Cecum tumour

Sorry about the diagnosis, but you guys will get through this.

Coffee after lunch helped me with the ebergy.

Have her start taking 2x400mg Cimetidine (Tagamet) 2 weeks before and at least 2 weeks after surgery. This is an over the counter drug and supposed to reduce

the chance of the cancer spreading during surgery.

She will probably have chemo afterwards. Let us know what it is.

Have a great time on the vacation and good luck with everything.

Laz 

I had an enlarged node because it was larger than 1 cm.  Your mum's may be harvested if they can reach it along with others and checked for cancer. Sounds like they've decided to give her chemo anyway because they're suspicious and feel the cancer has made it's way out of the colon. CEA stands for cancer embryonic antigen, a protein floating around in the blood that for some suggests metastatic cancer, it is not a type of tumor. Again this reading on her must have them leaning towards chemo. In America we favor Folfox chemo, Europe favors Folfiri. They're about the same effectiveness and both thin the hair but hair loss is possible. Tell your mum chemo is tolerable, they have something for every side effect. Most of all give your mom plenty of hope, encouragement and humor. Most of all love, dote on her, mothers love that kind of stuff from their beloved sons! Good luck, stay the course and you'll be fine!

Easyflip/Richard

Welcome to the board.  We are sending our thoughts and prayers for your mom's health.

Cancer in the Apendix and Cecum is common.  The biopsy will tell you what cancer she has.  That is the important information.  They type of cancer cell will determine the aggresiveness of the treatment.

Low sugar intake will help.  She will not digest sugars well after colon surgery. More veggies and less meat will ease digestion issues.  Keeping happy will also help. Mental attitude will have a large effect on how she heals.  

Best Always,  mike

it's not an easy journey, by any means, but many of us have made it through and are doing well.  Your mam will too!

I would second the suggestion of tagamet, if it's available where you live.  Kind of a "can't hurt, might help" sort of thing.

And I would also talk to the surgeon if possible about how many lymph nodes he/she plans to remove.  There is some research that suggests that removing a higher number of nodes leads to better outcomes, but sometimes they only take out a few.  I had 38 removed, and although it may not have impacted the course of my disease, I did manage to survive a stage 4 diagnosis (3 years cancer free), so it may have helped.

As for the anemia, could she have a blood transfusion?  I had several when I was sick, and they helped quite a bit.

Tell your mam good luck from us, and let us know how she does.

Big hugs to you both~AA

Tasha4w said:

Today's the day!

We had a great holiday last week ;-) got back Thursday then stright in Friday for pre op, so back to reality with a bang!

yesterday mams heamoglobin had dropped again to 6 so she got a transfusion of 2 units which worked wonders. (Pity they couldn't have done it two weeks ago..) 

shes just gone into theatre now so I've a painful 4 hour wait upon me. On the plus side every inch of my house is scrubbed clean from the waiting this morning!! 

Fingers crossed for a good outcome. Prayers, good vibes and energy welcome! Xx

I will be thinking of your mam today, and as she recovers. Thinking of you too.

Keep us posted. We're here for you. 

Sue - Trubrit

I too have a cyst on the liver, and have been told they are very common. Most people never find out they even have them as they don't casue any problems.

There are many Stage IV's here on the forum, some are doing well, others are doing well but are on maintanace chemo, which means chemo for life. 

I will be interested to hear what chemo regime they will put her on.  I was on FOLFOX with 5FU. Then six weeks of Radiation with six weeks hooked up to 5FU. 

Are they going to put a port in? This is a little device they place in the chest to administer the chemo meds. 

Come back with any and all questions you may have. We're here for you and your mum.

Sue - Trubrit

Tasha4w said:

Full story

ok, so we're dealing with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to the omentum and lymph nodes... 

Met with the oncologist and nurses today and they were fab! I have gathered from the bits of info I could get out of them that it's incureable but treatable.. There a bit slow with the bad news so soon into treatment! 

We now have to wait for a date for a port to be put in at our regional hospital. We were told it could be 2 days it could be 10 before an appointment is available. Depending on the swiftness of that mam will be starting on 5FU and FOLFOX via pump for 48hrs every 2 weeks initially for 6 months, prob starting before Christmas (again depending on how quick they get in the port) 

sooooooo the truth is out!! 

It is a hard road, but it is really good when you get a treatment plan and know how you are to move ahead. 

Your mum will be on the same plan that I was.

I think you will find that your mum goes in for the infusion of FOLFOX which takes anywhere from 2 - 4 hours and then comes home with the pump (5FU) for the 48 hours. 

The port is a wonderful thing. She will be sore around her shoulder area for a week or so, burised but other than that, she should have no problems.

Have her ask (if they don't mention it themselves) for some Lidocaine Gel so that she can rub it on the port about half an hour before infusion. That will numb the area up for when they insert the needle. I really didn't have any problems getting my port accessed. It was just a prick, no worse than getting blodd drawn. 

Try and find the posts here about cold sensitivity. She will need a pair of gloves by the fridge, and keep away from the cold drinks (though there is a post going at the moment that talks about taking ice with the infusion. Sounds weird, but seems to be working for some). 

There are a heap of other side effects. Some she may or may not experience. Just pop on and we'll be here to help her (and you) along. 

Sue - Trubrit