Hi all,
This isn't really an introduction in the truest sense as I have joined the forum and talked quite extensively about my mum's case on the 'Diagnosis' board for the last month. You can see that thread here: http://cancerchat.cancerresearchuk.org/thread/13456?tstart=0
My mum hasn't been well for a while and had all the symptoms of what we all thought was going to be (I guess what you'd call) "classic" bowel cancer. However, after the diagnosis meeting today we find that this is not the case and she is actually suffering from a type of neuroendocrine cancer which started in the lining of the lungs and spread to the bowel. Apparently this is not just a rare type of cancer but the way it has spread (from the lungs to the bowel) is also unusual. Another odd thing is that despite the fact that the lung is the primary site, the tumour in the bowel is the bigger of the two - although presumably the one in the lung will have been there longer?! (You can understand why I can't quite get my head around this!)
Obviously all of this does not sound good but the plan at the moment is to try and reduce the size of the cancer with chemo and radiotherapy and then perhaps attempt surgery. The consultant seemed positive but not sure if they're perhaps not giving us the full picture. I have had a little look around on the internet (despite promising myself not to!) and information does seem particularly sparse - I haven't even tried searching for my mum's kind of metastasis yet because I get the impression there won't be much out there at all.
Would love to connect with others going through this kind of cancer or who have relatives going through it but understand it is rare so perhaps not many of you out there! Generally, all advice on the 'general' cancer journey would be appreciated.
One small general question I had (not sure if anybody will know) is whether there is anybody out there who has a heart condition and had chemo or who is going through it now (or somebody who has a relative with the same)? My mum has an irregular heartbeat which they think they may need to keep an eye on during chemo and I'm a little concerned this will affect her treatment.
Thanks everyone. Can't exactly say I'm happy to be here but the support I have received so far has been amazing and I will make more of an effort to support others now that I know what we are dealing with.
Lu x
