My mum had bowel cancer surgery in the middle of Sept and had a call from the hospital 3 wks ago to say it had spread to lymph nodes and would require chemo. She still hasn't heard anything from the hospital is this normal?
Yes it is unusual, they would normally be in touch sooner.
However, there are rules about using chemo after surgery because chemo attacks rapidly growing cells and can’t distinguish between cancer cells and tissue which is growing as part of the healing process.
I read somewhere that there’s usually a four to six week wait between surgery and chemo. It would be worth ringing to ask when they plan to start chemo.
I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in July but had surgery in the beg of June 2018 - I have been advised that chemo can start not early than mid August - for me it started on 28/08/2018 doctor said wound need to be healed 100% to start on chemo. For me from when I had an appt with nurse to find out about surgery results it took 5 days to see my oncologist where I found out about my chemo treatment plan. I have been put on Xelox which is due to be completed on Monday morning - I had 4 cycles in total.
I wish your mum all the best :) hope all will go as you wish :)
I can just suggest to contact with the hospital and ask them when you can expect an appointment with oncologist - like I said earlier I was just waiting for 5 days for this and been given a treatment plan on that first conversation with doctor.
I know how frustrating can be to wait and face all unknown things ....
For your mum must be hard to know that cancer has spread - really don’t want to think how she must feel without plan and way to battle this :(
if I was you I would bombard the hospital with phone calls and push them for an appointment - this is your mum’s right to be treated and informed as soon as possible :)
She's not bothered in the slightest, think she's had that many Dr's n hosputal appointments, she doesn't know how to deal with it all (she hasn't seen a Dr for 43 years).
I've told her today to give them a ring and see what's happening said will just see the original surgeon next week. Even thou she originally said need see chemo people 1st. I'll have to get a dad to have a word!
Its so hard was diagnosed with diabetes but no info given as to what to eat or avoid and only sees diabetic people in Dec.
