Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
mtlimpactfan
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Montréal Quebec

Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby mtlimpactfan » Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:20 am

Hi all,
just wondering here if the docs are taking their sweet time to react.
My DW was officially dx with re-recurrent CRC on Jan 8th 2014.
We're now Feb 4th and we should be at Mayo on Feb 27 2014....seems to me that's a huge interval between the biopsy and surgery date. It's hard to accelerate the process since it involves a lot of bureaucratic aspects.
Biopsy report mentioned that it's a grade 2.
All in all, almost two months of delays, is that normal?
Best
Charles
DW 38 DX 1/09 CRC(T3N1) 3/33 LN (colitis @19yo)
6/09 Temp Ileo J-pouch
Folfox 12 rds
06/12 regional recurrence SRC adn poorly diff Gr3/3
28rds ChemRad
surgery (hyst, ileo)
12/12 Folfox 12 rds
2013 All neg Pet/CT
05/14 It's back, inoperable
09/14 Vectibix

User avatar
BrownBagger
Posts: 7954
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:56 pm
Location: Central NYS

Re: Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby BrownBagger » Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:36 am

Have you asked the doctors? If they say there's no big hurry, then I would take them at their word. If they say it's an unavoidable scheduling conflict or something like that, I'd start to get nervous. Though even if that's the case, there still may be no big hurry. Hard to speculate without more information.
Eric, 58
Dx: 3/09, Stage 4 RC
Recurrences: (ongoing, lung, bronchial cavity, ribs)
Major Ops: 6/ RFA: 3 /bronchoscopies: 8
Pelvic radiation: 5 wks. Bronchial radiation—brachytheray: 3 treatments
Chemo Rounds (career):136
Current Chemo Cocktail: Xeloda & Erbitux & Irinotecan biweekly
Current Cocktail; On the Wagon (mostly)
Bicycle miles post-dx 10,477
Motto: Live your life like it's going to be a long one, because it just might, and then you'll be glad you did.

jeanette57
Posts: 1004
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:40 am

Re: Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby jeanette57 » Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:55 am

I think (IMO) the delay caused me to go from stage 3 to stage 4, but that is because I could not use xeloda. I then waited a 7 weeks to get on 5fu and other chemo. Then it went to lungs. Not happy but that is the journey on this trip. Find out why asap.
T3 N0 M0 -1-4-12 to 3-2013- NOW stage 4 terminal
mets Lungs & bone - halo on head (not to many can see unicorn horn)
chemo for life or until I quit

User avatar
GrouseMan
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: SE Michigan USA

Re: Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby GrouseMan » Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:57 pm

The doubling time for an adenocarcinoma tumor of the colon can be between 0.05 to 7.1 years. The Mean doubling time in a recent study was 1.2 years the median is .7 years. So unless its very aggressive it likely will only double in size in about a 8 to 10 months time. If they caught it early and its small, then its likely not to cause an obstruction for a while, and perhaps not be particularly dangerous.

See:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23436826

An earlier study from 1984 indicated that it could vary from 146.5 to 398.5 days.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6526254

so you can see it varies quite a bit. My biggest worry would be that it could metastasize to some where else in that time frame. I would ask your doctors what the risk is by such a delay. In the mean time - you might want to try low dose aspirin, or Celebrex and or perhaps using Cimetidine (Tagamet) which is available over the counter in the US prior to surgery. There is a thread in these forums about this already if you are interested in its use.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=45503

Best Regards,

GrouseMan
DW 53 dx Jun 2013
CT mets Liver Spleen lung. IVb CEA~110
Jul 2013 Sig Resct
8/13 FolFox,Avastin 12Tx mild sfx, Ongoing 5-FU Avastin every 3 wks.
CEA: good marker
7/7/14 CT Can't see the spleen Mets.
8/16/15 CEA Up, CT new abdominal mets. Iri, 5-FU, Avastin every 2 wks.
1/16 Iri, Erbitux and likely Avastin (Trial) CEA going >.
1/17 CEA up again dropped from Trial, Mets growth 4-6 mm in abdomen
5/2/17 Failed second trial, Hospitalized 15 days 5/11. Home Hospice 5/26, at peace 6/4/2017

mtlimpactfan
Posts: 96
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Montréal Quebec

Re: Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby mtlimpactfan » Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:32 pm

Thanks for your input!
Seems like Tagamet is rather scarce here in Montreal, our local pharmacist mentioned that Pantoprazole is the newest generation of Tagamet available up here. I did not do a lot of research on Panto but according to this cancer center http://cancer.dartmouth.edu/pf/health_e ... a/d04514a1 the effects may be adverse and chronic use can cause stomach cancer (in animals though).

Anyhow, seems like our Health Dept in Qc is reviewing my DW demand to be treated at Mayo. The government will cover most of the fees related to the upcoming surgery (we're blessed, extremely lucky) and therefore they're doing their due dil and it will take another 10-12 days or so. So we'll have to be patient but they're picking up the tab!
A+
Charles
DW 38 DX 1/09 CRC(T3N1) 3/33 LN (colitis @19yo)
6/09 Temp Ileo J-pouch
Folfox 12 rds
06/12 regional recurrence SRC adn poorly diff Gr3/3
28rds ChemRad
surgery (hyst, ileo)
12/12 Folfox 12 rds
2013 All neg Pet/CT
05/14 It's back, inoperable
09/14 Vectibix

User avatar
Voxx66
Posts: 1844
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 10:22 pm
Facebook Username: Michael Void Ward

Re: Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby Voxx66 » Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:40 pm

It seems a bit long to me. I was diagnosed by colonoscopy and scheduled for surgery before the biopsy came back in like two days later. My surgery was 8 days after the colonoscopy I believe.
DX and resect 10/2012 age 46
Stage IIa CRC
liver mets both lobes 8/2013
CEA 28
FOLFOX + Avastin 8/26/13 3 rounds
Folfox only 3 rds + rd 8
platelets low round 7,9,10 5FU only
1/14 CEA 1.0 y90
5fu
10/14 mets lung and peri
1/15 Folfiri

User avatar
GrouseMan
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: SE Michigan USA

Re: Normal delay between biopsy and surgery

Postby GrouseMan » Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:37 am

Although Pantoprazole works similarly as Tagamet for acid reflux, it is not equivalent with regards to its anti-cancer properties. Tagamet is the only drug in this class which has shown this additional effect. The other similar drugs do not. The pharmacist is correct that this is a new generation proton pump inhibitor, but it's effect against cancer is not likely to be there.

Regards,

GrouseMan.
DW 53 dx Jun 2013
CT mets Liver Spleen lung. IVb CEA~110
Jul 2013 Sig Resct
8/13 FolFox,Avastin 12Tx mild sfx, Ongoing 5-FU Avastin every 3 wks.
CEA: good marker
7/7/14 CT Can't see the spleen Mets.
8/16/15 CEA Up, CT new abdominal mets. Iri, 5-FU, Avastin every 2 wks.
1/16 Iri, Erbitux and likely Avastin (Trial) CEA going >.
1/17 CEA up again dropped from Trial, Mets growth 4-6 mm in abdomen
5/2/17 Failed second trial, Hospitalized 15 days 5/11. Home Hospice 5/26, at peace 6/4/2017


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 134 guests