is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

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whosyourbudha
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:18 am

is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby whosyourbudha » Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:31 am

is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight and my appetite is good im actually overweight but not obese . Been bleeding for 2 weeks last month so i decided to request for colonoscopy and then boom they found a tumor.

Im just scared right now cuz im having shortness of breath and bone pain. After the bleeding now my symptoms is diarhea and constipation yellow stool. I have to take laxative and milk just to poop.

So far im waiting for staging and my life expectancy

veckon
Posts: 131
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2017 7:44 am

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby veckon » Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:22 am

Yeah. I didn’t lose weight until chemotherapy destroyed my appetite.
27 yo male
Metastatic rectal cancer diagnosed 12/16
Liver metastases and peritoneal carcinomatosis
Lynch syndrome, MSI-H
Failed liver resection 3/17
FOLFOX6 12/16 - 05/17
Keytruda 5/17 - present
@Memorial Sloan Kettering

SweetC80
Posts: 103
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:28 pm

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby SweetC80 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:36 am

Yes, my mother has just been reclassified as Stave IV, she is very weak and not well yet she gained weight at her last appointment and for the most part maintained. She is mostly in taking protein shakes and not using much energy to burn anything off. She has a feeding tube that has kept her weight steady during surgery and recovery, but hasn't used it in awhile because it makes her sick.
My Mom
12/16 Stage IIIb Rectal Ca CEA 1.2
1/17-2/17 Chemoradiation CEA 4.4
5/17 Entire Colon, Rectum & Anus removed Perm Ileostomy Bag
7/17 FOLFOX
9/17 Stage IVb 9cm Liver Met & 7mm Lung Nodule CEA 197
9/17 FOLFIRI CEA 160
10/17 Confirmed KRAS Pos CEA 210
11/17 Met growths Liver 10cm & Lung 8mm CEA 425
12/17 FOLFOX again Met growths Liver 13cm & Lung 1cm CEA 405
12/17 Xifaxan due to Hepatic Encephalopathy
12/17 New 2cm liver Met
1/18 CEA 992
2/8/18 Passed Peacefully

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby susie0915 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:47 am

I never lost weight before I was diagnosed. I didn't start losing weight until after surgery. I think the ileostomy since everything goes into the bag I lost almost 10 lbs. Then I got a bowel blockage 4 weeks later, was not allowed to eat, had another surgery and reversal of ileostomy and lost another 10 lbs. I gained that ten back and once chemo started I lost 20
lbs. No appetite and diarrhea. The doctors don't like weight loss during treatment. I tried very hard not to but is difficult. I have been able to gain about 12 of the 30 lbs I lost during treatment, makes the doctors happy. I probably could've stand to lost 15 lbs anyway. So I know I was asked at diagnosis if I noticed weight loss without trying also. My surgeon said my tumor was prob 5 years old, so weight loss isn't always a factor.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby Beckster » Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:52 am

whosyourbudha wrote:is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight and my appetite is good im actually overweight but not obese . Been bleeding for 2 weeks last month so i decided to request for colonoscopy and then boom they found a tumor.

Im just scared right now cuz im having shortness of breath and bone pain. After the bleeding now my symptoms is diarhea and constipation yellow stool. I have to take laxative and milk just to poop.

So far im waiting for staging and my life expectancy


No weight loss, overweight and perfect bloodwork when they found my tumor during a colonoscopy.
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

benben
Posts: 324
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:18 pm
Location: Washington State

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby benben » Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:17 pm

Yeah - no weight loss until after diagnosis.
I lost a few pounds before surgery from stressing out about it.
Then lost about 7 pounds after surgery as was on liquid diet.
Now on Chemo and losing about 1-2 pounds each session every 2 weeks.
holding steady around 155-160 for now.
----------------------
3/29/17 diagnosed CRC - 44 y/o Male
4/17/17 ULAR - Straight anastomosis - no ostomy.
Path: low grade T3n1m0 - moderate diff.
KRAS - NO, MLH1/PMS2/MSH6/MSH2 - Normal.
5/3 med port install
5/22 folfox - first treatment.
3rd treat, delayed - low ANC - reduced to 90% OXI
zarxio all treats
Treat 7 - 75% OXI
Treats 8-12 - NO OXI, Luke & 5FU
10/20/17 CT- NED
3/18 Scope - Clean
11/8 PORT OUT!
7/22 CT - NED (5 years!)

rp1954
Posts: 1853
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:13 am

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby rp1954 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 6:57 pm

Weight gain before diagnosis is very common and in fact is associated with initiation and aggravation of both (pre)diabetes and CRC.

My wife lost at least 30 kg with obstructive CRC's onset right before dx, then diet and (post) surgeries' effects the first year or so. Right after her 2nd surgery, continued wt loss or too much weight loss was a worry and had to stopped. She was the envy of her friends for 2 yrs, figurewise. Then she fell off the wagon diet and exercise wise with injuries and loss of a big A/C'd mall. She still has (well controlled) mCRC, is still on chemo, and gains weight easily.
watchful, active researcher and caregiver for stage IVb/c CC. surgeries 4/10 sigmoid etc & 5/11 para-aortic LN cluster; 8 yrs immuno-Chemo for mCRC; now no chemo
most of 2010 Life Extension recommendations and possibilities + more, some (much) higher, peaking ~2011-12, taper chemo to almost nothing mid 2018, IV C-->2021. Now supplements

Swirdfish
Posts: 290
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2016 3:57 am

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby Swirdfish » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:08 am

I lost about 33 pound right before my DX in under 3 weeks. Guess everyone is different. I now watch my weight a lot, and currently think im losing again but the scales don't show it. Maybe its all the exercise :)
06/2016 Went in for colonoscopy came out with a tumor. Age 35
12cm from verge at junction. Rectal cancer.
Clinical stage T3 NO MO
Temp illestomy
Completed 5FU and Radiation
LAR surgery planned 13 Oct 2016
Completed ULAR surgery 11-10-2016.
0/22 nodes
pT3 N0 M0 R1
Stage 2A

Pathology reviewed and changed
ypT3 N0 M0 R0

Started folfox 21-11-2016
5-4-17 NED
Reversal 12-4-17

whosyourbudha
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:18 am

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby whosyourbudha » Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:20 am

Thanks for the response. I was assuming i dont have it cuz iwasnt losing weight but i was having some symptoms for the past 2 years bleeding on and off expecting it was only hemorhoids but few months the symptoms got worse now im having stomach pain on the right side and under the rib so i got a lil worried and went to my GI doctor immediately

veckon
Posts: 131
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2017 7:44 am

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby veckon » Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:46 am

whosyourbudha wrote:Thanks for the response. I was assuming i dont have it cuz iwasnt losing weight but i was having some symptoms for the past 2 years bleeding on and off expecting it was only hemorhoids but few months the symptoms got worse now im having stomach pain on the right side and under the rib so i got a lil worried and went to my GI doctor immediately


Good for you going to the doctor. Get yourself checked out and know it's most likely not cancer.
27 yo male
Metastatic rectal cancer diagnosed 12/16
Liver metastases and peritoneal carcinomatosis
Lynch syndrome, MSI-H
Failed liver resection 3/17
FOLFOX6 12/16 - 05/17
Keytruda 5/17 - present
@Memorial Sloan Kettering

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Youngjen81
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 9:46 am

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby Youngjen81 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:41 am

I had gained a myserious 18 lbs the year before my diagnosis.
I lost 38 during treatment.
Currently cancer free and at a healthy weight.
Diagnosed at 35 after 8 years of symptoms
T3n1m0, clinical diagnosis, suspicious spot on iliac crest and left lower lung, unchanged
28 radiation, with Xeloda 3000 mg
LAR with temp ileostomy 6-21-16, pCR!
Ileus and blockage, 12 day hospital stay
Port placement 7-26-16
Fofox begins 8-2-16
Mom to 4 boys(2, 10, 11, 22) they are my world!
Mother diagnosed 5/2016
Clinical stage t3n2m0, cysts on liver and kidneys
Last day of chemoradiation 7-28-16, can't wait! It's hard seeing my Mom in pain

Maelleous
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 8:13 am
Location: FL

Re: is it possible having a cancer and not losing weight?

Postby Maelleous » Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:50 am

I was the heaviest I had ever been when I was diagnosed. I normally sit between 175 and 180 and was up to 195 when I was diagnosed.
M 35 yr
DX Rectal Cancer, 10/16 (symptoms Feb 2016)
Dx stage 2 - Surgery Oct 25 201 Loop ileo w/ j-pouch
Close margins within 1mm
9/38 lymph nodes involved on path / Stg IIIc,pT4, pN2 B, p.M0. MSS, K‐ras, NRAS, no mutation
Started Folfox - 3rd Treament, Dec 30th 2016 Cardiac Arrest - Lucky to be part of the 6% to survive!
S-ICD installed / Port Removed
Vaccine Clinical trial at UPMC - last shot June 2017
Reversal 8/1/17 - Praying this is it!
Still NED


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