para aortic lymph node biopsy?

jen2012

3 weeks ago my 46 yr old husband went in for a colonoscopy thinking they would say hemorroids. So the surgeon came out and said it was cancer...likely story it seems. He was immediately sent for blood work and ct scan. Later that week he went for a pet scan. 2 weeks ago we met the oncologist who told us stage 4 - that there bone lesions and the paraaortic nodes lit up. She also told this it was an unusual course for rectal cancer to take and then decided it would be worth a bone biopsy. Organs are clear.

He has not had any symptoms until this summer. Just in the last month he has had a little bleeding. In July when he saw the primary care, she didn't find any blood on the fecal occult test.

We went for a 2nd opinion on Wed this week - he said he wouldn't have been so quick to say stage 4, that we really need to find out what the bone legions were and if that was negative, then we should get the node biopsied too - could just be inflammation.

Prayers answered on Thursday - we got the results that the bone legions were not cancerous! Thank God - some good news finally!

So the onc. called last night and the node biopsy is too risky for the radiologist to do and wants to have the surgeon do it.

Has anyone had the para-aortic biopsy done and have it not be cancer? Is this risky? Should we ask that he just remove them while he's in there?

She did say it may be outpatient, depending on the time of day they can get him in.

annalexandria

Glad you got some good news!
I had a para-aortic node removed as part of my original surgery (my surgeon removed a lot of nodes, 38, just to be one the safe side). It was cancerous, along with four others, but I don't think there was any particular risk involved in having it removed. If I was going to have a biopsy done anyway, I think I would want it just taken out. Sending strength your way-Ann Alexandria

jen2012

annalexandria said:

Glad you got some good news!
I had a para-aortic node removed as part of my original surgery (my surgeon removed a lot of nodes, 38, just to be one the safe side). It was cancerous, along with four others, but I don't think there was any particular risk involved in having it removed. If I was going to have a biopsy done anyway, I think I would want it just taken out. Sending strength your way-Ann Alexandria

Thanks...and thanks for
Thanks...and thanks for sharing your story. You've been through a lot...I hope you stay NED.