Port decision

[Catlady]

Hey all,

If all goes well without any more delays, I should finish my folfox6 on September 18. I expected to have my port removed shortly after that last treatment but when I asked my oncologist he said I could have it removed anytime after treatment but, he preferred it to stay in for 2 years! Now I don’t know what to do. Is recurrence or metastasis very common in a 2 year period with stage lllb? It makes me feel like the cancer is there when it’s in me, so it bugs me. Dumb reason, I know. I would prefer only one more surgery not 3 so I guess I’m looking for percentages of recurrence and if it would be a dumb move to have it removed prior to 2 years.

Thanks ~
Catlady

[CRguy]

Welcome to the forum Catlady
If you care to peruse my summary in the topic post of my
Review of my Journey so far -> ⓊⓟⒹⒶⓉⒺ May /2024

you will see I had a recurrence at about 2.5 years after initial resection, had a port implanted and was DE-ported about 3 years later

This is my experience which I share with you and if your Doc says maybe keep it longer then ......
you might want to give that some serious consideration

JMO and Your Mileage May Vary
BUTT ... BTDT
and hoping you won't have to !!!

Cheers
CRguy

[Green Tea]

Hey all,
.... Is recurrence or metastasis very common in a 2 year period with stage llIB? ...
Thanks ~
Catlady

"After a first colon cancer, 80% of recurrences happen in the first two to three years..."

Reference:
COLON CANCER RECURRENCE: 10 THINGS DOCTORS WANT YOU TO KNOW
https://www.texasoncology.com/who-we-are/media-center/in-the-news/news-articles/2018/august/colon-cancer-recurrence-10-things-doctors-want-yo

[Catlady]

Well, that’s not very reassuring. I’m disappointed and colon cancer is a jerk. Thanks for your responses. I’ll go eat some chocolate and mope for a bit now.

[Green Tea]

For Stage IIIB patients. I think that the best strategy to follow in order to minimize recurrences is the "Three Pillars of Survivorship" strategy -- especially during the first two years of the treatment followup period. There are many Stage IIIB patients who have reached total remission by diligently following this strategy:

 Follow-Up Care, Surveillance Protocol, and Secondary Prevention Measures for Survivors of Colorectal Cancer
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24220554

Three Pillars of Survivorship
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10574&p=509797#p509797

[Pagola44]

This is very interesting
I am also 3b, pretty much the same diagnosis as you.
my oncologist didn't say to leave it in for 2 years, he didnt' seem very fussed about it.
It's interesting he told you 2 years.

[Catlady]

Green Tea,

I did the 3 things to begin with listed here. However, I smoked 1/2 a pack a day and had weekend drinks. Once diagnosed the bad habits quit immediately.

I ready to have enough energy to get back in my weight room and hopefully get back to lifting as heavy as I did prior to all this.

Thanks for the info.

[horizon]

I ready to have enough energy to get back in my weight room and hopefully get back to lifting as heavy as I did prior to all this.

I was like you and thought the port was coming right out after chemo was done. I did a "say what" face when I learned that wasn't going to be happening.

I didn't let the port stop me from hitting the gym.

[michelle c]

My surgeon and onc said to remove it after treatment finished. I was a little scared and wanted to keep it a little longer, I told my surgeon that I didn’t want to jinx myself. He smiled at that but still thought he should remove it. My port was a “good one” as reported by all the chemo nurses. I had to go in and get it flushed every so often to keep the line patent. If you want it out though, do it. It should be your decision.

[roadrunner]

Catlady: This is really just a risk decision. What are the odds you’ll need it? It concerns me that your signature says your CEA is “creeping up.” Has that resolved favorably? Are there any other prognostic factors either way? *Why* does your oncologist want you to keep it? Your psychological perspective is, of course, relevant, but IMO should be weighed in that context.

The removal and insertion of ports is not a huge thing, but they can have significant consequences. I developed a life-threatening UE-DVT as the result of a difficult insertion.

[montezuma]

I don’t think it really matters. I had mine removed after my ileostomy reversal, but later I had another installed with my recurrence. Even if I beat cancer this go around, I’ll probably hang onto it until I have been NED for 4-5 years. It can be annoying at times like when my backpack strap puts pressure on it, but most of the time, I don’t notice it. I wear it like a badge of honor.