Seeking advice on bowel cancer

My husband is 49 and started feeling very tired a few months ago. He is a scaffolder which is a tough job and was suffering a lot of stress so we put the tiredness down to that. He has also lost about 2 stone this year but he always loses weight in summer and again we put it down to stress. Then about six weeks ago the fatigue really set in and he started with stomach aches. We decided to go to the dr. He had tests and was told he was very anemic and they suggested a colonoscopy. Thinking nothing of it we were sat down after the test and told he has a 5cm lesion in his transverse colon which is more than likely cancer. To say we were shocked is an understatement. It’s been like living a dream since then, blood tests, scans, waiting for results etc. He was told that day he will need half his colon removing regardless or any other results. We can cope with all this but what is worrying us immensely during this wait is whether it has spread or not and what stage it is at. He has been fine for a couple of weeks but has off days where he is very unwell. He has grafted heavily since the age of 16 and can now no longer work. I’ve taken him to a&e twice and they say it’s the anemia. Should I be worried that the cancer is advanced or can you still have symptoms like this early on? He has never once passed blood and has had no change in bowel habits. 

  • Hello Lemonsherbert,

                                        the problem with not knowing and uncertainty is that you replace it with imagination which leads to increased stress. Asking the question on this site as to whether the cancer might have spread on this site will not give you any answers, just speculation, and l suspect you are already doing that for yourselves.

    The answers you can rely upon will come from your consultant and medical team. From your post l can read that they are on the ball and are moving forward on their assessment of staging the tumour. Scans and tests will give them a very good idea as to how to proceed and also the urgency required of such. Obviously they would be in a position to give a more definitive answer following surgery to remove the tumour.. They are well aware of the potential routes of spread and l would feel confident they would be monitoring this

    We are all unique and no two cancers would be the same. and this is how your medical team will view every patient. In my case l was diagnosed with a tumour which subsequently spread to the liver between diagnosis and pre-op chemo/radiotherapy. That they picked this up was due to the diligence they showed throughout my treatment, ten years on l am here writing this reply .And no l never passed blood until the end when l noticed some black dots within my stool which l realised was stale blood

     Should you be worried? l would suggest far better to be prepared and accept your journey, because you are already travelling along it, and a less stressed driver  is more likely to arrive at their destination in better shape.

    Let your medical bring their expertise to bear , have faith in their abilities, all you can offer is the least stressed bodies possible with a positive attitude and realise how muchof a mighty difference that can make to your eventual destination.a desired one.

    take care both,

    David

     

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  • Thank you for taking the time to write this. It’s very helpful