Anal cancer stage 3b

Marie58
Marie58 Member Posts: 10
in Anal Cancer #1

Hello

 

i see a lot of posts with encouraging news . With a recent diagnosis at stage 3b, i am nervous about my Pet scan coming up now that I have completed the treatment. 

Can any of you with the same stage share your experience ?

 

Thank you

«134

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    Marie58

    I am sorry for your diagnosis and that you have a reason to search out this site.  I am a 6-year survivor of anal cancer.  However, mine was staged right on the fence between a 1 and a 2.  However, I have been communicating with many stage 3b survivors over the past few years and many of them are doing quite well.  I think you have every reason to be hopeful that your cancer is gone and I hope you have recovered or will recover well from your treatment.

    I'm sure others on this board will chime in and let you know how they are doing.  I wish you all the best!

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #3
    mp327 said:

    Marie58

    I am sorry for your diagnosis and that you have a reason to search out this site.  I am a 6-year survivor of anal cancer.  However, mine was staged right on the fence between a 1 and a 2.  However, I have been communicating with many stage 3b survivors over the past few years and many of them are doing quite well.  I think you have every reason to be hopeful that your cancer is gone and I hope you have recovered or will recover well from your treatment.

    I'm sure others on this board will chime in and let you know how they are doing.  I wish you all the best!

    Thank you for your response.

    Thank you for your response. It helps for me to focus on the good outcomes that other experienced and give me hope. my husband was diagnosed with CNS lymphoma last year, he is all clear to day but going from CT scan to CT scan and now with me focusing on the next PET scan, some days can be tougher than other to manage.

    i did ok through the treatment, had a rough patch of 3 weeks at the end but I am healing fine.

    thank you for your post

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #4
    Marie58.....

    Hi, if it gives you some peace of mind I was diagnosed at Stage3b a bit over 3yrs ago.  Treatment was rough for me and I ended up hospitalized half way through but today am doing great! I am 55yrs old, back in college, do light yoga, swim, travel and chase 6 grandsons around the baseball field!

    During my journey my husband was sick as well with multiple myeloma (a blood cancer), and when I was recovered needed a bone marrow transplant, so I can relate to the additional stress you deal with too.  He is now doing pretty good also, just a bit less positive and less active than myself.

    I wish you many many years of continued health and good results from your scan. (One bit of warning, it is not unusual for scar tissue to light up on scans especially soon after treatment, so doctors usually combine the results with other tests and blood work)

    Stay in touch, and be well.

    Katheryn

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #5
    eihtak said:

    Marie58.....

    Hi, if it gives you some peace of mind I was diagnosed at Stage3b a bit over 3yrs ago.  Treatment was rough for me and I ended up hospitalized half way through but today am doing great! I am 55yrs old, back in college, do light yoga, swim, travel and chase 6 grandsons around the baseball field!

    During my journey my husband was sick as well with multiple myeloma (a blood cancer), and when I was recovered needed a bone marrow transplant, so I can relate to the additional stress you deal with too.  He is now doing pretty good also, just a bit less positive and less active than myself.

    I wish you many many years of continued health and good results from your scan. (One bit of warning, it is not unusual for scar tissue to light up on scans especially soon after treatment, so doctors usually combine the results with other tests and blood work)

    Stay in touch, and be well.

    Katheryn

    Thank you so much for your

    Thank you so much for your response, i guess I thought we had really bad luck with both of us getting rare cancers within one year, biut it can happen to anybody. your story gives me hope. And also thanks for the warning about scar tissue lighting up in PET

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #6
    Dear Friend,

    I am a 49 year old male with ex-rectal cancer patient and I got the same treatment as you plus a 10 hour surgery. I just had my follow up scan as well and I was very nervous too. When you are going through treatment you know things are bad, there is no uncertainty. After treatment things are either really good or really bad depending whether it's NED or recurrence. So the stakes are really hight at each scan. Hopefully we keep getting good news and after a while the anxiety decreases.

    Many happy and healthy years to you and your husband.

    Laz

  • lizdeli
    lizdeli Member Posts: 569 Member
    #7
    lp1964 said:

    Dear Friend,

    I am a 49 year old male with ex-rectal cancer patient and I got the same treatment as you plus a 10 hour surgery. I just had my follow up scan as well and I was very nervous too. When you are going through treatment you know things are bad, there is no uncertainty. After treatment things are either really good or really bad depending whether it's NED or recurrence. So the stakes are really hight at each scan. Hopefully we keep getting good news and after a while the anxiety decreases.

    Many happy and healthy years to you and your husband.

    Laz

    Marie

    I was diagonsed with Stage 3 as well. That was 5 years ago to the day almost.  Going for my check up in two weeks.  I'm doing well.  The scans bring on anxiety for sure.  Please know that there is reason to be confident that all is well.  There are a bunch of stage 3 people still here and doing good!

    Wishing you the best,

    Liz

  • Bill158
    Bill158 Member Posts: 19
    #8
    I was diagnosed with 3b April

    I was diagnosed with 3b April 2013, had radiation and chemotherapy, and yesterday had a follow up sigmoidoscopy that was normal except for some signs of radiation proctitis.  My PET scans have been normal too.

    bill

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #9
    lizdeli said:

    Marie

    I was diagonsed with Stage 3 as well. That was 5 years ago to the day almost.  Going for my check up in two weeks.  I'm doing well.  The scans bring on anxiety for sure.  Please know that there is reason to be confident that all is well.  There are a bunch of stage 3 people still here and doing good!

    Wishing you the best,

    Liz

    Hi Liz!

    Congrats on reaching your 5-year mark!  How awesome!!  I'm so glad you are doing well and I just know you're going to get all good news on your upcoming check-up.  Please let us know how it goes.  Sending you hugs and prayers for the all clear!

    Martha

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #10
    Bill158 said:

    I was diagnosed with 3b April

    I was diagnosed with 3b April 2013, had radiation and chemotherapy, and yesterday had a follow up sigmoidoscopy that was normal except for some signs of radiation proctitis.  My PET scans have been normal too.

    bill

    Hi Bill!

    It's good to see you back here and thanks for sharing that your scans and yesterday's scope showed that you are NED!  That's great to hear!  I hope everything is going well for you and that life is good!

  • lilou
    lilou Member Posts: 23
    #11
    anal 3 B

    Diagnostic in October 2011 .  35 radiotherapy and 6 cures of chimiotherapy. Complications at the chimio in september 2012 and hospitalisation. In October 2013 complications of radiotherapy : hip fracture and tendinite . The last control  ( canner) is good in Mai 2014. Bye, bye Marie.

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #12
    lizdeli said:

    Marie

    I was diagonsed with Stage 3 as well. That was 5 years ago to the day almost.  Going for my check up in two weeks.  I'm doing well.  The scans bring on anxiety for sure.  Please know that there is reason to be confident that all is well.  There are a bunch of stage 3 people still here and doing good!

    Wishing you the best,

    Liz

    Hello Liz

    Thank you for giving me hope. This is exactly what I need right now, knowing that many people with the same diagnostic ate thriving.

    Take care and congratulations on achieving this major milestone.

     

    marie

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #13
    Bill158 said:

    I was diagnosed with 3b April

    I was diagnosed with 3b April 2013, had radiation and chemotherapy, and yesterday had a follow up sigmoidoscopy that was normal except for some signs of radiation proctitis.  My PET scans have been normal too.

    bill

    Hello Bill

    thank you for your feedback. great to hear that after pver a year, you are having normal PRT scans. I look forward to moving forward in the right direction too.

    thanks for giving me hope,

     

    marie

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #14
    lilou said:

    anal 3 B

    Diagnostic in October 2011 .  35 radiotherapy and 6 cures of chimiotherapy. Complications at the chimio in september 2012 and hospitalisation. In October 2013 complications of radiotherapy : hip fracture and tendinite . The last control  ( canner) is good in Mai 2014. Bye, bye Marie.

    Hello Lilou

    Thank you for the hope. while your treatment plan in France seems to be a bit different than in the US , I hope to achieve the same results.

     

    thank you, marie

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #15
    Quick question on 3b stage rad treatment

    Based on what Lilou is mentioning, she received 35 rad session, totaling perheaps to 60 G for the focused areas, this is in France, anybody in the US who received more than 55 G at the initial treatment?

    thank you, Marie

  • knolltop
    knolltop Member Posts: 56
    #16
    lizdeli said:

    Marie

    I was diagonsed with Stage 3 as well. That was 5 years ago to the day almost.  Going for my check up in two weeks.  I'm doing well.  The scans bring on anxiety for sure.  Please know that there is reason to be confident that all is well.  There are a bunch of stage 3 people still here and doing good!

    Wishing you the best,

    Liz

    Congratulation Liz

    Wonderful news.   Congratulations and wishing you continued blessings.

    tory

  • 0626june
    0626june Member Posts: 73
    #17
    Marie58 said:

    Quick question on 3b stage rad treatment

    Based on what Lilou is mentioning, she received 35 rad session, totaling perheaps to 60 G for the focused areas, this is in France, anybody in the US who received more than 55 G at the initial treatment?

    thank you, Marie

    Hi Marie,
    I was diagnosed

    Hi Marie,

    I was diagnosed with 3B anal cancer in April.  I went to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and received 60 gs of radiation.It took over a month for the radiation skin break-down to heal but it made a big difference when it did.  My first follw up scan is not untill Sept. 4th and I understand and share your anxiety. I've heard from many folks on this site who had a 3-B diagnosis and consistantly have NED follw-ups, so let's both be optimistic.

    June

  • Marie58
    Marie58 Member Posts: 10
    #18
    0626june said:

    Hi Marie,
    I was diagnosed

    Hi Marie,

    I was diagnosed with 3B anal cancer in April.  I went to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and received 60 gs of radiation.It took over a month for the radiation skin break-down to heal but it made a big difference when it did.  My first follw up scan is not untill Sept. 4th and I understand and share your anxiety. I've heard from many folks on this site who had a 3-B diagnosis and consistantly have NED follw-ups, so let's both be optimistic.

    June

    Hello June

    thank you for your response, we seem to be on the same schedule, I was also diagnosed in April. I only received 55 g , I hope it is still ok as I wanted to be agressive with this 3b stage.

    youre right, there is a lot of hope for both of us. Yake care,

    Marie

  • nicotianna
    nicotianna Member Posts: 209
    #19
    anal cancer IIIb

    Marie, Martha, Tory & QV - Marie I have a hx in My Space.  I had bilateral inguinal nodes involved.  I am sad to report that my PET/CT scan on 7/21 was not good.  I now have a 10 mm nodule w/greater intensity in the rt. lung & a rt. hilar node showing hypermetabolism.  There is hypermetabolism in the rt. inguinal area of a "seroma" after a node was removed for pathology in Jan. Some hypermetabolism is noted in the inf. area of the vagina not noted on my previous report but is the same as before.  I had a bx of the inguinal node/"seroma" yesterday.  I will meet w/my oncologist to discuss a plan on 7/30.  I think it will be chemo.  I do not think that the inguinal node/seroma nor the vagina is a met.  I am petrified of the hilar node.  I am sorry to discourage anyone fighting this cancer.

    Nic 

  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    #20
    lizdeli said:

    Marie

    I was diagonsed with Stage 3 as well. That was 5 years ago to the day almost.  Going for my check up in two weeks.  I'm doing well.  The scans bring on anxiety for sure.  Please know that there is reason to be confident that all is well.  There are a bunch of stage 3 people still here and doing good!

    Wishing you the best,

    Liz

    See you there Liz!
     

    See you there Liz!

     

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #21
    nicotianna said:

    anal cancer IIIb

    Marie, Martha, Tory & QV - Marie I have a hx in My Space.  I had bilateral inguinal nodes involved.  I am sad to report that my PET/CT scan on 7/21 was not good.  I now have a 10 mm nodule w/greater intensity in the rt. lung & a rt. hilar node showing hypermetabolism.  There is hypermetabolism in the rt. inguinal area of a "seroma" after a node was removed for pathology in Jan. Some hypermetabolism is noted in the inf. area of the vagina not noted on my previous report but is the same as before.  I had a bx of the inguinal node/"seroma" yesterday.  I will meet w/my oncologist to discuss a plan on 7/30.  I think it will be chemo.  I do not think that the inguinal node/seroma nor the vagina is a met.  I am petrified of the hilar node.  I am sorry to discourage anyone fighting this cancer.

    Nic 

    Nic

    I am so sorry to hear that you did not get a clear PET scan.  I was so hoping your news would be all good.  However, do not feel bad about coming here and telling us this--we are your cheerleaders!  I am traveling right now, but will keep checking in to see if there are any updates from you.  I'm glad you are meeting soon with your oncologist and that he/she will get a plan in place.  You will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers.

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