Big Decision

[JudeD59]

I've read through all of your threads and I can only tell you what I would do if I was in your position with your test results and the recommendations you've received from your doctors.

I would thank my lucky stars that a spot of cancer was discovered early enough to only be on the tip of a polyp and hadn't had a chance to grow down the stalk and onto the colon wall where it would then require surgery to be removed. I would thank my lucky stars a second time that the polyp was small enough to safely be removed during a colonoscopy. I would go back to living my life secure in the knowledge that many people have polyps with either precancerous or even cancerous cells on them and never go on to have colon cancer. I would follow up without fail with another colonoscopy in six months to see if any more polyps have developed and need to be removed.

I would not have surgery. Surgery is needed if cancer has invaded the colon wall, which in your case, it has not, thankfully. Any abdominal surgery involves risks and consequences. Besides the obvious risks of anesthesia and infection and the effect on your digestive system, there is also the very strong probability that an abdominal surgery will leave you with adhesions. Adhesions are scar tissue that forms any time your abdominal cavity is operated on. They can be painful and can make future surgeries more difficult. They can also wrap around or adhere to your internal organs causing problems including bowel obstructions, which I can tell you as someone who has experienced this firsthand, is one of the most painful things you will ever have to go through. I would never recommend that anyone have abdominal surgery unless absolutely medically necessary because I know how much my life has changed since my first one. The first one for ovarian cancer was necessary and made the second one for an incisional hernia necessary which caused adhesions which made the third one for a bowel obstruction necessary which made the fourth one for another incisional hernia necessary. I wish to God my first cancer had been contained enough that it could have been removed without that first surgery, the way yours has been. My life over the last ten years would have been very different if that had been possible.

And lastly, I would listen to the people on this board who have gone above and beyond to reassure you and answer your questions. You've had a scare and you are panicking and that is very understandable. But you have your results and they are results that pretty much everyone on this board would be thrilled to have received. I hope, for your own happiness and for your children, that you will listen to the doctors and move on with your life without unnecessary surgery, but with regular colonoscopies in the future to catch any problems before they are ones that actually require surgery.

I mean no offense with this post. I'm just honestly telling you what I would do in your situation. What you actually decide is up to you. Either way, I wish you a long and happy life.

Judy

[Andrea1976]

Thanks you all. I can't even describe my appreciation for your attention you are giving me here. I am at a point of my life where I don't have a lot of support. So you are king of my family. I have few friends but I don't want to burden them. My best friend is in shock. We are excactly the same age. She just can't comprehend that cancer happens in young women. THANK YOU ALL.

I am seeing the surgeon tomorrow to discuss...

My CEA was: 0.3 last month
95% not Lynch based on pathology but will know for sure
New gene being tested link between colon and breast cancer since my mom and her sister both had breast cancer.

[Cowgirl918]

You must feel overwhelmed with directions, suggestions and lab detail. Complete your due diligence as you see fit and make the decision YOU can live with. In the END you are the only one who counts. While many of us have become pseudo-experts on this horrible disease, you are the only one who can judge what is best for you. Just try not to panic. This is a marathon, not a sprint for all of us. Take Care and good luck whatever you decide.

[Nik Colon]

Best wishes for tomorrow. Make sure you get all the details and double check on your polyp info.

[Nik Colon]

In most instances, radical surgery or chemoradiation is not needed for Haggitt level 1, 2, and 3 invasive carcinomas in a pedunculated polyp with clear margin of resection and no unfavorable histologic features. Polypectomy alone is adequate, and more aggressive treatment such as radical resection or chemoradiation should be considered overtreatment.
http://www.cancernetwork.com/colorectal ... tal-cancer

Let us know how it goes

[Andrea1976]

Thank you Nik!!!

[missjv]

i sent you a pm. i had polyp the size of a pea. stalk negative you are fine go home. long story short that polyp turned into stage IV the polyp sent mets to my liver and luckily it was caught right away. so anything is possible.

missjv

[Andrea1976]

Thank you!!! I read your story. So sorry but glad you did catch it early. Was your polyp only 1.5 mm? That's so small? Did they also tell you Haggit level 1? I am going for the surgery on Monday. But it seems that in your case it would not make any difference since it was spread by blood.

There was another case here where it was also treated by polyctomy only and the stalk was positive but didn't have surgery. 5 years later spread to lungs. I wonder if this person had spread to lymph nodes.

[Nik Colon]

i sent you a pm. i had polyp the size of a pea. stalk negative you are fine go home. long story short that polyp turned into stage IV the polyp sent mets to my liver and luckily it was caught right away. so anything is possible.

missjv

Since your polyp was so small, the margins would have also been small too tho.

How did they catch the liver and when? Was it right away? Was it from a CT after the polyp or was it much later?

[Andrea1976]

I was wondering the same. How did they say margin 2 mm? Did you have the surgery right after polyctomy?

[missjv]

it was removed during colonoscopy so i suppose they got margins i never really asked. i am on the every 5 year colonoscopy schedule now so i assume no one is too worried plus when i had liver resection they did a resection of that area in the colon and so far so good no recurrances in that area.

missjv

[Andrea1976]

Just an update because all of you have been so supportive. I followed recommendations from a Cancer center not to have a colon resection. They are monitoring me with MRIs, blood test and colonoscopies. They feel that my polyp is low risk because of being Pedunculated / mushroom like and Haggitt level 1 / Cancer contained in the polyp. I am trying to move on with my life and enjoy every day with my kids. Best year to all of you!!!

[DarknessEmbraced]

I'm glad that you will be monitored.*hugs* Enjoy the time with your children.