Rare colon cancer.

emmangus

My boyfriend was diagnosed with stage IV signet ring mucinoid adenocarcinoma of the colon almost two years ago. He went through chemo and was in remission for a while, but we recently found out that the same cancer metastasized to the kidney. This is such a trying time, and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this and can tell me anything about it? Apparently it's rare.

AnneCan

emmangus
Welcome to the forum. I have not had this same situation, but hopefully someone else will help you.

pete43lost_at_sea

sorry to hear about your boyfriend
would be interested in what your advised, have not heard of it spreading to the kidneys before.

goodluck doing your research and I hope you get the best treatment possible.

welocme to the board, the people here are great.

cheers,

Pete

herdizziness

Signet Ring
I don't have signet Ring colon cancer, but my cancer had metastasized to my ureter (this connects the kidney to the bladder) and had a ureter resection, having a bit of trouble with the kidney now, which is leaking protein since the surgery, hoping I get to keep the kidney.
Will they be taking the kidney out now? Unfortunately since it's a rarer cancer, there isn't a lot of info we can help provide. But in our stage IV cancers, we can still get mets after being in remission, which totally bites, but it is what it is.
Wishing you and your boyfriend the best.
Winter Marie

CherylHutch

Cancer to the kidney
Hey Emma,

Sorry you had to find us... but on the other hand, I'm glad you have! We can certainly offer support for both you and Angus!

As for the kidney.... interesting, I have a similar situation. I am also a Stage IV. My colon cancer had spread to my right adrenal gland (considered unusual, but not rare), to my lungs (considered very common with colon cancer) and lo and behold, guess who has a lesion/tumour in her kidney? Now, we do NOT know if the tumour is a colon cancer spread or if it is a new primary kidney cancer. My oncologist says it's sort of 50/50 at this point... although the kidney surgeon (who specializes in kidney cancer) says that it has the look and pattern of a kidney cancer.

Either way, none of us care what kind of cancer it might be... we just want to get rid of it. Since it is not growing at any fast rate and I am about to go on another regime of chemo, all involved have agreed that it's more important at the moment that I get the chemo and get the small tumours in my lungs stable... and then when I have a break from the chemo, we are going to do an RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) on the tumour in the kidney. This is where they will zap it with radio frequency waves, which is similar to microwaving the tumour, and that will be the end of that.

So, when you go see the oncologist/doctors... definitely ask them about the possibility of using RFA and zapping the tumour(s). It is a non-invasive procedure and if it's doable in Angus's case, it would be a day procedure where he would go home afterwards. Of course, not knowing anything about his case (are we talking one tumour? multiple tumours? one kidney? both kidneys?) I can't say that this is a possibility for him... but definitely worth bringing up with his doctors to see if it is a possibility.

Do keep us posted!

Cheryl

DoriW

CherylHutch said:

Cancer to the kidney
Hey Emma,

Sorry you had to find us... but on the other hand, I'm glad you have! We can certainly offer support for both you and Angus!

As for the kidney.... interesting, I have a similar situation. I am also a Stage IV. My colon cancer had spread to my right adrenal gland (considered unusual, but not rare), to my lungs (considered very common with colon cancer) and lo and behold, guess who has a lesion/tumour in her kidney? Now, we do NOT know if the tumour is a colon cancer spread or if it is a new primary kidney cancer. My oncologist says it's sort of 50/50 at this point... although the kidney surgeon (who specializes in kidney cancer) says that it has the look and pattern of a kidney cancer.

Either way, none of us care what kind of cancer it might be... we just want to get rid of it. Since it is not growing at any fast rate and I am about to go on another regime of chemo, all involved have agreed that it's more important at the moment that I get the chemo and get the small tumours in my lungs stable... and then when I have a break from the chemo, we are going to do an RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) on the tumour in the kidney. This is where they will zap it with radio frequency waves, which is similar to microwaving the tumour, and that will be the end of that.

So, when you go see the oncologist/doctors... definitely ask them about the possibility of using RFA and zapping the tumour(s). It is a non-invasive procedure and if it's doable in Angus's case, it would be a day procedure where he would go home afterwards. Of course, not knowing anything about his case (are we talking one tumour? multiple tumours? one kidney? both kidneys?) I can't say that this is a possibility for him... but definitely worth bringing up with his doctors to see if it is a possibility.

Do keep us posted!

Cheryl

I'm sorry to hear that
I too was diagnosed with signet ring colon cancer. I was lucky that it was caught while still at stage III, though I did have a ton of positive lymph nodes.

One thing I did when I was diagnosed was to look (somewhat desperately) for information how how this rarer form of colon cancer is treated. What I found out was that it is treated basically the same as "regular" colon cancer. The main difference in my treatment is that we have monitored more closely than we would have otherwise.

My understanding is that with more aggressive cancers, like signet ring, they are more likely to take up residence any old place, which might explain the less common met to the kidney rather than the more common liver or lung mets.

My doctor says that she prefers to "keep resecting" these cancers when it is possible (without too much risk and suffering). She says they've found the cancers can actually become less aggressive over time.

Take care.

Dori

tesslee

DoriW said:

I'm sorry to hear that
I too was diagnosed with signet ring colon cancer. I was lucky that it was caught while still at stage III, though I did have a ton of positive lymph nodes.

One thing I did when I was diagnosed was to look (somewhat desperately) for information how how this rarer form of colon cancer is treated. What I found out was that it is treated basically the same as "regular" colon cancer. The main difference in my treatment is that we have monitored more closely than we would have otherwise.

My understanding is that with more aggressive cancers, like signet ring, they are more likely to take up residence any old place, which might explain the less common met to the kidney rather than the more common liver or lung mets.

My doctor says that she prefers to "keep resecting" these cancers when it is possible (without too much risk and suffering). She says they've found the cancers can actually become less aggressive over time.

Take care.

Dori

hi
i too have signet ring cell. and yes it was scary to hear that and not find much on the web about it. i don't know much about it. it seems appendix cancer which is a rare cancer is often signet ring cell.

geotina

HI:
Catherine Dixon (C Dixon) on this board I believe has signet cell. Send her a personal message through the e-mail section and perhaps she can answer some questions for you.

I have read posts where the cancer spread to the kidney and that person had signet cell.

I think the chemo treatments are the same.

Take care - Tina

C Dixon

Yes, this is what my initial report diagnosed.
I was diagnosed in Nov. '08. My onc at Duke said he has 5 year survivors with signet tendencies. I do NOT like to nor do I focus on this. I have outlived many within my own cancer center who do not have signet tendencies. It is obvious with my history that mine is aggressive but I am here and my faith and hope are functioning well. Focus on being well. Cancer has usual met pathways but it can go anywhere it wants to. Check out options for surgery and RFA or even radiation. There is hope!

Catherine

thxmiker

I am on the second round
I am on the second round with Signet Ring Cell Cancer in the Colon. (I have had it in the colon, appendix, small intestine, and the Secum.) Get a good oncologist. Review the scans also. Find an Oncologist team that works together. This will improve one's results. My team has a pathologist that reviews the slides before they sew you up. I have had three surgeries and am at 8 of 12 Chemo treatments.

Signet Ring cell is fairly rare in the colon. It is usually found late in the pancreas or lungs.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
best Always, mike

kristasplace

Signet
Hello! I don't have signet, but i have a friend who is a ten year survivor of the exact cancer you mentioned. He was a stage III, and only 30 years old at diagnosis. They treated him aggressively with irinotecan.