Stage 3B Anal Cancer

I am sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis.  You are a good child and advocate for her, trying to learn as much as you can about this cancer and treatment.  As for Stage 3B, there are many survivors who were diagnosed with 3B cancer.  I am approaching my 8-year survival mark, but my tumor was on the fence between Stage 1 and 2.  I can only respond to your questions based on my own experience.  The treatment was 6 weeks (30 radiation treatments and 2 rounds of chemo).  I experienced the following:  mouth sores, loss of appetite, weight loss, anemia, severe diarrhea, bouts of slight nausea, and weakness/fatigue, 2nd. degree burns to the radiation area.  I began to experience the nausea and fatigue just a day or two after the first round of chemo.  Mouth sores and appetite issues followed in the next couple of weeks.  Diarrhea was an issue pretty much from the beginning.  My burns really increased during the last 2 weeks of treatment.  I was not working at the time of treatment, so that was a non-issue for me.

Now that I've said all of that, please know that not everyone's experience is the same.  Some people seem to have a much worse time than others.  I believe my side effects would not have been as bad had I been on this support site or others where I could have gotten advice from others who had been through the same thing.  My doctors and nurses were minimally helpful when it came to that--but they did get rid of my cancer!  I am glad you have found this site, because you will get lots of advice here, based on first-hand experience.  You need to let us know what side effects your Mom is experiencing as she goes through this treatment so that we can support you and offer suggestions on what worked for us.

A few tips I would offer up front for her would be:  Stay well-hydrated (many people end up in the hospital for dehydration); Use anti-nausea meds at the first hint of nausea for most effectiveness; Eat protein for healing; When appetite diminishes, eat whatever tastes good; When tired, rest, rest, rest!

I wish your Mom all the best.  It will not be a fun treatment, but it is highly effective and of short duration, as compared to treatment for other types of cancer.  She will get through this, especially with your love and support.

Martha  

Hi,

I am sorry that your mother (and yourself) have found the need for this place, yet glad you have sought the support from others like ourselves who have been there too.

I was dx with Stage 3b anal cancer about 5 1/2 years ago and underwent the standard chem/rad treatment. Due to size and placement of my tumor I also had colostomy surgery with the intent of reversal once healed from radiation. Unfortunately the radiation damage was severe and the ostomy became permanent, yet glad to say that 5 years later is 100% manageable and has not at all limited my normal active lifestyle!

The pain I experienced during treatment was "real" for me and I was put on a routine dose of oxycontin twice a day throughout. I used a spray called "Dermoplast" to get some relief. It is often purchased for pain relief after childbirth and being a spray was easy to apply to that tender burned skin. It was advised to me to not use much during the course of radiation except over the (weekend breaks) as it is also very important to get all products completely washed off before a dose of radiation to limit excess burning, and that can be difficult for some.

It became hard to even pivot or get seated in a chair comfortably until it was suggested to sit on a pillow with a satin (or slippery) cover as it made turning or swiveling much easier.

My appetite plumeted and I think I survived on yogurt and cheese sandwiches with an occasional egg or crackers....I did find that just eating a bite here and there but consistently throughout the day to always have a small amount in my stomach helped a lot with nausea.

As far as long term side effects, I suppose the vaginal stenosis is my greatest....I do not have anal concerns with bowel movements thanks to the ostomy! I did begin using dilators but not until almost a year post treatment as it was never mentioned to me earlier. What cancer and its treatment does to our bodies varies from person to person, but even more so, it seems to have a long term effect on what it does emotionally as well. I think this is sometimes forgotten as time passes and we appear healed on the outside. Although we also heal inside.....there is always a little something there that lingers in the back of our head. That being said.....for me, I have become stronger and more resilient when facing future challenges both small and large. I will pray the same for your mother.

Please keep us posted and continue to come here for help with any questions or concerns.

katheryn

eihtak said:

concerneddaughter17.....

Hi,

I am sorry that your mother (and yourself) have found the need for this place, yet glad you have sought the support from others like ourselves who have been there too.

I was dx with Stage 3b anal cancer about 5 1/2 years ago and underwent the standard chem/rad treatment. Due to size and placement of my tumor I also had colostomy surgery with the intent of reversal once healed from radiation. Unfortunately the radiation damage was severe and the ostomy became permanent, yet glad to say that 5 years later is 100% manageable and has not at all limited my normal active lifestyle!

The pain I experienced during treatment was "real" for me and I was put on a routine dose of oxycontin twice a day throughout. I used a spray called "Dermoplast" to get some relief. It is often purchased for pain relief after childbirth and being a spray was easy to apply to that tender burned skin. It was advised to me to not use much during the course of radiation except over the (weekend breaks) as it is also very important to get all products completely washed off before a dose of radiation to limit excess burning, and that can be difficult for some.

It became hard to even pivot or get seated in a chair comfortably until it was suggested to sit on a pillow with a satin (or slippery) cover as it made turning or swiveling much easier.

My appetite plumeted and I think I survived on yogurt and cheese sandwiches with an occasional egg or crackers....I did find that just eating a bite here and there but consistently throughout the day to always have a small amount in my stomach helped a lot with nausea.

As far as long term side effects, I suppose the vaginal stenosis is my greatest....I do not have anal concerns with bowel movements thanks to the ostomy! I did begin using dilators but not until almost a year post treatment as it was never mentioned to me earlier. What cancer and its treatment does to our bodies varies from person to person, but even more so, it seems to have a long term effect on what it does emotionally as well. I think this is sometimes forgotten as time passes and we appear healed on the outside. Although we also heal inside.....there is always a little something there that lingers in the back of our head. That being said.....for me, I have become stronger and more resilient when facing future challenges both small and large. I will pray the same for your mother.

Please keep us posted and continue to come here for help with any questions or concerns.

katheryn

Katheryn, your reply to this post is eloquent, informative, and from the heart. Thank you, from all of us who experienced and feel the same, but cannot put it into words as well as you.  Aloha,

Pilikia. 

Everyone is different but most of us have had the same treatment & most of the same side affects. I was never naseaus. But the chemo made me lose my sense of taste so i only ate what sounded good. Sometimes that meant driving all the way across town for dinner! The doctors told me i wouldnt be able to sit, wouldnt be able to work (because i sit all day in an office job) but i never missed a day of work the entire process until a week after treatment ended. I went to get my chemo hooked up & my radiation during my lunch hour. The home health nurse even came to unhook my chemo bag at my work! but i caught a virus that was going around my work the week after treatment & ended up in the hospital for a week in isolation, with severe diahreah. Up til that point, i didnt even have that problem. My radiation doctor told me i was a poster child for radiation. BUT, or should i say BUTT, the burning in the anal area was horrible!! It was by far, the worst part of it. And it was almost unbearable about the 4th week. i would amost scream when i had a bowel movement but obviously couldnt do that at work! I would carry a bag with a good book & my soft baby butt wipes & my auquaphore into the bathroom & try to get interested in my book so i could kinda ignore the pain. It was just a head game, really. When i just had to pee, i raised my rear end high in the air, head almost between my knees, which would allow the pee to run AWAY from the anal area. Its an unorthodox position but trust me , it worked! And the extreme pain there didnt start to heal til about 10 days after radiation ended. Learn about dialators for your mom. I have been so blessed because i dont have any problem with my hips (in fact, my last bone density scan showed my hips have gotten BETTER!), no lasting fatigue, no problem with my sex life (altho it was 1 year to the day of my last treatment that my husband and i were able to have intercourse again & it was sooooo painful but 6 1/2 years after the last treatment, our sex life is normal, like it never happened). My hair did get thin and i wanted to shave it but my husband told me not to and  I am glad i didnt because it grew back thicker than before (altho a few months later, it went back to its normal, fine, kinda thin hair). I dont say any of this to brag but i probably had 1000 people across the country praying for me, including a bunch of inmates because my husband and i do prison ministry in several prisons. I KNOW its the Lord and prayer that got me thru this. The first year after treatment, i wondered if there would ever be a day that I dont think about the cancer, but now i dont hardly ever think about it. My life has been so full since i recovered!!! Your mom will feel horrible for a while but once her body heals up afterward, life will go back to normal & one day, it will be like it never happened!!

I am a stage 4 survivor.  I have been cancer free 5 years.  Drinking lots of water is important.  I became dehydrated, low blood counts, potassium etc and was hospitalized.  The worse part was the burns which became really bad after I finished radiation.  I also had severe pain during bowel movements.  I had a cathater for a few months because the burns were so bad I couldn't pee.  I lost weight (I needed too so that was the good part).  I lost some hair so I had it cut short.  I had mouth sores from the chemo.  Eating ice chips before and during chemo helped.  I drank ensure all the time.  

The best part of having cancer- I love life so much more, I am a happier, stronger person than I was before cancer (and I thought I was a happy/strong), I have a closer relationship with God.  I too had alot of people praying for me (my mother and husband died suddenly during treatment), I was raising 2 granddaughters and my herion addict daughter was sent to prison.  During all this God was with me and carrying me through the roughest waters.   I have no side effects.  Now-I have adopted my granddaughters, I run a 70 acre farm by myself, I volunteer for numerous organizations and am dating a wonderful man.  

 I consider myself a miracle and am full of gratitude to God, my doctors and my family/friends.  

I will pray for your mom.  

I was given Zofran to combat nausea and told take it, not wait for symptoms to happen.  I did so and never had issues with this.  I was told also given a script for Ativan and told that this would help with nausea if the Zofran did not.  

I had discomfort but not extreme pain.  So, I cannot help with that one.

Best wishes to your Mom.

This is a hard treatment but worth it in the end.  I am 2 years 4 months post treatment doing well with clear scans.

10 year survivors of 3b here.  Did chemo and radiation here in Canada and no long term effects here that are worth mentioning.