Hi Megen

My fiance recently had the same surgery and was told that following the scans, he may need a temporary bag to give the wounds time to heal and that they would take out the tumour,  surrounding tissues and lymph nodes so they can test to see if it has spread. In the end. He didn't need a bag because the tumour was in a slightly different place from how it appeared in the scan. So it could be that your partner may not need a bag at all or if he does, this will be temporary. 

I really hope he doesn't cancel his operation because if there was a choice of a bag and remoing the cancer or not having the op and the cancer spreading, I know which I would choose.

I hope everything goes well.

To be honest the alternative to having a bag should he need one is a lot lot worse, he should think again because at yhe end of the day it is what it is 

Couldn't agree more, but I perhaps should have said that he is 75 years old and being older does change how you view these things.

Thank you for your kind wishes.  Hope your fiance is doing well.  The thing I didn't mention,which I think is colouring his judgement is that he 75 years old.

Hello and thanks for your post,

I am sorry to hear about your husband's forthcoming operation and the worry that it is causing him.

The surgeons use scans to assess how much they need to remove during surgery. They do need to ensure a clear margin around the cancer and they do their best to achieve this. A pathologist will look at the tissue under a microscope to ensure that there is a clear margin once it has been removed.

It is important that your husband is able to have his concerns addressed by his specialist nurse or his surgeon so that they are aware of his concerns. Do try and encourage him to talk to his team before he makes any decisions. 

I do hope that he manages to speak to someone soon. Do encourage him to keep an open mind. If either of you would like to ring and chat to one of the helpline nurses then you are welcome to give us a ring. 

Our helpline number is freephone 0808 800 4040 and we are here monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm.

All the best,

Catherine