Anal cancer stage 3b

I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in August, 2011.  I feel great!!!  No side effects.  I have at CT scan in a week and God willing, everything will be fine.

Marie58 said:

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

Marie - I think I rec'd ~ 55 cGy!  

Nic

horsepad said:

I was diagnosed with stage 4

I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in August, 2011.  I feel great!!!  No side effects.  I have at CT scan in a week and God willing, everything will be fine.

Horsepad - I too would like to know the treatment you received?

Nic

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 

I’m so sorry to hear this news.    I, too, was hoping and praying for good results for you.   However, you have the results and now it’s time to go after it.  I’m not familiar with the hilar node. I, too, would be scared.  Is it one node or many?    Can they treat with chemo and then remove the 10mm nodule and/or hilar node-wedge resection/lobectomy?   Can they hit it with bullet target radiation….hilar node.   When my tumor was in the liver two years ago….I had two months of chemo (1 week each month of chemo 5FU and Cisplatin)  Removal of spot the following month and then two more months of chemo.  I was good for two years….now I go Thursday the 31^st for my CT to see what my lung spot is doing.  I started out on this journey with stage 3A and now Stage 4 met.    Will post when I get results.  May God embrace you with his healing love.    Peace, tory

I received the standard treatment-radiation for 6 weeks and chemo mix of mitomycin & 5FU.  I was supposed to receive an additional 2 weeks booster radiation but because of my hospitalization I couldn't receive it.  I was severly burned, my oncologist at Cleveland Clinic said he had never seen anyone burnt as bad as me but that was good because it meant the more cancer cells eliminated.

Clovergir-I am at the Clinic on 8/4 as well!  I have CT scan and meet with oncologists afterwards for the results.  I'll be there all afternoon.  How about you?

Hello ! I am very surprised to see that for the stage 3 B anal cancer the treatment in USA is standard to knoww 35 sessions of radiotherapy and 2 cures of chemo. I received in France 36 seesions of radiotherapy and 6 cures of chemo! Can be can you tell it to me more ? Thank you !

nicotianna said:

Anal cancer IIIb

Tory - The hilar node is an imp. 1... near the pulmonary artery.  The thoracic surgeon said that he can remove that as well as the nodule.   The inguinal bx is negative.  Current plan:  consults w/gyne onc & colorectal; possible biopsies in vaginal & anal areas; tumor board will review my case ~ 8/12.  I will see thoracic surgeon as well.  Then it will be 1 of the following:  chemo only; surgery only; or chemo & surgery.  My spot is reserved for possible chemo that wk.  Thanks for your good wishes.  I am wishing you a good report on your CT today!

Nic

I wish you all the very best and hope that after the tumor board reviews your case on the 12th., a plan will be put in place.  Please keep us posted.

nicotianna said:

Anal cancer IIIb

Tory - The hilar node is an imp. 1... near the pulmonary artery.  The thoracic surgeon said that he can remove that as well as the nodule.   The inguinal bx is negative.  Current plan:  consults w/gyne onc & colorectal; possible biopsies in vaginal & anal areas; tumor board will review my case ~ 8/12.  I will see thoracic surgeon as well.  Then it will be 1 of the following:  chemo only; surgery only; or chemo & surgery.  My spot is reserved for possible chemo that wk.  Thanks for your good wishes.  I am wishing you a good report on your CT today!

Nic

So glad to hear the inquinal was negative.    It sounds like you have many good people working together to give you good results of these issues.

Had CT Scan on the 31st  - results showed another tumor popped up inferior to the other one....this one small too, 4 mm.     Going to see oncologist on Monday- Aug 4th.    Hoping he will shed some light on my situation.    Both are still to small to biopsy, but I'm starting to have a little bit of anixiety waiting. ....   I think the best way is removal....but with a new one in 3 months....maybe chemo too.   Will post again after my visit with my oncologist.

Prayers and Good Thoughts headed your way.

Tory

mp327 said:

Tory

I will be thinking of you tomorrow as you meet with your oncologist.  I send you positive thoughts and prayers!

Thanks Martha:

I'm afraid he is going to say I have to wait again since the one didn't grow and both are still to small to biopsy.    Just don't know how to handle that response.   Don't like the fact another one popped up.

lilou said:

My question for mp 327

Hello ! I am very surprised to see that for the stage 3 B anal cancer the treatment in USA is standard to knoww 35 sessions of radiotherapy and 2 cures of chemo. I received in France 36 seesions of radiotherapy and 6 cures of chemo! Can be can you tell it to me more ? Thank you !

It could be that you received a different chemo drug than what is most often used.  Most people get Mitomycin on day 1 and day 29, along with 5FU infused by pump on days 1 through 4 and days 29 through 32.  Mitomycin is often replaced with Cisplatin in cases of metastatic disease, which would include stage 3B.  Cisplatin is given on day 2 of treatment, then repeated every 4 weeks, along with the 5FU by infusion pump for 4 days.  The number of sessions of radiation depend on size and location of tumor, with most people receiving 30-35 sessions, receiving 1.8 gys of radiation during each treatment, which seems to be the standard amount per treatment from all of the information I can find.  If you received 36 sessions, each at 1.8 gys, then you received a total of 64.8 gys, which would be over what I have always understood is the maximum of 59.  To be clear on this, you should ask your radiation oncologist.  Perhaps your radiation was delivered at a lower dose per treatment for some reason, such as difference in equipment, etc.  I hope I haven't confused you even more!