Discussion
BEP, sorry to hear about your cancer.
Not specifically for bowel cancer, but a general discussion/advice/support/rant thread on cancer which you may find useful is here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Not specifically for bowel cancer, but a general discussion/advice/support/rant thread on cancer which you may find useful is here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Hi, im now 57, but nearly 6 years ago had a 17cm stage4 tumour removed from both upper and lower bowel, then chemo.. and then a pesky lymph node around a year later that was fixed via SABR..
ive posted in the thread mentioned above about my journey.
this is a great forum too - https://community.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/
any questions please ask..
ive posted in the thread mentioned above about my journey.
this is a great forum too - https://community.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/
any questions please ask..
I had stage 3 (T3N1M0) cancer in my caecum (the bit where the appendix is) when I was 38 which was removed in a right-hemicolectomy; I'm now approaching 60 and have had no problems since.
Recovery and prognosis both depend of course on where the tumour was and its stage; I didn't need a stoma and my bowel habits were close to normal within a couple of weeks. I had six months of adjuvant chemo with a weekly dose of fluorouracil (5FU) which wasn't too bad, just some nausea at times and dry skin, no hair loss in my case.
As I understand it, bowel cancer in younger people is more likely to have a genetic cause - do you have any family history of bowel or other cancers such as gall bladder, kidney or (in women) endometrial? If a genetic link is found then other family members may be offered regular screening such as colonoscopy; if so, they (and you) should be strongly encouraged to take advantage. (I have the 'MSH6' mutation, whatever that means).
Without knowing any detail it's impossible to say more about your situation, but as you've seen from my case and others on this thread a complete cure is often the outcome if it's been caught early enough.
Feel free to DM me if you want to ask any questions.
[Edited to add: I have a form of 'Lynch Syndrome' so that may be worth a google.]
Recovery and prognosis both depend of course on where the tumour was and its stage; I didn't need a stoma and my bowel habits were close to normal within a couple of weeks. I had six months of adjuvant chemo with a weekly dose of fluorouracil (5FU) which wasn't too bad, just some nausea at times and dry skin, no hair loss in my case.
As I understand it, bowel cancer in younger people is more likely to have a genetic cause - do you have any family history of bowel or other cancers such as gall bladder, kidney or (in women) endometrial? If a genetic link is found then other family members may be offered regular screening such as colonoscopy; if so, they (and you) should be strongly encouraged to take advantage. (I have the 'MSH6' mutation, whatever that means).
Without knowing any detail it's impossible to say more about your situation, but as you've seen from my case and others on this thread a complete cure is often the outcome if it's been caught early enough.
Feel free to DM me if you want to ask any questions.
[Edited to add: I have a form of 'Lynch Syndrome' so that may be worth a google.]
Edited by HalfManHalfJaffaCake on Monday 22 July 14:33
Thanks for the replies...so to answer the various questions. No family history of any cancer, non smoker, hardly drink, pretty healthy really all round.
I had a bowel resection 6 weeks ago (taking out around 10cm) where they also took out 20 lymph nodes (the nodes came back clear) but they found trace elements in blood vessels so want to do a 3 months mix of IV and tablet chemo to flush it all out so to speak. Still feel quite sore from the operation scars and tummy movements nowhere near normal as yet , I live in hope!!
I struggle to fathom how I generally feel pretty healthy and had done prior to diagnosis. The only giveaway was the amount of blood I was passing and tiredness (probably from iron deficiency). The Doctors all seem pretty relaxed about it (stage 2 incidentally), but with two children etc i'm probably overthinking it all !
I had a bowel resection 6 weeks ago (taking out around 10cm) where they also took out 20 lymph nodes (the nodes came back clear) but they found trace elements in blood vessels so want to do a 3 months mix of IV and tablet chemo to flush it all out so to speak. Still feel quite sore from the operation scars and tummy movements nowhere near normal as yet , I live in hope!!
I struggle to fathom how I generally feel pretty healthy and had done prior to diagnosis. The only giveaway was the amount of blood I was passing and tiredness (probably from iron deficiency). The Doctors all seem pretty relaxed about it (stage 2 incidentally), but with two children etc i'm probably overthinking it all !
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I know how you feel right now and am myself nearly 18 months on from finishing my own cancer treatments post tonsil/lymph node cancer. Whilst I don't know you of course, I wish you the very best of luck and hope you keep us updated.
A good friend of mine is a Surgeon and had bowel cancer in his late 30s, obviously being a knowledgeable chap he knew something was wrong, but had terrible troubling getting it diagnosed through the NHS....which is kind of crazy really. He is still angry that as a medical professional himself he wasn't listened to, but to be fair they got there in the end and as his was at a very early stage it was a simple operation without chemo/radio or anything else. He made a full recovery and is still fit and well living a normal life over 10 years on. Another good friend of mine had a huge tumour removed from his bowel and is also fit and well too many years on, he is a few years older than me and approaching 60, but again it was done without needing any chemo/radio.
The only bit of advice I can give is try to avoid most of the internet as there is so much cr*p out there about cancer, the macmillan forums were my goto and having scared myself a few times I totally stopped googling my cancer and just went there instead.
A good friend of mine is a Surgeon and had bowel cancer in his late 30s, obviously being a knowledgeable chap he knew something was wrong, but had terrible troubling getting it diagnosed through the NHS....which is kind of crazy really. He is still angry that as a medical professional himself he wasn't listened to, but to be fair they got there in the end and as his was at a very early stage it was a simple operation without chemo/radio or anything else. He made a full recovery and is still fit and well living a normal life over 10 years on. Another good friend of mine had a huge tumour removed from his bowel and is also fit and well too many years on, he is a few years older than me and approaching 60, but again it was done without needing any chemo/radio.
The only bit of advice I can give is try to avoid most of the internet as there is so much cr*p out there about cancer, the macmillan forums were my goto and having scared myself a few times I totally stopped googling my cancer and just went there instead.
My mum is now 5 years clear from bowel cancer. She had it hard tbh being elergic to morphine and getting stepsis after surgery.
I am sitting in hospital at the min after undergoing 7 iv chemo and 35 radiotherapy for stage 4 throat cancer.
I can't open my mouth more than 11mm nor can I swallow even a sip of water due to the pain inside my throa.
But you just go into treatment with your head high and take each day as it comes.
Good lucknon your journey and always try to remember to keep the head up.
I am sitting in hospital at the min after undergoing 7 iv chemo and 35 radiotherapy for stage 4 throat cancer.
I can't open my mouth more than 11mm nor can I swallow even a sip of water due to the pain inside my throa.
But you just go into treatment with your head high and take each day as it comes.
Good lucknon your journey and always try to remember to keep the head up.
stupidbutkeen said:
My mum is now 5 years clear from bowel cancer. She had it hard tbh being elergic to morphine and getting stepsis after surgery.
I am sitting in hospital at the min after undergoing 7 iv chemo and 35 radiotherapy for stage 4 throat cancer.
I can't open my mouth more than 11mm nor can I swallow even a sip of water due to the pain inside my throa.
But you just go into treatment with your head high and take each day as it comes.
Good lucknon your journey and always try to remember to keep the head up.
Sounds like a rough deck of cards mate, keep going!I am sitting in hospital at the min after undergoing 7 iv chemo and 35 radiotherapy for stage 4 throat cancer.
I can't open my mouth more than 11mm nor can I swallow even a sip of water due to the pain inside my throa.
But you just go into treatment with your head high and take each day as it comes.
Good lucknon your journey and always try to remember to keep the head up.
If you'd excuse the poor attempt at lightening things, chin up!
I had emergency surgery to remove a tumour in my bowel when I was 40 in 2009 - 240mm removed, left hemicolectomy which was staged as T3 N0. Had oral chemo (hundreds of tablets), I-V chemo (poison in a bag) and then preventative radiation treatment (every weekday for 5 or 6 weeks), all of which took me out of action for the best part of a year. Since then I have had an annual colonoscopy (due one next month), but apart from a lumpy belly resulting from being opened 10cm above and below my belly button, I have no major recurrent issues. The only minor issue is not being able to tolerate cold on my finger tips or toes (chemo damages the nerve endings of extremities).
Diagnosis - Lynch Syndrome MSH2 gene repair mismatch. My mum died of ovarian cancer 5 years previously - I was told that it was a “women’s cancer” with no risk to me…
As I live in NZ I have no experience of the NHS for this, but hope that I would have received as good care in the UK as I did here at the arse-end of the world - it was first class, and continues to be so.
Diagnosis - Lynch Syndrome MSH2 gene repair mismatch. My mum died of ovarian cancer 5 years previously - I was told that it was a “women’s cancer” with no risk to me…
As I live in NZ I have no experience of the NHS for this, but hope that I would have received as good care in the UK as I did here at the arse-end of the world - it was first class, and continues to be so.
Edited by dobly on Tuesday 23 July 08:15
Edited by dobly on Tuesday 23 July 08:27
stupidbutkeen said:
My mum is now 5 years clear from bowel cancer. She had it hard tbh being elergic to morphine and getting stepsis after surgery.
I am sitting in hospital at the min after undergoing 7 iv chemo and 35 radiotherapy for stage 4 throat cancer.
I can't open my mouth more than 11mm nor can I swallow even a sip of water due to the pain inside my throa.
But you just go into treatment with your head high and take each day as it comes.
Good lucknon your journey and always try to remember to keep the head up.
Very best of wishes, if you're keeping your held high there's no excuse for me. I am sitting in hospital at the min after undergoing 7 iv chemo and 35 radiotherapy for stage 4 throat cancer.
I can't open my mouth more than 11mm nor can I swallow even a sip of water due to the pain inside my throa.
But you just go into treatment with your head high and take each day as it comes.
Good lucknon your journey and always try to remember to keep the head up.
Hey op,
Sorry to read this. Bowel cancer is well know within my immediate family.
I don’t have bowel cancer but was diagnosed with Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) a few years ago in my mid 30s. It causes hundreds and thousands of polyps, which if not treated have a 100% lifetime of turning to cancer. Average is for this is 40.
My dad has had part of his bowel removed only a few weeks ago and is recovering well. I’m sorry I’m not able to help with first hand experience but always here if you need someone to talk to.
Sorry to read this. Bowel cancer is well know within my immediate family.
I don’t have bowel cancer but was diagnosed with Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) a few years ago in my mid 30s. It causes hundreds and thousands of polyps, which if not treated have a 100% lifetime of turning to cancer. Average is for this is 40.
My dad has had part of his bowel removed only a few weeks ago and is recovering well. I’m sorry I’m not able to help with first hand experience but always here if you need someone to talk to.
Type R Tom said:
My 38-year-old sister (very healthy) was in surgery yesterday to get a section removed and will now have a stoma for the rest of her life.
My wife is insisting I go for a checkup, but I get the impression that at 42, there aren't many options.
So sorry to hear about your sister and my very best wishes to her.My wife is insisting I go for a checkup, but I get the impression that at 42, there aren't many options.
Your second point is partly why I started this thread as it seems one of the cancers that is somewhat taboo or not talked about..absolutely go and get your self checked out, has your Sisters oncologist/ specialist suggested genetic screening? Mine has despite there being zero history in the family. Good luck and let us know what you do.
BEP said:
Type R Tom said:
My 38-year-old sister (very healthy) was in surgery yesterday to get a section removed and will now have a stoma for the rest of her life.
My wife is insisting I go for a checkup, but I get the impression that at 42, there aren't many options.
So sorry to hear about your sister and my very best wishes to her.My wife is insisting I go for a checkup, but I get the impression that at 42, there aren't many options.
Your second point is partly why I started this thread as it seems one of the cancers that is somewhat taboo or not talked about..absolutely go and get your self checked out, has your Sisters oncologist/ specialist suggested genetic screening? Mine has despite there being zero history in the family. Good luck and let us know what you do.
I need to find out more, but talking to my parents about it I believe the dr mentioned it. Yet the info I've seen online contradicts it a bit due to my age.
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