Biopsy for follow up?

EvelynB
EvelynB Member Posts: 72
in Anal Cancer #1

I am nearly three months out of treatment now. I had a pet scan approximately 6 weeks out of treatment that showed the lymph nodes clear and tumor had shrunk. There is still something there that could (hopefully) be scar tissue. My surgeon is planning on doing a biopsy (under anesthesia) to confirm if there's cancer left. Has anyone else had this? It seems that most everyone on here has been followed up only by scans or DRE.

Comments

  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    #2
    I had a follow up biopsy...

    I had a follow up biopsy...  Scar tissue!

  • lolow
    lolow Member Posts: 12
    #3
    Just had two biopsies today!

    Hi EvelynB and all,

      I am a little over a year out from the beginning of chemo/radiation. Today, my proctologist/surgeon took two biopsies during an office visit. I really wasn't emotionally prepared. He mentioned that he's concerned but it could be proctitis.

      My plan is to fill my mind with gratitude until I get the results either tomorrow or Monday. I hate cancer but have such respect after reading "Cancer the Emperor of Maladies".

      A little off topic, maybe worthy of a new thread - has anyone done genetic testing? I'm going to be part of a genetic study since my sister is battling 3 cancers.

     

    thanks for listening,

    Linda

  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #4
    Hi

    I had biopsies done six months out. Turned out ok.

  • EvelynB
    EvelynB Member Posts: 72
    #5
    Lorikat said:

    I had a follow up biopsy...

    I had a follow up biopsy...  Scar tissue!

    Lorikat

    Thanks for the reply. That's great to hear that yours was scar tissue. I hope mine will be the same. Did you have much pain in the days following the biopsy?

  • EvelynB
    EvelynB Member Posts: 72
    #6
    lolow said:

    Just had two biopsies today!

    Hi EvelynB and all,

      I am a little over a year out from the beginning of chemo/radiation. Today, my proctologist/surgeon took two biopsies during an office visit. I really wasn't emotionally prepared. He mentioned that he's concerned but it could be proctitis.

      My plan is to fill my mind with gratitude until I get the results either tomorrow or Monday. I hate cancer but have such respect after reading "Cancer the Emperor of Maladies".

      A little off topic, maybe worthy of a new thread - has anyone done genetic testing? I'm going to be part of a genetic study since my sister is battling 3 cancers.

     

    thanks for listening,

    Linda

    Linda

    Wow! They did it in the office!? Was it painful? I hope you get the results today so you don't have to wait all weekend. I love that you are using an attitude of gratitude while you wait. I haven't yet seen "Cancer-the Emporer of Maladies" I've been curious about it but still haven't decided if I should watch it. Your statement about having respect after seeing it has me even more curious now. I haven't done genetic testing. Who is doing the study? 

  • EvelynB
    EvelynB Member Posts: 72
    #7
    RoseC said:

    Hi

    I had biopsies done six months out. Turned out ok.

    Rose

    Thanks for the reply. Good to hear that you were NED. Did they do yours under anesthesia and did you have pain afterwards?

  • Traj
    Traj Member Posts: 2
    #8
    Biopsy after tumor shrinks

    My husband just went through this. You are lucky you found a Dr who would do this as the standard of care is to remove the rectum. My husband's tumor was still shrinking at 6 weeks so perhaps push to wait as long as you can.  Also ask your surgeon what he means by biopsy. Our Dr used that term and it meant removing the entire scar tissue/ tumor area not just checking some tissue So it was actually pretty serious surgery

  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #9
    EvelynB said:

    Rose

    Thanks for the reply. Good to hear that you were NED. Did they do yours under anesthesia and did you have pain afterwards?

    Hi EvelynB,
    I had a saddle

    Hi EvelynB,

    I had a saddle block (I think that's the right term). Needle in the back - from the hips down was numb. It was done in an operating room. I don't remember the pain being too bad.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Rose

  • EvelynB
    EvelynB Member Posts: 72
    #10
    Traj said:

    Biopsy after tumor shrinks

    My husband just went through this. You are lucky you found a Dr who would do this as the standard of care is to remove the rectum. My husband's tumor was still shrinking at 6 weeks so perhaps push to wait as long as you can.  Also ask your surgeon what he means by biopsy. Our Dr used that term and it meant removing the entire scar tissue/ tumor area not just checking some tissue So it was actually pretty serious surgery

    Traj

    How far out from treatment was your husband when they did the "biopsy"? My dr actually wanted to do this over a month ago. I have held it off this long but I'm still not convinced that this isn't too soon. How is/was your husband's healing? Hope all is well with him now.

  • jcruz
    jcruz Member Posts: 379 Member
    #11
    biopsies

    I had a biopsy done at 3 months out.  Turned out to be scar tissue.  I'm now almost 3 yrs. out.

    Janet

  • lolow
    lolow Member Posts: 12
    #12
    EvelynB said:

    Linda

    Wow! They did it in the office!? Was it painful? I hope you get the results today so you don't have to wait all weekend. I love that you are using an attitude of gratitude while you wait. I haven't yet seen "Cancer-the Emporer of Maladies" I've been curious about it but still haven't decided if I should watch it. Your statement about having respect after seeing it has me even more curious now. I haven't done genetic testing. Who is doing the study? 

    The Study

    Hi Evelyn,

      Yes, my sister is filling out the forms for the study. She is fighting 3 cancers - none of which are anal. She tested positive for a "Bard" gene issue . I don't know much about it but they want to include our family since there are three of us that have had cancer so far. My cousin in her mid-forties, my younger sister in her late 40's and me in my early 50's. (There were others but they have all died).

     

      I have yet to do the genetic bloodwork. I'll keep you posted when I do. At first, I didn't think there was a genetic component to HPV-related cancers. Who knows?

     

      Good news! My biopsies came back as more radiation proctitis. I love that my proctologist/surgeon is on it. I'm only a year out and have had at least 3 biopsies since the radiation/chemo treatments ended.

     

    take care all,

    Linda

  • EvelynB
    EvelynB Member Posts: 72
    #13
    lolow said:

    The Study

    Hi Evelyn,

      Yes, my sister is filling out the forms for the study. She is fighting 3 cancers - none of which are anal. She tested positive for a "Bard" gene issue . I don't know much about it but they want to include our family since there are three of us that have had cancer so far. My cousin in her mid-forties, my younger sister in her late 40's and me in my early 50's. (There were others but they have all died).

     

      I have yet to do the genetic bloodwork. I'll keep you posted when I do. At first, I didn't think there was a genetic component to HPV-related cancers. Who knows?

     

      Good news! My biopsies came back as more radiation proctitis. I love that my proctologist/surgeon is on it. I'm only a year out and have had at least 3 biopsies since the radiation/chemo treatments ended.

     

    take care all,

    Linda

    Linda

    That's great news about your biopsy results! I am so happy for you! What type of biopsy did your dr do? Was it a needle biopsy? Was it painful ?  

  • EvelynB
    EvelynB Member Posts: 72
    #14
    jcruz said:

    biopsies

    I had a biopsy done at 3 months out.  Turned out to be scar tissue.  I'm now almost 3 yrs. out.

    Janet

    Janet

    Great to hear! I hope you continue to do well. What stage were you in when you found it?

  • jcruz
    jcruz Member Posts: 379 Member
    #15
    EvelynB said:

    Janet

    Great to hear! I hope you continue to do well. What stage were you in when you found it?

    stage

    Unstaged because of a collection of complications including pelvic infection, bartholins cysts, possible second primary tumor, inguinal nodes which may have lit up on the PET scan because of the cancer or because of the infection.  Looking back, I think probably stage 3b.

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