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Discouraged
My chemo has been postponed AGAIN, due to low white blood cell count. (I'm on FOLFOX, supposedly every 2 weeks, following surgical removal of a single lung metastisis, 2 yrs after tx for Stage III rectal cancer). I am a "pollyanna" by nature, and each time I have a setback I manage to see the bright side, focus on the…
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Elevated CEA
Hi everyone, I have been reading messages for four years now. My CEA was recently confirmed elevated and I am three weeks into the one month wait for a retake. If still elevated I will be getting the dreaded CT. We all have been there. I have read the messages regarding CEA results and it helps alot, and I do not feel so…
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Avastin & Erbitux Approved In Canada
Health Canada approves pricey colorectal cancer drugs Provided by: Canadian Press Sep. 12, 2005 TORONTO (CP) -- Health Canada has approved two promising but expensive new cancer drugs, Avastin and Erbitux. Both are treatments for advanced colorectal cancer. Avastin, made by Hoffman-La Roche, was approved for first line…
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Clean liver
I got my PET/CT results today. Several weeks ago I had five liver mets, and now they are all gone. But there is some kind of "activity" in my rectal area, so tomorrow I get a special examination to see what's up with that. But the doc was really happy about the liver. I'm holding my enthusiasm to see what's up with the…
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Good News....
hi everyone, My mother got results from her last CT Scan - ALL CLEAR!!! We had a bit of a panic because there was a new liver spot the CT scan picked up but an emergency ultrasound confirmed its nothing but a 'sist' of some sort. Nothing to worry about! My mother was diagnosed in March 2004 with Stage 3 rectal cancer and…
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change of chemo
well my husband saw oncologist last Friday, and it was decided to stop the Folfox cocktail, as he is suffering pretty bad with the neuropathy (had 6 treatments one every two weeks). So the plan now is CT Scan Wednesday (scary time) then Friday go in for chemo onc will have made decision as to what at that time, he will…
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Sperm after chemotherapy
Does anyone know if chemotherapy for cancer damages sperm cells, and if it does, how long should men wait after the end of chemotherapy before trying to conceive?
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Hello from sunny Dublin Ireland
Hello This is my first time to contact this board, but I have been reading for quite a while. Diagnosed in October 04, suffering extreme pain in colon area, underwent emergency surgery, got results cancer stage 4 with one possible 2 liver mets. Did the folfiri regime pllus avastin. Got through the chemotherapy fine, and am…
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Questions, questions, questions!
Hope everyone is doing well. I have a few questions that I was hoping someone may be able to help me out with! To refresh, I had an ultra low anterior resection with colonic j-pouch construction for rectal ca (stage 1) in April. They created a temporary ileostomy which is going to be reversed in about 6 weeks. I have had…
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New Orleans
On vacation with little access to the internet or TV, I missed most of the hurricaine coverage. It did not suprise me that our favorite navel officer has gone down there to help. Putting aside his goofy SpongeBob persona he becomes a hero among heros. I am proud to know him. My maternal grandmother's people came from New…
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Rectal/Vaginal fistula - Adding muscle to rectum
My 34 year old daughter had stage 2/3 rectal cancer diagnosed March 30, 2004. She underwent chemo and radiation for six weeks prior to surgery in Aug. 2004. She then went through another 5 months of chemo as a procaution, as they found no lymph involvement even though they suspected there was before her first…
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAURA
Didn't want you to get off the hook here without having your birthday publicly announced! Many happy RETURNS! - SB
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I WON!!
Well, it seems I have won an all-expense paid trip to .... New Orleans! I received a request to head down and do critical incident stress debriefs. They have put my second surgery on hold pending my return and I leave next week. I'll be like Kanga - AWOL - for a wile as I expect to be right in the heart of New Orleans…
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PET/CT scans tomorrow
Tomorrow morning I get my first scans since starting chemotherapy. I have gone through six cycles of 5FU + Oxaliplatin + Avastin. My CEA count started at 55 and was 4.4 before my last cycle. I'm hoping for good results, but I guess I won't find out anything until meeting with my oncologist next Wednesday. Chemotherapy…
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Thalidomide
Good Morning, I have been reading alot of articles on the use of Thalidomide with Ironotecan. It works as an anti-angiogenesis much like Avastin does with Folfox. It was shown to improve the performance of Ironotecan. It has also shown some reduction in the gastrointestinal side effects caused by the Ironotecan…
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Next week's CT Scan...
I was dx 12/17/04 with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to the liver. After surviving 12 rounds of chemo, 25 doses of radiation, a colon resection, and a plethora of side effects, my Oncologist has mercifully decided to hold on the 13 & 14th round of chemo, instead I'll get a CT scan next week. It's been well over 3 months…
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My husband
Can anyone who survived colon cancer help me. I am terrified. My husband was diagnosed with colon cancer on Aug 16th. He had surgery on the 22nd to remove the tumor, 10 inches of the colon and 13 lymnodes. They said the cancer did not enter the lymnodes and only penetrated 2 of the 5 layers of the colon wall. They put him…
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Seems like women in early 40's need to be getting colonoscopies
I am a 46 yr. old female in Ohio, diagnosed in October of 2003. I went through the research arm of treatment in a clinical trial. My treatment consisted of no surgery (other than the massive biopsy) and 4 rounds of chemo (4 day pump with FU5) and Cisplatin. After two rounds of chemo, the radiation began. 37 total…
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We do win sometimes...
In one week I turn 43...diagnosed at 36 with stage 3 rectal cancer. Did preoperative chemoradiation (lovely!), surgery, then 6 months of 5-FU (FU-2). Could barely believe that I got through it, then wondered how I would get by the ensuing years waiting to see if I survived or not. Well, I did...and thrived. Picked up and…
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Maitake Mushrooms/Juicing questions
Good morning everyone... I have some juicing questions and a question about maitake mushrooms. I've been juicing daily kinda making up my own recipe mostly organic carrots and some beets and handfuls of organic spinach leaves. Is there any recipe I should be following? I try and juice in the morning on a empty stomach and…
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We lost the battle
To all the friends on this network, my husband Mike just lost his battle with colon cancer,on Aug 11th at 43yrs old,he wasn't ready and did not want to leave me and our 4 small kids,how hard is that to live with??? We need you survivors to keep up the great words of encouragement and faith....to you I thank for all those…
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Scan Results
Good Morning, My dad got the results of the MRI for his back and the abdominal CT scan. The MRI shows no cancer in the back which conflicts with what the PET scan showed in July. The Oncologist said the only thing he sees there is arthritis. If that's the case, why did it light up in so many places on the PET scan. I would…
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Intense sore throat
I completed chemotherapy cycle six last Friday, and over the weekend started to experience really bad acid reflux. The next day I had a sore throat, which has gotten more intense over the past couple of days. My oncologist's nurse thinks the sore throat is due to the acid reflux. I'm only curious if anyone else has…
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bleeding
I was wanting to know if anyone has ever experienced bleeding while going thru chemo and rad. My mom is doing this and the oncologist said today that it could be one of two things either the rad and chemo were breaking ( or shrinking ) the cancer cells or that the cancer could be getting worse. She is not bleeding from the…
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surgery for rectal cancer on the 8th; macrobiotics?
Hi all. It has been a while since writing. My surgery has been moved up. I will be having surgery at Johns Hopkins for rectal tumor. I know I have a good surgeon but I am nervous nonetheless. Jana, thanks for all your surgery recommendations. I will post in a couple of weeks and give you an update. Has anyone here tried…
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advice
Hi ! Like I mentioned last week my Pet and Ct came back NED. ( wwwwwweeeeee ) Today I had my Dr. appt. This is what she told me....if you ask me if u are cured I will have to say NO..that u are in remission ( which i know ) We will see u every 12 ( !!!!! ???? ) weeks.,thats it ! ohhhh and that i should know that i will go…
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Help for Cancer Patients in Hurricane-stricken Areas
www.asco.org
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Thanks for the prayers/adhesions
Hi all! Just wanting to say thanks to all who kept my hubby in thoughts and prayers last week.. It did turn out to be an adhesion/scar tissue wrapped around his colon near where he had his resection. They just "freed" it and he finally came home today. Thank You God! Thise NG tubes are propbably the worst part of his stay…
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Update ~
I just figured I'd give you an update since my onocologist visit. I had my transanal excision on the 25th of August and I am still so uncomfortable. Has anyone on here had one and been this uncomfortable? I wasn't this miserable with my liver resection. Anyway at the oncologist on Friday he really wants to wait and see…
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It's Birthday Time.....
Hi Semi-Colons, Let's all join in and wish Spongebob a very Happy Birthday.( 42 ) So from Andy & I, Happy Birthday Bob. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Labor Day weekend. We went to see the Rolling Stones on September 3 , what a show....... Lisa