Well, the CT Colonography revealed no issues in my bowels, liver or pancreas........but I have a 2cm tumour in my right kidney.

My voice is hoarse and I have some rib pains, so I'll be having a chest CT later next week to confirm whether or not it has spread to my lungs (I really hope and pray it hasn't).

It's a bit of a shock to be told you have cancer, but I need to get on with facing it and hopefully, god willing, getting clear of it.

I'm so glad I pestered the GP for the blood tests and the follow-up referral after a clear US.

I hope you are doing OK, Jim, and thanks again for your positivity - I need it to rub off on me!

Hi Dave

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, and I know...."cancer" is an awful word to hear! Not easy to tell you anything that'll make you feel better right now, only that we've all been there & heard the word ourselves. Let's hope your lung scan is a gud 'un bud! I'll be thinking of you with everything crossed!
 

But even if the cancer has spread, it's not necessarily as bad as your mind is telling you just now. When I saw my surgeon for a consultation before the lung surgery, his straightforwardness really lifted me. Basically and I can't recall his exact words, it went something like..."Ok you've got a tumour in there, so...we'll have it out, it's not a massive job, bread & butter to me, & then the oncology team will sort you out with medication after that.

I left that room feeling a lot better in my head!

And that's the way it is Dave, when it becomes fact, it is fact, whatever the details, & has to be faced. But try & psyche yourself up before the scan result.

But remember what I said in my last letter...we have the best medical people in the world on our side....and they ALWAYS do their very best for us! 

I myself have been a bit stressed lately. I was supposed to have a CT scan this month, to check the immunotherapy treatment's working &  no more tumours are re-appearing, but they've put it back till May. The reason being that the colorectal team gave me a scan early January,  as is normal, to finally sign me off from the bowel cancer care. And because of that, it's too soon, for bodily safety reasons to give me another scan so quickly.

Now obviously any tumour would have showed up in that January scan & I'm an idiot for worrying...but I was SO looking forward to getting the all clear from this month's scan.

And that in a nutshell is what the word cancer does to our noggins Dave. I should know better shouldn't I?

Good Luck with the scan!

Thanks Jim - for yet another great reply.

I suppose they are looking out for you with keeping the radiation exposure within safe limits, but I can imagine your frustration!

The chest scan is confirmed for Thursday; I'll let you know how it goes. 
 

Thanks again, Dave.

Hello, my tumour was 35mm . It was successfully removed along with part of my bowel in April 2017. The op was a low anterior resection. Jo 

Hi Jo,

I have the same operation due on the 4th November - extreamly anxious about it. So glad all went well for you :-)

If you don't mind me asking, how long were you in hospital and how are ou feeling 3 weeks on from the operation ?

Marj (Gardener55)

Hi Marj, 

I had my op in April 2017. I was pre warned that I might require a colostomy but they wouldn't know until the surgeon tried to resect my bowel. They marked me up in advance for a possible colostomy site. The op lasted about 3 hours, I didn't have to have a colostomy. post opetatively I spent a night in surgical high dependency and then transferred to a surgical ward. I was in hospital for 6 nights. I made sure I kept topped up with paracetamol to control any pain. I was sent home with heparin injections which I self administered- that was a bit daunting at first but I soon got used to doing them. Moving around was a bit difficult at first but when I was discharged I was walking around ok, managing stairs etc. I started to drive about 6 weeks post operatively. 

Now I just have some faint scars on my stomach. Everything healed up ok. I can do all the things I did previously. I hope all goes well for you. If you need to ask anything else  please do. 
 

a 6cm cancer has been removed from my bowel on 1 Dec 2021. Doctor arranges chemoradiotherapy. She told me there have many side effect, not only hair loss, but almost other significant impacts. the chemoradiotherapy can increase 10% survival rate. Should I take it? 

Stage III , affected two lymph nodes

Hello. I think you should be guided by your treatment team regarding chemo.

I was offered chemo and decided to have it after discussing it with my team and understanding the possible impact of the chemo on my body and emotions. I had 9 months of chemo on a weekly basis. After about 4 weeks of starting the treatment I had a Hickman line as the veins in my arms just weren't managing at all . The Hickman line made it less stressful for everyone. 
 

The side effects I experienced were extreme fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea and some peripheral neuropathy in my fingers which improved once I'd finished the course of treatment. My hair thinned and some fell out but I didn't lose all of it.  The effects of chemo will vary according to the combination  of chemo given and an individual's response to it. I think I had to have a couple of weeks break from it about half way through and my team also had to alter the dosage. 
 

Emotionally I found it quite difficult. After surgery I felt better each day as my body recovered and I was able to do more and I could see an improvement. With chemo I found it was the opposite, the more chemo I had the worse I felt and there were no obvious signs of recovery or that it was 'working' . I did complete the full 9 month course of chemo and rang the ' end of treatment bell' on my birthday in 2018! 
 

I hope that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to have chemo and that you have a supportive team to assist you. All the best. Jo