Biopsy for follow up?

EvelynB

I am nearly three months out of treatment now. I had a pet scan approximately 6 weeks out of treatment that showed the lymph nodes clear and tumor had shrunk. There is still something there that could (hopefully) be scar tissue. My surgeon is planning on doing a biopsy (under anesthesia) to confirm if there's cancer left. Has anyone else had this? It seems that most everyone on here has been followed up only by scans or DRE.

Lorikat

I had a follow up biopsy...

I had a follow up biopsy...  Scar tissue!

lolow

Just had two biopsies today!

Hi EvelynB and all,

  I am a little over a year out from the beginning of chemo/radiation. Today, my proctologist/surgeon took two biopsies during an office visit. I really wasn't emotionally prepared. He mentioned that he's concerned but it could be proctitis.

  My plan is to fill my mind with gratitude until I get the results either tomorrow or Monday. I hate cancer but have such respect after reading "Cancer the Emperor of Maladies".

  A little off topic, maybe worthy of a new thread - has anyone done genetic testing? I'm going to be part of a genetic study since my sister is battling 3 cancers.

 

thanks for listening,

Linda

RoseC

Hi

I had biopsies done six months out. Turned out ok.

EvelynB

Lorikat said:

I had a follow up biopsy...

I had a follow up biopsy...  Scar tissue!

Lorikat

Thanks for the reply. That's great to hear that yours was scar tissue. I hope mine will be the same. Did you have much pain in the days following the biopsy?

EvelynB

lolow said:

Just had two biopsies today!

Hi EvelynB and all,

  I am a little over a year out from the beginning of chemo/radiation. Today, my proctologist/surgeon took two biopsies during an office visit. I really wasn't emotionally prepared. He mentioned that he's concerned but it could be proctitis.

  My plan is to fill my mind with gratitude until I get the results either tomorrow or Monday. I hate cancer but have such respect after reading "Cancer the Emperor of Maladies".

  A little off topic, maybe worthy of a new thread - has anyone done genetic testing? I'm going to be part of a genetic study since my sister is battling 3 cancers.

 

thanks for listening,

Linda

Linda

Wow! They did it in the office!? Was it painful? I hope you get the results today so you don't have to wait all weekend. I love that you are using an attitude of gratitude while you wait. I haven't yet seen "Cancer-the Emporer of Maladies" I've been curious about it but still haven't decided if I should watch it. Your statement about having respect after seeing it has me even more curious now. I haven't done genetic testing. Who is doing the study? 

EvelynB

RoseC said:

Hi

I had biopsies done six months out. Turned out ok.

Rose

Thanks for the reply. Good to hear that you were NED. Did they do yours under anesthesia and did you have pain afterwards?

Traj

Biopsy after tumor shrinks

My husband just went through this. You are lucky you found a Dr who would do this as the standard of care is to remove the rectum. My husband's tumor was still shrinking at 6 weeks so perhaps push to wait as long as you can.  Also ask your surgeon what he means by biopsy. Our Dr used that term and it meant removing the entire scar tissue/ tumor area not just checking some tissue So it was actually pretty serious surgery

RoseC

EvelynB said:

Rose

Thanks for the reply. Good to hear that you were NED. Did they do yours under anesthesia and did you have pain afterwards?

Hi EvelynB,
I had a saddle

Hi EvelynB,

I had a saddle block (I think that's the right term). Needle in the back - from the hips down was numb. It was done in an operating room. I don't remember the pain being too bad.

Wishing you all the best,

Rose

EvelynB

Traj said:

Biopsy after tumor shrinks

My husband just went through this. You are lucky you found a Dr who would do this as the standard of care is to remove the rectum. My husband's tumor was still shrinking at 6 weeks so perhaps push to wait as long as you can.  Also ask your surgeon what he means by biopsy. Our Dr used that term and it meant removing the entire scar tissue/ tumor area not just checking some tissue So it was actually pretty serious surgery

Traj

How far out from treatment was your husband when they did the "biopsy"? My dr actually wanted to do this over a month ago. I have held it off this long but I'm still not convinced that this isn't too soon. How is/was your husband's healing? Hope all is well with him now.

jcruz

biopsies

I had a biopsy done at 3 months out.  Turned out to be scar tissue.  I'm now almost 3 yrs. out.

Janet

lolow

EvelynB said:

Linda

Wow! They did it in the office!? Was it painful? I hope you get the results today so you don't have to wait all weekend. I love that you are using an attitude of gratitude while you wait. I haven't yet seen "Cancer-the Emporer of Maladies" I've been curious about it but still haven't decided if I should watch it. Your statement about having respect after seeing it has me even more curious now. I haven't done genetic testing. Who is doing the study? 

The Study

Hi Evelyn,

  Yes, my sister is filling out the forms for the study. She is fighting 3 cancers - none of which are anal. She tested positive for a "Bard" gene issue . I don't know much about it but they want to include our family since there are three of us that have had cancer so far. My cousin in her mid-forties, my younger sister in her late 40's and me in my early 50's. (There were others but they have all died).

 

  I have yet to do the genetic bloodwork. I'll keep you posted when I do. At first, I didn't think there was a genetic component to HPV-related cancers. Who knows?

 

  Good news! My biopsies came back as more radiation proctitis. I love that my proctologist/surgeon is on it. I'm only a year out and have had at least 3 biopsies since the radiation/chemo treatments ended.

 

take care all,

Linda

EvelynB

lolow said:

The Study

Hi Evelyn,

  Yes, my sister is filling out the forms for the study. She is fighting 3 cancers - none of which are anal. She tested positive for a "Bard" gene issue . I don't know much about it but they want to include our family since there are three of us that have had cancer so far. My cousin in her mid-forties, my younger sister in her late 40's and me in my early 50's. (There were others but they have all died).

 

  I have yet to do the genetic bloodwork. I'll keep you posted when I do. At first, I didn't think there was a genetic component to HPV-related cancers. Who knows?

 

  Good news! My biopsies came back as more radiation proctitis. I love that my proctologist/surgeon is on it. I'm only a year out and have had at least 3 biopsies since the radiation/chemo treatments ended.

 

take care all,

Linda

Linda

That's great news about your biopsy results! I am so happy for you! What type of biopsy did your dr do? Was it a needle biopsy? Was it painful ?  

EvelynB

jcruz said:

biopsies

I had a biopsy done at 3 months out.  Turned out to be scar tissue.  I'm now almost 3 yrs. out.

Janet

Janet

Great to hear! I hope you continue to do well. What stage were you in when you found it?

jcruz

EvelynB said:

Janet

Great to hear! I hope you continue to do well. What stage were you in when you found it?

stage

Unstaged because of a collection of complications including pelvic infection, bartholins cysts, possible second primary tumor, inguinal nodes which may have lit up on the PET scan because of the cancer or because of the infection.  Looking back, I think probably stage 3b.