Terrified for my uncle

MariaAlbina

This past Saturday my uncles stopped by (which was weird since they each live over an hour away and haven't been to my family's place since my '09 HS graduation) and my sisters and I over heard my one uncle telling my dad that he was diagnosed through an MRI with colon cancer which they believe has spread to the liver. I've never seen my uncles cry before that day nor have I ever seen my dad cry so hard in my life. It was the most traumatizing day of my family's life besides when I lost my aunt this past March to lung cancer. My uncle hasn't even had a biopsy yet (he goes tomorrow) but they are starting him on chemo tomorrow. (He's going to Thomas Jefferson on Tuesday but might be able to get in earlier) Im just so afraid for him. He's like my second dad and I just can't imagine a 51 year old in great shape that rarely drinks having such a terrible disease. I know it's possible, but I just can't wrap my mind around it. This man would give you the shirt off his back and could always make you laugh. He said he can feel a few lumps on his abdomen and had bouts with constipation and diahrrea but no blood in his stool. The nurse, when he first went for the MRI, said his white blood cell count was normal and his liver enzymes were "a little elevated". My main question is does anyone think it's odd they're giving him chemo before he even gets a biopsy done? It just makes me nervous but I guess I should be happy they're doing something so quickly? It also makes me more nervous on why. Ugh

JanJan63

Try to remember that cancer

Try to remember that cancer is often very controllable these days, particularly ones like colon cancer. It's not uncommon to have radiation and chemo before surgery to shrink the tumour as much as possible before surgery. I never had a biopsy. I don't think many people do for colorectal cancer. Basically, if you have a tumour in the colon area, that's what it is. Once they've done surgery and removed the tumour they'll grade it and take a good look at it.

The first and most important treatment for corectal cancer is to have surgery to remove it. His oncologist will also deal with any cancer if it's in his liver. There are various ways to take care of that. I was 50 when I was diagnosed and was in good shape and never abused my body. I'm not sure that he'd be able to feel any lumps in his abdomen or if that's just fear making him think he does.

The best thing for him is to have confidence his doctor will be able to make him well and he'll either live with cancer and have treatments occasionally or more often or the cancer will be removed and he won't have it again. Or he could have a relapse at some point in the future and they will treat that as well. Cancer is not the immediate death sentence it once was. Sometimes it is but for the most part people can live as cancer survivors for some time. If you read though the posts on here you'll find people that were stage four who have lived many years with that. It's very important that your uncle try to be positive. Negative feelings are very hard on the immune system and he'll need it to help him fight.

I hope your uncle does well. This is a good place to come to because we've all been through it either as survivors or caregivers and we can give you real advice and information. Much of what's on the internet is old information and is not valid.

Jan  

John23

Chemical therapy

 

Re:
"My main question is does anyone think it's odd they're giving him chemo before he even gets a biopsy done?"

I was dx'd stage 4 CC in 2006, never had a Biopsy. They were going to start chemo after surgery and couldn't due to the surgical wound not healing (never had chemo).

Using chemicals to "shrink the tumor" prior to surgery is common these days, and why not? At 5~20 grand per shot and someone filled with fear, it's easy money. If one reads enough at the various journals of medicine, they would find that truth and statistics regarding any so-called "advantage".

That said.... It's not your call, and you should not get yourself involved in the decision of others with something so personal as a terminal disease. Offering "suggestions" can be taken as "interfering", and something that anyone faced with cancer does not need.

You could however, ask if perhaps they should seek the opinion of a different physician. A "Colorectal" surgeon that is not of the same group or organization might be able to offer other choices, rather than starting chemo immediately.

Your Uncle should explore all other options while he has time to. I don't think you should "insist" or make a big deal of it, but to simply ask..... if HE thinks it might be worthwhile to get another opinion, should not set off any ill feelings.

Best hopes,

John

 

MariaAlbina

 I was never going to get

 I was never going to get involved. I'm just trying to find ways to keep myself calm. we don't want to talk to my uncle about it. If my dad has questions he goes through his other brother.  I just know that they're definitely getting a second opinion and maybe even a third. 

beaumontdave

To answer your question[s],

To answer your question[s], No it doesn't seem odd, it seems like they're getting treatment going, because time is a factor with advanced CC. Give him time to digest what is happening, and he'll explain it to his brothers, and then they can tell you what the plan is. It's pannicky, painful times in the beginning, but it will settle down, and you'll get answers......................Dave

MariaAlbina

Well he never got chemo today

Well he never got chemo today. Not sure what is going on at that hospital with keeping my uncles waiting. He was supposed to have the biopsy yesterday and just got it today. I can't wait for him to finally get to the cancer center on Tuesday. I'm the worst when it comes to these things and researching. I've used my lunch breaks all week to look up centers and success stories of people who have/had stage IV CC. I just can't lose hope for him. I can't lose another family member to this. 

 

-Maria 

ellend

Chemo before surgery

I had radiation and chemo prior to surgery. Mine was diagnosed during a colonoscopy and they did biopsy the tumor to determine that it was in fact cancer. They estimated that I was Stage II at the time. The radiation was the primary treatment and the chemo was supposedly to make the radiation work better. In my case, the surgeon said the tumor had almost disappeared by the time that I had the surgery.

I spoke to someone who was stage IV at the infusion center. He didn't have surgery and it was unclear whether he was going to get surgery, but it also sounded like he was responding well to the treatment. Some of the METs have disappeared and others were shrinking.

Ellen

MariaAlbina

Thanks so much for the

Thanks so much for the response, ellend. My uncle has a meeting at Penn Medicine thanks to his friend who is the president of WaWa. I guess it helps to know people? We're just hoping they don't say anything like "we can't help you" or "just stay with the doctor you're seeing now" I'm pretty sure he said that Delaware County wants to put him on 5-FU and Oxaliplatin. I'm assuming these are the standard chemo meds for colon cancer? 

danker

Chemo

I just got fu5, but then that was 6 years ago, and much progress has been made in the interim.  Good luck to you both!!

beaumontdave

MariaAlbina said:

Thanks so much for the

Thanks so much for the response, ellend. My uncle has a meeting at Penn Medicine thanks to his friend who is the president of WaWa. I guess it helps to know people? We're just hoping they don't say anything like "we can't help you" or "just stay with the doctor you're seeing now" I'm pretty sure he said that Delaware County wants to put him on 5-FU and Oxaliplatin. I'm assuming these are the standard chemo meds for colon cancer? 

5fu and Oxi are standard cc

5fu and Oxi are standard cc treatments, Avastin is also used, as it can starve tumors of their blood supply..........................Dave

MariaAlbina

danker said:

Chemo

I just got fu5, but then that was 6 years ago, and much progress has been made in the interim.  Good luck to you both!!

Thank you so much danker!

Thank you so much danker! That means a lot.