Hello and thanks for your post

I’m sorry to read about your friend’s situation. Unfortunately, no one here on the forum can tell you what the colonoscopy results will show but I can imagine this is a worrying time for you both considering what your friend was told by his healthcare team.

A very experienced doctor can give an opinion of what might be the matter when looking at the images of the bowel during the colonoscopy to prepare their patient that cancer is a possibility but the biopsy results will confirm this for sure.

Waiting when you are both worried is stressful but hopefully you'll know more soon. Give us a ring if you would like to talk anything over. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Celene

Thank you very much for replying. It seems like forever waiting for results. He received a phone call from a nurse advising that an iron transfusion is required. Would that be because of advanced cancer? He suffers from diverticulitis too so I have read that can cause anaemia but my mind is running away. I know it's probably impossible to answer my questions, not really sure what I'm after.

Thank you. 

Hello and thanks for your further post

I know waiting for your friend's results to come in is very stressful.

I presume his blood tests have shown that he has iron deficiency anaemia and his doctor has prescribed intravenous iron because they need to correct his iron levels. There can be many reasons why someone might be anaemic and it doesn't always mean it's due to cancer, although occasionally it might do.

You can read more about iron transfusions on an NHS website at this link. 

I hope you and your friend know more about his situation soon.

Kind regards,

Celene

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. 

Hello,

The results came back as quite a large tumour, near to the kidneys and liver and I think spleen but it doesn't seem to have spread. Another scan will confirm this. No treatment plan has been advised of yet. 
 

can you advise how quickly treatment can start and how positive the outcome could be?

thank you. 

Hi again

I'm sorry to hear about your friend's results and can imagine it will take a while to get used to this news.

The specialist is most probably still assessing the situation with the case being discussed at a MDT (multi disciplinary meeting) to decide what may be the next step forward regarding treatment.

I can't say when treatment may start as they will want to know that they have the big picture regarding all results of tests and if necessary, sometimes more tests may be asked for. I should imagine they will want to start as soon as all the reports are back and has been discussed with a surgeon, oncologist radiotherapist and other health professionals.

Outcomes are usually based on spread of disease and the stage of the cancer. Other factors may include grade or how aggressive it may be, size and whether other organs may be affected. People will vary though in response to their treatment and to the cancer itself, so try and not compare as everyone will be very different in their responses.

Waiting for things to start is hard - please do give us a ring if you would like a chat about any of this - the number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

All the best to you and your friend

Wanda

Hello, I just thought it might help other people to hear the outcome of this. It was confirmed as a large malignant tumour. Surgery removed it all and my friend is now officially cancer free. It's been a rollercoaster but the NHS have been amazing. Thank you.