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Colorectal cancer with possible liver mets

JCMcN
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Hi,  I have just received a confirmed diagnosis of a colorectal cancer after having a colonoscopy  3 weeks ago and a CT scan a fortnight ago. I had no symptoms, this has all happened following my first routine bowel screening because I recently turned 50!

i had a previous colonoscopy 2 years ago which was clear so each step of my journey so far I’ve gone in to naively assuming all would be well.

However, it’s the gift that just keeps giving and I met with the colorectal surgeon today who told me the CT scan had revealed areas of concern on both lobes of my liver that are more than likely mets from the colorectal tumour. I already had an MRI scheduled for next week but will now have another on my liver and also a PET scan. So many ‘what ifs’ and I just need a plan.

I can’t believe all this is going on inside my body and I was feeling ok. I am trying my hardest to keep looking at the positives (Thank God for the bowel screening) but it’s getting difficult as I share the news with the people I love  and watch their worlds change forever (I have 4 kids and we told them tonight). I am scared but what I want most of all is for my kids to be ok. 

I’ve reached out to connect with a few of you who seem to have gone through / are going through similar to me, I hope that’s ok  xx

  • Offline in reply to Ste62

    Hi ste62 just reading your posts I had PET scans when they were looking at liver so you may still have these to come, was also told the liver was my priority even though they had graded the bowel cancer (they told me mine was a grade 1 I think it was following the colonoscopy) I originally presumed it must be grade 4 to have spread but I think it’s more on the type of tumour rather than the grade as I had multiple mets in the liver from the primary in my bowel but these were all grade 1 when they took out and tested. 
    we are all different though and our treatments do appear to be different it’s good they are shrinking primary first mine was small which I think is why I did not have chemo as it was easy to remove without. 
    it’s not helpful but sadly a lot of waiting is involved but I wish you speedy treatment and a positive outcome xx 

    wendy

  • Offline in reply to Ste62

    Hello, Anne-Marie lives quite close to me and we’ve been chatting a lot about our experiences. 

    I have never been told a stage either. I have a friend going through a similar journey to us who has same oncologist to me and he was told not to think about stages, it is really just for them to use in terms of what they are dealing with treatment plan wise, so I’ve never asked the question, I just know it would be classed as 4 because I’ve confirmed mets. 

    I think with me they did the pet because there were areas of concern across both lobes and they wanted to be sure it hadn’t gone elsewhere. The areas of concern had been flagged on the first CT scan I had of the abdomen and pelvis.

    The plan always was to do chemo first even after  they had confirmed the bowel and liver were operable. true oncologist said that although the pet confirmed no further spread it couldn’t pick up single cancer cells so best to blast with chemo first. She also didn’t want a delay so didn’t recommend I have the small tumour in the bowel operated on first incase there were any complications that would then delay the chemo starting. So much the same info as you.  

  • Offline in reply to Lappinsasha

    Thanks Wendy that’s really useful information x

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