Aggressive Cancer?

themis01

Hello All,
I am posting concerning my mom again. She has colon cancer in the liver and abdomen. Well they found that a tunor has regrown where a cancerous polyp was taken out 8 months ago. The onc. said this is a particulary aggressive cancer because it has recurred so fast. It was in her liver and abdomen only 6 months after the cancerous polyp was removed. (a stage 1 cancer!) She is starting chemo today so we are all scared to death that it will not shrink the tumors. She is also having alot of pain in her abdomen. It is killing me to see my mom mentally and physically hurting like this. They aren't going to remove the tumor yet because they want to start chemo since they feel the spread is more life threatening. The onc. told me if she doesn't react to this chemo her prognosis is "very poor". I assuming this is because it is moving so fast? Anyone know anything about aggressive colon cancers? Are there are large % of people out there that the chemo just doesn't work on? I don't know how she will make it through all of this until they can test to see if it is working. She is overloaded with anxiety, worry, and stress. She looks like she has aged one hundred years in 4 weeks from worry. I am absolutely heartbroken and just looking for hope and.....well I don't even know just something to grasp onto I guess..........

Becky58

I wish I had an answer for you but I don't. But if it helps you are not alone...my Dad was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and before he left the hospital they found spots on his liver that turned out to be stage 4 cancer...this was a huge shock to him and us. The oncologist did give him hope but like with your mother this all hinges on whether this works or not and he can not even get started until he heals from surgery so we have to wait and worry that this cancer will spread more in the weeks to come while we wait to start treatment...he too was told it appeared to be aggressive. I posted a topic on page 2 entitled "needing success stories" you might scroll through and read some of the replies I got...they were very encouraging. Just remember everyone and every case is different...each its own...so much of a person's healing comes from the mental aspect of it....I have told myself to try and focus on the positive and believe that it will work until and if we are told otherwise...why should one entertain thoughts of the negative what if's before one has too or maybe not at all. You have to believe it has worked for others so why not your mom or my dad? The power of prayer is very helpful and comforting. Seek prayers in your mom's behalf from all your family and friends. Prayer can do amazing things and it might also help your mother to alievate some of the worry if she turns it over to God, his shoulders are broder than ours. God Bless you!

ron50

Hi Themis
I know how scary it is for you but just take it one step at a time, my tumour wasn't that big but in the words of my surgeon it was fearfully aggressive and had invaded 6 lymph glands, I had chemo as soon as possible after surgery ,around 3 weeks, and perhaps because of the aggression of the ca the chemo worked very effectively and after 7 yrs I'm still ca free ,good luck with your mum ,try and stay positive, Ron.

steved

Getting such news is never easy and there will be stage of adjusting to all thiis for you and your mother. Give yourself time for it all to sink in and the enormity of it to shrink away a little as you get to grips witht he situation.
Your mother obviously does have a fast growing and aggressive cancer just byt the way it has progressed rapidly. One thing I do remember learning at med school was that sometimes that can mean a better response to treatment. Chemo and radiotherapy works by targetting cells that are rapidly dividng and reproducing (that is why it doesn't just kill our body's normal cells). Therefore sometimes cancers that are growing more rapidly are more sensitive and repsonsive to these treatments.
It is a waiting game now though - watching to see what respons eot the chemo occurs. Be there for your mom to talka nd support as much as she needs. There is lttle else you can do jsut now but just by being there you can make a real diffierence.
Will be thinking of you,
steve

positiveone

Hi there themis01. My mom has also been diagnosed with colon cancer which has spread to the peritoneum-not a lot just a couple of spots. The surgeon too decided not to operate as he was of the opinion that my mom would not be physically fit for the commencement of the chemo. He thought it was more important that she commence chemo immediately as the cancer had also re-occured in a short space of time. we live in South Africa and I would love to correspond with you as to how your mom is progressing physically and mentally. We too are absolutely beside ourself with worry and concern and I have not slept properly for weeks-ever since the diagnosis so I know exactly what you are going through. I have heard from various sources that a Macrobiotic diet is very good. I can give your more details if you have not heard of it. Please reply as I would love to chat to someone who understands. Also we can compare treatments and opinions. Survivor stories and replies from anyone else who has been similiarly diagnosed will be appreaciated. Alison

themis01

positiveone said:

Hi there themis01. My mom has also been diagnosed with colon cancer which has spread to the peritoneum-not a lot just a couple of spots. The surgeon too decided not to operate as he was of the opinion that my mom would not be physically fit for the commencement of the chemo. He thought it was more important that she commence chemo immediately as the cancer had also re-occured in a short space of time. we live in South Africa and I would love to correspond with you as to how your mom is progressing physically and mentally. We too are absolutely beside ourself with worry and concern and I have not slept properly for weeks-ever since the diagnosis so I know exactly what you are going through. I have heard from various sources that a Macrobiotic diet is very good. I can give your more details if you have not heard of it. Please reply as I would love to chat to someone who understands. Also we can compare treatments and opinions. Survivor stories and replies from anyone else who has been similiarly diagnosed will be appreaciated. Alison

Positive one..I sent you an email on this site.