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cancer has returned?

kbjohn4
kbjohn4 CSN Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
hello, At 41 years old I had stage III colorectal cancer in the spring of 2006. Went through radiation, chemo, had a colostomysurgery. Then adjuvant chemo until Feb of 2007. They removed 13 lymphnodes 7 were positive. I finally got my strength back and returned to work. I even got used to my ostomy. The first of August we discoverd a small nodule in my left lung after a pet scan and my CEA had risen to 15 after being consistantly under 5. We waited 4 weeks then did a CT scan on my chest. The nodule appears not to have changed any but my CEA had almost doubled to 29. I am sceduled for a pet scan Sept. 29 then we will decide if the cancer is anywhere else or just in my lung. The doctors can not tell me for sure if the nodule in my lung is what is causing my CEA to rise or not. If they can not find any other signs they are talking about lung surgery.I am a husband to a wonderful wife and we have four great kids uneder 15. We were just wondering if any has experienced this situation.
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Comments

  • betina61
    betina61 CSN Member Posts: 642 Member
    #2
    Sorry
    Sorry to know that you are facing this new bump on the road,but hopefully it will be a solitarie nodule and surgery will take care of that,so many people on this board with recurrances and today they are NED, so PLEASE keep your faith, I'll be praying for you.
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  • usakat
    usakat CSN Member Posts: 610 Member
    #3
    Hey kbjohn...
    I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. I know how difficult it is to wait on tests and a clear diagnosis. If your cancer has indeed returned, just know that many folks here, including my mom, have been successfully treated for lung mets.

    I will certainly keep you, your wife and kids in my thoughts and prayers.

    Keep us posted and let us know how we can help.

    Katie
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  • taraHK
    taraHK CSN Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #4
    I've been there
    I am sorry to hear about this recurrence. I have a similar background to you (diagnosed Stage III in my early 40s, had chemoradiation then surgery then more chemo, permanent colostomy). I have experienced solitary lung nodule. It can be treated! A solitary nodule is "good news" (that is, it is not multiple lesions!). As you gather more information, one question you might want to ask is whether the nodule is 'amenable to surgery'. That is, would they plan on surgical treatment rather than chemo. My understanding is that if I can be removed surgically, that is preferable. Your docs may or may not suggest further chemo after the surgery (this is a bit debatable -- I did). A lesion in the lung sounds scary and lung surgery sounds scary too. But, it is OK. If they start talking surgery, you might want to ask whether you would be a candidate for VATS (which is kinda like laparoscopy - minimally invasive) and also whether they might be able to do a wedge resection (removing less rather than more lung tissue). After surgery, I was up and walking within 24 hours. And I am very fit and strong now (can hike up hills, etc). Hope I am not bombarding you with too much information. Please feel free to contact me directly if I can help further. I have a wonderful husband and two teenage boys -- they are my rock and my light.
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  • kbjohn4
    kbjohn4 CSN Member Posts: 3
    #5
    taraHK said:

    I've been there
    I am sorry to hear about this recurrence. I have a similar background to you (diagnosed Stage III in my early 40s, had chemoradiation then surgery then more chemo, permanent colostomy). I have experienced solitary lung nodule. It can be treated! A solitary nodule is "good news" (that is, it is not multiple lesions!). As you gather more information, one question you might want to ask is whether the nodule is 'amenable to surgery'. That is, would they plan on surgical treatment rather than chemo. My understanding is that if I can be removed surgically, that is preferable. Your docs may or may not suggest further chemo after the surgery (this is a bit debatable -- I did). A lesion in the lung sounds scary and lung surgery sounds scary too. But, it is OK. If they start talking surgery, you might want to ask whether you would be a candidate for VATS (which is kinda like laparoscopy - minimally invasive) and also whether they might be able to do a wedge resection (removing less rather than more lung tissue). After surgery, I was up and walking within 24 hours. And I am very fit and strong now (can hike up hills, etc). Hope I am not bombarding you with too much information. Please feel free to contact me directly if I can help further. I have a wonderful husband and two teenage boys -- they are my rock and my light.

    Thanks Tara
    Thank-you so much for telling me about your situation. It sounds very simular to what we are dealing with. Hopefully our results will be simular as well. I know the surgeon talked about a wedge resection which is okay. It really lifts our spirit to know there are others who have came out on top of this situation. Thank you again. kj
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