancer free 3 1/2 years.
When i was first diagnosed the most important thing i craved was hope and a chance.
Of all the things that helped me through i think the most encouraging boost was reading of survivors who made it through inspite of the odds..
Now told i am technicaly cured after almost 2 years chemo and 5 surgeries (2 HIPEC)
Sometimes it takes longer to reach the light at the end of the tunnel

jens22
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Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:26 am
Facebook Username: jspirio
Location: Long Island, NY

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby jens22 » Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:06 pm

That's amazing!!! We need those kind of miracles!!
Colonoscopy 3/10 for ? hemmorrhoid.
Diag Colon Cancer 3 days later
Colon Ressection 3/30/10
Stage 3B 5/14 Nodes positive.
Power Port and 7 months of Chemo
Port removed 11/11
8 negative Cat Scans..... 10 years cancer free and Discharged from Sloane Kett!!
Diag age 47 , now 57 Mom of 3 boys.

SkiFletch
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Facebook Username: Michael Fletcher
Location: Buffalo, NY

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby SkiFletch » Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:13 pm

Hah, I was just wondering about you the other day Scott. So glad to hear you're still doing well and providing a beacon of hope for us with similar situations. Congrats :)
11/13/09 5cm Stage IV 9/25 lymph nodes w/2cm peritoneal met at 29 YoA
12/15/09 LA right hemi-colectomy
6/16/10 Folfox FINISHED
8/10/10 Prophylactic HIPEC
10/9/10 got Married :D
Still NED and living life to the fullest

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life."

vancouver eve
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:04 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby vancouver eve » Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:03 am

Scott you are an inspiration to all of us. Did you have any lynph node involvement? I am so confused about node involvement and cancer spread and people who do not have node involvement and still have cancer spread. Can you or anyone on this board explain to me that if there is no node involvement does that mean that these people do not have microscopic cells in their blood?

I know some people probably think this is a somewhat silly question, as I asked it once before and received not one response. The reason I pose the question is because some people have to stay on chemo for life and others just wait and watch with good results.

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CRguy
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Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby CRguy » Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:41 am

NO question on this forum is ever silly eve, and yours about "lymph and blood" doesn't have a simple answer, even from the experts...OR...none of US would ever have to deal with CRC mets and spread from the original site.
....IF the "experts" really knew ALL the answers...none of US would even have to be here !

I don't know if you saw this thread HERE where some of this was discussed ???? BUT maybe WE should set up an appointment with OUR Onc (you know who ! ), and put him on the spot !! :mrgreen:

Cheers
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

vancouver eve
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:04 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby vancouver eve » Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:54 am

Thanks CRguy, I did not see that posting. It was explained very well. It still does not answer fully the question I want answered and I will hit our ONC. with this question in Feb.

Georgie
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Facebook Username: Georgie Adams

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby Georgie » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:13 am

Congrats on the success Scott, that is awesome news. Here's to you remaining cancer free for many years to come!

Georgie
Nuclear Medicine/PET Tech
Stage 3 T4N1M0 Rectal Ca diag 1/11 at age 29
Clinical trial (chemoradiation) 12 wks incl FOLFOX
Surgery 14 June '11
Post op infection
Iliostomy reversal 12 Sept '11
NED 6 years!
2017 Stage II Breast cancer triple positive
BRCA2 mutation
Bilateral mastectomy, chemo, herceptin

Rick7
Posts: 322
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:38 pm
Location: Los Angeles

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby Rick7 » Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:36 am

Congratulations!
Thank you for posting your story.

Here's to another 5 years! Cheers!

Rick
CC DX 1-7-09 at age 40 - Stage IV, T4-N1-M1
Surgery 1-16-09 - Folfox6 Feb-Aug 2009
Clear scans - PET/CT 9-09, CT 3-10, CT 9-10
Head MRI 3-11, CT 9-11
Head CT 2-12, PET/CT 9-12

Poppy21
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Facebook Username: Poppy21

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby Poppy21 » Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:16 pm

Hi Scott, So pleased to hear that you're a survivor! I'm stage IV adenocarcinoma, but have been refused HIPEC. You mentioned you have had 5 surgeries, and I wondered what the three non-HIPEC ones were? Do you think that HIPEC is what has saved you? What chemo did you receive? Poppy

las
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Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 3:43 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby las » Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:56 pm

Wow,

Love to hear these stories, where did you get your treatment if you don't mind me asking? Or can we ask that on this forum?

Congrats on your NED.....

Lisa
Lisa
Fiance DX 6/27/11 CC IV w/liver mets,adrenal glnd,pet.
7/25/11 folfox
8/2/11 surg.colon wall prefor.no removal of tumor
8/24/11 folfox ,3/12 5FU, 5/12 irinitecan failed, 7/12 didn't qualify regronfenib
8/13/12 Hospice, 8/18/12 married, died 9/10/2012

chards

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby chards » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:13 pm

Hi,

Wow. You inspire me. My husband was just diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. 4 out of 23 nodes affected. They didn't look enlarged upon removal, so I'm not sure if there was a lot of cancer in there or not. Trying to read about that, and should probably ask the Onc. (we have yet to choose one). It truly is a roller coaster. After surgery we were encouraged, because no cancer was seen on outside of colon and the nodes "looked" fine. Then we get the devastating call. Then we get the report further explained to us, and find that there are some things in our favor. First Onc. we saw said we have a 50-70% chance of beating this, closer to 70 - because of favorable conditions (highly differentiated cancer, young - 43, and generally healthy, good blood work, lots of nodes taken), and and increase in survivability up to 85% if chemo is taken, which is all that was suggested.

Some people seem to get radiation too. I wonder why some do and some don't?

Anyway, we are remaining quite positive, but I get these horrible waves of panic that we will never beat this. It will always be a struggle and we will always worry about every little thing we put in our body, and worry about each test result. Cancer does change your life, and not for the better. I am so scared at times. We have little kids who need their Father. I need their Father. How do you deal with it?

I will pray for you.

Anyway, what is (HIPEC)? Just wondering. Is it a treatment?

Dad's Doll
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:38 am

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby Dad's Doll » Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:06 pm

That's wonderful news! Thank you for sharing with the board.
Dad dx T3N1bM0 (Stage IIIB) December 2011

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raym
Posts: 1263
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:08 am
Location: South Central PA

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby raym » Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:02 pm

chards wrote:Hi,

Some people seem to get radiation too. I wonder why some do and some don't?



It was explained to me by my oncologist that for colon cancer it is difficult to target the colon as it is not in a fixed position. The rectal area is much more stationary and a good target for the radiation.
3/11 IIIC +/FOLFOX
4/12 HIPEC
6/12 Chmo/Rad
9/12 XELIRI+Avast/Zltra
9/13 Plvic Absc,stpd chemo
11/13 Tumr rmvd frm Lap Port incis
12/13 Xeloda
1/14 Cardiac Issue no Xeloda/5FU
3/14 Irinotecan
6/14 Stopped chemo
8/14 Clin Trial
9/14 Infectn - Stpd Trial

Je9616
Posts: 220
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Facebook Username: jennifer.edgerton

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby Je9616 » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:37 pm

thank you for such an uplifting post! keep them coming!!
Jennifer
STAGE IV with lung mets
dx 04/28/2010
4/18/2012 bone met on rib cage
06/11/2012-started clinical trial with sofraneib
10/2012 stopped trial- stopped working
11/2012- 5 FU
01/2013-tumors growing stopped 5FU
02/21/2013- starting Vectibix

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horizon
Posts: 1669
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:10 pm

Re: You can survive stage 4 ,cancer free

Postby horizon » Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:03 am

Fantastic. That is great!
I'm just a dude who still can't believe he had a resection and went through chemo (currently 13 years NED). Is this real life?


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