What are the odds?

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Comments

  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    Phil64 said:

    Stage 3a
    Okay, the pathology report from my resection is in. Adenocarcinoma, PT2, invades muscularous ropria, moderately differentiated, low grade, 1 out of 17 lymph nodes tested positive.

    Based on http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/Patient/page2

    I'm assuming I am a stage 3A (at a minimum).

    Back in February I had a lung nodule show up on a CT Scan (as follow-up to Testicular Cancer) and a subsequent PET scan that suggested the lung nodule was not consistent with the Pure Seminoma Testicular Cancer. However, the doctor was planning to do a follow-up CT Scan (now scheduled for Monday) to determine if the nodule has grown. I'm worried that maybe the lung nodule is a metastesis of the colon cancer? Or given two cancer diagnosis, possibly a third lung cancer diagnosis? Maybe its nothing.

    Anyway, if there is a tumor in my lungs that could mean I am stage 4?


    SOME QUESTIONS????

    1. What type of chemo is common for colon cancer? Stage 3?

    2. How long are you treated with chemo?

    3. How can I learn more about this in advance of my meeting with the onchologist? To have context for the discussion?

    Positive thoughts on lung nodules
    Colon cancer tumors on the lung get treated w/colon cancer chemo. My interventional radiologist was able to biopsy them to confirm.
    I was worried sick about lung cancer as well. It is better the find out now so try to not worry this weekend.
    Depending on lung tumors location they can be wedged out too.
    Sure many others on the board can answer your questions more in depth.
    I am a newbie as of Oct. 2011
    Wishing u the best on Monday.
    Hope u have been able to get a couple golf games in. I miss my league and hope I will be able to get out this fall.
  • Fleurydice
    Fleurydice Member Posts: 8
    Helen321 said:

    Genetic Testing
    Hi Kathryn, I'm new so I hope it's okay to break off into another topic. I considered genetic testing and then my cousin pointed out that I might not be able to get future insurance. Did some asking and everyone seems to say that the new health laws prevent that. My fear is that the next president will reverse some of the new health laws. I could lose my job since I'm taking off so often and so I fear I'd lost my insurance if I started a new job. Do you know if that family was able to get health insurance after being tested? I do not communicate with my father's family often but it turns out a whole bunch of them have precancerous cells and my aunt has colon cancer and knowing this was "on a need to know only basis". To which I replied, "Oh I see if I had died, I would have needed to know". Unfortunately, I already have rectal cancer now so knowing would have been useful. It came back (or never left) after only 9 weeks so now I want to get the genetic testing.

    Health insurance
    I keep wondering about the folks who are going through this and have no health insurance. You're worried about losing it if you use up your disability. I was laid off from my job after cancer dx (ironically working for one of the major health insurers) and had to go on portability plan which ran out after one year. Very, very thankfully this was one month after Obama's healthcare bill was passed so I could continue to get insurance. My premiums are about 3/4 of my income. As someone who is 63 and a four-year stage 4 survivor and therefore not hirable, I believe it's very important to support legislation that gets the "middleman" out of our healthcare.