I'm a 60 year old female, and had a bowel cancer diagnosis in 2019. Five weeks of chemo/radiotherapy every weekday, followed by a three month wait while the treatment continued to work it's magic. I had a lower anterior resection and ileostomy in the November. February 2020 I had the ileostomy reversed. Roughly three weeks later I was pleased to hear the surgeon had "got it all".
A routine bowel scan identified liver metastasis in July 2022, and I had a liver resection in the September. Only one night in hospital due to my age, and good level of fitness! My first check up scan following on from this identified new metastasis in almost the same area of the liver, plus an additional one in the other side. I had 2 cycles of capox, but didn't do very well, so the oxaliplatin element was withdrawn. I continued with 2 cycles of capecitabine only. At my three monthly scan two of the tumours had shrunk, but one continued to grow. They were all very small, so I was offered another liver resection, and a wedge. I had my surgery at the end of October 2023. The histology came back identifying the cancer as a new primary in the bile duct. The hospital went back and checked the previous year's histology, and that was also in the bile duct. I then had an unscheduled scan early December, which has shown the bile duct, and liver to be "clear". Unfortunately, I now have three nodules in my left lung. I have been offered 8 cycles of gemcitabine, cisplatin, and durvalumab. My prognosis without treatment is 6 months, and with could be double. I have signed the consent form, but have been struggling with the decision to go ahead. I am reasonably fit, and healthy, and am able to do all of the things I've always done prior to the last surgery. This has prompted my change of mind.
