Biopsy on lymph node positive***UPDATE

mukamom
mukamom Member Posts: 402
edited December 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1

for cancer, looks like colon cancer but cant be sure until we get pathology report~usually 48 hrs.

Even though we pretty much knew this before the biopsy, it was still hard to hear.  I had my meltdown while Robert was in recovery and when

I went to drive around to pick him up, a transformer had blown in the dental school across the street from patient discharge and the road was blocked and hundreds of students/faculty were lining the streets and all I could do was drive around in circles trying to find another way in.Yell Very chaotic.

So, as soon as I get results from biopsy and PET report, we are off to go see his original oncologist to see what can be done.  I have no clue, since there is only one lymph node involved. Chemo? See his surgeon to see if we can just cut it out? None of his liver tumors lit up on the PET.  Does that mean they are dead? Or can they start growing again??   

I'll be glad when we get a plan and some answers.

I feel a little lost right now.

Comments

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #2
    I am sorry to hear that. I

    I am sorry to hear that. I have never had lymph node involvement but I have heard form others that it can be treated in a number of ways depending on the location. I have heard surgery SBRT, and ablation used on nodes. PET of the liver sounds promising but I think that is something that needs to be discussed with the oncologist to be sure.

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #3
    So sorry you didn't get

    So sorry you didn't get better news.  My husband had some para aortic nodes light up at diagnosis over 2 yrs ago.  They were removed , tested positive and he hasnt had any other nodes light up since.  If they were biopsied, were they not removed?

  • aggie0053
    aggie0053 Member Posts: 110
    #4
    i had only one so they put me

    i had only one so they put me on folfox with avastin for 12 treatments just finished last month, i've had 2 ct  treatment 6 and 12  ned they can't find it so no surgery

  • LindaK.
    LindaK. Member Posts: 506 Member
    #5
    It never ends does it?

    I'm so sorry you are going through this, I can relate.  My hsband was told in March he had two suspicious lymph nodes after he recovered from his 2nd resection in January.  First resection in December 2012 in colon, second occurrence in small intestines removed in January.  This was kind of a shock to us since no one had talked about this before.  Former oncologist told us this from the hallway after we'd been waiting an hour and he had a phone in his ear.  Great bedside manner.  As we waited for him to come in, I said to my husband "It's time for that 2nd opinion" and the next day we switched to a bigger much better cancer center.  They said the lymph nodes were distant from his original colon cancer and could not be removed in surgery.  I kept asking why for several months.  During his horrendous 21 day hospital stay in January, the surgeon did not even tell us it was cancer.  The former oncologist finally came in to see him 5 days after surgery and I had called his office (connected to the hospital he was in) to tell them they removed another tumor.  Mis-step after mis-step by pathetic hospital staff and former oncologist.  I seem to be focusing on all those issues lately and wonder why there is so much needless suffering.

    They told him the lymph node tumors were treatable but not curable, he started Folfiri in March. 

    Your husband's case will all depend on where the lymph nodes are.  Hang in there, that's all we can do, right?

    Linda

  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #6
    jen2012 said:

    So sorry you didn't get

    So sorry you didn't get better news.  My husband had some para aortic nodes light up at diagnosis over 2 yrs ago.  They were removed , tested positive and he hasnt had any other nodes light up since.  If they were biopsied, were they not removed?

    The proceedue

    was an endoscopy with a needle aspiration.  It could not be accessed from outside so they had to go thru his stomach.  Very quick and uneventful proceedue..

  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #7
    aggie0053 said:

    i had only one so they put me

    i had only one so they put me on folfox with avastin for 12 treatments just finished last month, i've had 2 ct  treatment 6 and 12  ned they can't find it so no surgery

    Well, that is some good news

    Hope you did okay with the FOLFOX. Robert hasn't ever had it.  He did FOLFIRI without the pump, and did okay...nausea, fatigue and hair loss.

    Angela

  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #8
    LindaK. said:

    It never ends does it?

    I'm so sorry you are going through this, I can relate.  My hsband was told in March he had two suspicious lymph nodes after he recovered from his 2nd resection in January.  First resection in December 2012 in colon, second occurrence in small intestines removed in January.  This was kind of a shock to us since no one had talked about this before.  Former oncologist told us this from the hallway after we'd been waiting an hour and he had a phone in his ear.  Great bedside manner.  As we waited for him to come in, I said to my husband "It's time for that 2nd opinion" and the next day we switched to a bigger much better cancer center.  They said the lymph nodes were distant from his original colon cancer and could not be removed in surgery.  I kept asking why for several months.  During his horrendous 21 day hospital stay in January, the surgeon did not even tell us it was cancer.  The former oncologist finally came in to see him 5 days after surgery and I had called his office (connected to the hospital he was in) to tell them they removed another tumor.  Mis-step after mis-step by pathetic hospital staff and former oncologist.  I seem to be focusing on all those issues lately and wonder why there is so much needless suffering.

    They told him the lymph node tumors were treatable but not curable, he started Folfiri in March. 

    Your husband's case will all depend on where the lymph nodes are.  Hang in there, that's all we can do, right?

    Linda

    Yup, hanging in there

    We did get an appt with his first oncologist for next week.  His trial doc is a lung oncologist and the colon onc. we saw for second opinion 2 years ago is a holier than thou pompous a$$.  

     

    Robert did FOLFIRI back when he first started tx in 2009.  He tolerated it pretty well.  

    Its pretty frustrating when you have to deal with incompetence from your medical team...things are stressful enough.

    Angela

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    #9
    I had

    a lymph node false alarm. There was an attempt to do an endoscopic biopsy but when they got in there they got gun shy because it was near a large vein and artery. They didn't want to poke around with the biopsy needle. The biopsy doc also had a hard time even seeing which node they were talking about. It was gone in the next 2 scans! ( a high contrast ct and a pet. ) They all looked at me and shrugged. Even with gazillion dollar procedures and equipment the system is still not foolproof.

    I was told however if it were positive the best thing to do is to cut it out.

    Good Luck,

    Easyflip/Richard

  • aggie0053
    aggie0053 Member Posts: 110
    #10
    mukamom said:

    Well, that is some good news

    Hope you did okay with the FOLFOX. Robert hasn't ever had it.  He did FOLFIRI without the pump, and did okay...nausea, fatigue and hair loss.

    Angela

    didn't lose my hair the pills

    didn't lose my hair the pills they gave me worked good against nausea, i really didn't have fatigue i worked thru it all. the only thing was cold, after treatment no cold drinks till about a week for me everyones different. good luck

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #11
    Sorry

    Sorry for the news and hoping that your oncologist will give you a good plan to get rid of that for good.  It's a good thing that it sounds like you caught it early without it spreading to other nodes.  You are in my thoughts.

    Kim

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #12
    mukamom said:

    Yup, hanging in there

    We did get an appt with his first oncologist for next week.  His trial doc is a lung oncologist and the colon onc. we saw for second opinion 2 years ago is a holier than thou pompous a$$.  

     

    Robert did FOLFIRI back when he first started tx in 2009.  He tolerated it pretty well.  

    Its pretty frustrating when you have to deal with incompetence from your medical team...things are stressful enough.

    Angela

    Angela

    What were the biopsy results? Did you get them yet?

    Have they given him an option to have it removed?

    Lin

  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #13
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Sorry

    Sorry for the news and hoping that your oncologist will give you a good plan to get rid of that for good.  It's a good thing that it sounds like you caught it early without it spreading to other nodes.  You are in my thoughts.

    Kim

    Biopsy was

    positive for metestatic colon cancer in that lymph node.  We saw his onc. today and brought all his scans and labs and he recommened to start a new chemo mix of Zaltrap, irinotecan, and 5FU, the 5FU being on a 48 hr pump every 2 weeks. First infusion is next Tuesday.

    Robert is happy to have a plan.  We will assess with a scan in 8 weeks.

    I wonder if he can have another port put in??  

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #14
    mukamom said:

    Biopsy was

    positive for metestatic colon cancer in that lymph node.  We saw his onc. today and brought all his scans and labs and he recommened to start a new chemo mix of Zaltrap, irinotecan, and 5FU, the 5FU being on a 48 hr pump every 2 weeks. First infusion is next Tuesday.

    Robert is happy to have a plan.  We will assess with a scan in 8 weeks.

    I wonder if he can have another port put in??  

    Zaltrap

    Hey Angela be careful with this drug and keep vigilant and keep watch.  It can be a tough drug to do I had some bleeding and discontinued it and it stopped.  I could not find one nurse who did not get funny faces when I told them I was on it....they were concerned.

    just wanted to give my buds my experience:)

    good luck with it and I hope it works for you.

    best to you both!

    -Craig

  • fatbob2010
    fatbob2010 Member Posts: 467 Member
    #15
    Wishing Robert well

    Muckamom,

    My Oncologist recently threw the Zaltrap thought onto the table and I have a lot more research to do on that one.  I have not had lymph node involvement myself and it sounds yucky.  Please keep us updated on your progress.

    Respectfully,

    Art

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #16
    mukamom said:

    Biopsy was

    positive for metestatic colon cancer in that lymph node.  We saw his onc. today and brought all his scans and labs and he recommened to start a new chemo mix of Zaltrap, irinotecan, and 5FU, the 5FU being on a 48 hr pump every 2 weeks. First infusion is next Tuesday.

    Robert is happy to have a plan.  We will assess with a scan in 8 weeks.

    I wonder if he can have another port put in??  

    I had my port put in twice,

    and the second time I left it in for over a year after the last recurrence, just to be on the safe side.  Had no problem with doing this.

    I'm so sorry you guys are facing this again.  I found my recurrences very hard to manage from an emotional perspective. It's so discouraging.  

    Big hugs to you both~AA

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #17
    mukamom said:

    Biopsy was

    positive for metestatic colon cancer in that lymph node.  We saw his onc. today and brought all his scans and labs and he recommened to start a new chemo mix of Zaltrap, irinotecan, and 5FU, the 5FU being on a 48 hr pump every 2 weeks. First infusion is next Tuesday.

    Robert is happy to have a plan.  We will assess with a scan in 8 weeks.

    I wonder if he can have another port put in??  

    d' nodes

    Our strategy for dealing with distant lymph nodes has been 24x365 oral chemo, targeted cimetidine, many natural inhibitors and more recently celecoxib with aggressive surgical removal if at all possible or findable.  

  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #18
    Sundanceh said:

    Zaltrap

    Hey Angela be careful with this drug and keep vigilant and keep watch.  It can be a tough drug to do I had some bleeding and discontinued it and it stopped.  I could not find one nurse who did not get funny faces when I told them I was on it....they were concerned.

    just wanted to give my buds my experience:)

    good luck with it and I hope it works for you.

    best to you both!

    -Craig

    Thanks Craig!

    I did read up on zaltrap..looks like the same side effects he had with the avastin and trial drug.  I will keep watch on how he's doing. We discussed all this  and

    Robert told me he'll fight through any side effects....I just don't think he realizes what it can do to a body.  

     

    I pray that you find  relief from the pain.  Thanks for taking time to reach out.

     

    Angela

  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #19
    fatbob2010 said:

    Wishing Robert well

    Muckamom,

    My Oncologist recently threw the Zaltrap thought onto the table and I have a lot more research to do on that one.  I have not had lymph node involvement myself and it sounds yucky.  Please keep us updated on your progress.

    Respectfully,

    Art

    New update

    When researching zaltrap, the protocol was to have had a prior platiunum based regimen, and to my knowledege, Robert hasn't ever done the FOLFOX.  So I called the onc office to question this, and does  it make a difference...

     

    Well, it does. As far as insurance is concerned. So, he will be starting FOLFOX next week with a pump for 48 hrs.  No word yet on how many treatments or how often.

     

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #20
    mukamom said:

    New update

    When researching zaltrap, the protocol was to have had a prior platiunum based regimen, and to my knowledege, Robert hasn't ever done the FOLFOX.  So I called the onc office to question this, and does  it make a difference...

     

    Well, it does. As far as insurance is concerned. So, he will be starting FOLFOX next week with a pump for 48 hrs.  No word yet on how many treatments or how often.

     

    Thanks for the update.

    Thanks for the update. Typically it is anywhere grom 8 to 12 treatments. I did 12 but have permenant nueropathy on the bottoms of my feet. It has been so long I harly notice now unless I walk outside barefooted.

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