"I'm back"

Hello to all,

 

I havn't been posting for years but so happy to have a place to come back to. It is so nice to see some of the "old timers" .  I mostly lurked but will try to be more supportive this time.   

 

Diagosed with Stage IIIc in 2007 ,partial colectomy surgery, chemo etc.  Rough ride but beat all the odds.  2021 March Pet scan  Findings are suspicious for 2 areas of active malignancy in sigmoid colon.  Colonoscopy ASAP for biopsies and open surgery depending on Staging.  Noooo

 

I live in Las Vegas now and there are no good cancer centers here.  I am trying to decide where to go if it is cancer again.   Mayo Clinic in Arizona, UCLA in California???  Anyone have any recommendations.

 

I'm still in the discovery process and hopeful.

 

 Thanks to all

Debbie 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    edited March 2021 #2
    Mayo Phoenix

    I would not recommend Mayo Phoenix, I got a second opinion  there and was treated with such disdain and callousness from the oncologist. He told me not to plan anything more than a year out. And that I was in the December of my disease. Well that was over 2 1/2 years ago , and I have had shrinkage in my 2 and only mets in lung since diagnoses. Hope so much your suspicious areas turn out to be something benign. 

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,289 Member
    Sorry for the new news, once

    Sorry for the new news, once around is more than enough. It's even more unsettling to hear considering that my 111b diagnosis came in 2007 [Sept] as well. That it can show up in the colon after all this time, must be awfully disheartening for you, I really hope it's not malignant. My initial surgery was in the sigmoid section, which though complex, would seem to be a straight forward surgical procedure done in many places. I had a local hospital and surgeon do the original collectomy and then got Kaiser insurance so they did the two resections in my liver when it popped up a couple years later, and again a couple years after that. I thought I'd go to UCLA if it spread beyond a surgical solution, but with work and caring for my wife, the two hour commute seemed a complicated route to go. You being in Vegas that would be a 5 hour one way trip, or getting a room to deal with whatever they required. I recall considering City of Hope as well since they have centers farther out of LA, making the commute easier, but I've heard mixed opinions about them as well, so I'd want to know a lot more about them. Im curious as to whether this would be considered a new cancer or somehow a recurrance?  Best of luck in your choices and outcomes, firstly that it's not cancer, and secondly that if it is they get it all cleanly and quickly..........................................Dave

  • yetti
    yetti Member Posts: 82 Member
    edited March 2021 #4
    CTCA. In Arizona

    Hi grammaDebbie , I'm a patient at CTCA in GA, which is great cancer center, I went there for a 2nd opinion stage 4B endometrial cancer, onc in fla wanted to continue chemo after CTCA said I was NEd I'll be NEd 2 yrs April 2021,  ??? for you for upcoming procedure , please keep us posted, Yetti

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    I'm so sorry

    I'm so sorry to hear this news.  I'm hoping that it isn't cancer again, but I'm not able to help you with your questions as I'm on the other side of the country.  Hope you find a place that can help.

    Kim

  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    Debbie, so sorry to hear the

    Debbie, so sorry to hear the "beast" may be lurking again.

    MD Anderson has a center here in the Phoenix area also, part of Banner Health. My husband went there in 2012 for Head & Neck and Lung Cancers. It was relatively new then and a bit disorganized, but I do believe he received good care.

    Wishing you the best outcome.

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    edited March 2021 #7

    Mayo Phoenix

    I would not recommend Mayo Phoenix, I got a second opinion  there and was treated with such disdain and callousness from the oncologist. He told me not to plan anything more than a year out. And that I was in the December of my disease. Well that was over 2 1/2 years ago , and I have had shrinkage in my 2 and only mets in lung since diagnoses. Hope so much your suspicious areas turn out to be something benign. 

    Keep Fighting

    I am so sorry to hear that you were treated so poorly by the oncologist.  I am however happy that you proved him wrong!  We do not have an expiration date posted on our bodies.  I also was only given a 50-50 chance of survivng 1 year back in 2007.  I will have to go to Mayo in Phoenix for my 2nd opinion.  Hopefully that oncologist is gone!   Like you, if I am not happy with the care I will find another opinion.  Thank you for giving me a heads up. Your in my prayers.

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464

    Sorry for the new news, once

    Sorry for the new news, once around is more than enough. It's even more unsettling to hear considering that my 111b diagnosis came in 2007 [Sept] as well. That it can show up in the colon after all this time, must be awfully disheartening for you, I really hope it's not malignant. My initial surgery was in the sigmoid section, which though complex, would seem to be a straight forward surgical procedure done in many places. I had a local hospital and surgeon do the original collectomy and then got Kaiser insurance so they did the two resections in my liver when it popped up a couple years later, and again a couple years after that. I thought I'd go to UCLA if it spread beyond a surgical solution, but with work and caring for my wife, the two hour commute seemed a complicated route to go. You being in Vegas that would be a 5 hour one way trip, or getting a room to deal with whatever they required. I recall considering City of Hope as well since they have centers farther out of LA, making the commute easier, but I've heard mixed opinions about them as well, so I'd want to know a lot more about them. Im curious as to whether this would be considered a new cancer or somehow a recurrance?  Best of luck in your choices and outcomes, firstly that it's not cancer, and secondly that if it is they get it all cleanly and quickly..........................................Dave

    Wow!!!

    Hi Dave,  thank you for your response.  I am so sorry you have been through so much.  I am having biopsy this Thursday then planning on going to Mayo in AZ.  The oncologist here did not want to give me any information until he got the biopsies.  I hate that they don't want to discuss the "what if's".  I want to be educated so I can make decisions.  I asked him if it is cancer would it be Stage IV.  He said most likely would be a new cancer and have it's own Stage but depends on results. The active areas seem to be close to the anastomosis. My 1st cancer experience was horrible as they misdiagnosed it for 2 years.  Blamed everything on "female problems" many surgeries including hysterectomy.  Finally had emergency surgery for a 2 bowel obstructions and they found the lemon size tumor.  I will be proactive and they will have to understand.

    I will keep you up to date as I find out more.

     

    Thank you for all your kind thoughts....right back at ya.

    Debbie

     

     

     

     

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    edited March 2021 #9
    yetti said:

    CTCA. In Arizona

    Hi grammaDebbie , I'm a patient at CTCA in GA, which is great cancer center, I went there for a 2nd opinion stage 4B endometrial cancer, onc in fla wanted to continue chemo after CTCA said I was NEd I'll be NEd 2 yrs April 2021,  ??? for you for upcoming procedure , please keep us posted, Yetti

    Mayo

    Hi Yetti,  So glad to hear that  you are NED.   I will continue to pray for you.  We know that is what gives us the ability to fight this beast.  The Drs originally told me I only had a 50 - 50 chance of surviving 1 year.  I will continue to be proactive and educate myself.  Thank you and keep me updated and I will do the same.

     

    Praying,

    Debbie

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    edited March 2021 #10
    yetti said:

    CTCA. In Arizona

    Hi grammaDebbie , I'm a patient at CTCA in GA, which is great cancer center, I went there for a 2nd opinion stage 4B endometrial cancer, onc in fla wanted to continue chemo after CTCA said I was NEd I'll be NEd 2 yrs April 2021,  ??? for you for upcoming procedure , please keep us posted, Yetti

    Mayo

    Hi Yetti,  So glad to hear that  you are NED.   I will continue to pray for you.  We know that is what gives us the ability to fight this beast.  The Drs originally told me I only had a 50 - 50 chance of surviving 1 year.  I will continue to be proactive and educate myself.  Thank you and keep me updated and I will do the same.

     

    Praying,

    Debbie

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464

    I'm so sorry

    I'm so sorry to hear this news.  I'm hoping that it isn't cancer again, but I'm not able to help you with your questions as I'm on the other side of the country.  Hope you find a place that can help.

    Kim

    Faithful Kim

    Hi Kim,  it's so nice to see you are still so active on this site.  You have always been such an encouragement.  I am having colonoscopy and biopsies Thurs. I am going to Mayo AZ for 2nd opinion.  Thank you for your kind words.  Will stay in touch.

    Debbie

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    wolfen said:

    Debbie, so sorry to hear the

    Debbie, so sorry to hear the "beast" may be lurking again.

    MD Anderson has a center here in the Phoenix area also, part of Banner Health. My husband went there in 2012 for Head & Neck and Lung Cancers. It was relatively new then and a bit disorganized, but I do believe he received good care.

    Wishing you the best outcome.

    Thank you

    Thank you for your response and information.  I will check that out.  Currently going to Mayo AZ for 2nd opinion but you never know.  May want a third.

     

    Thank you for y our kind thoughts.

    Debbie

  • AnneO1965
    AnneO1965 Member Posts: 182 Member
    edited March 2021 #13
    Good luck!

    Hi Debbie,

    If you have an MD Anderson near you, go there.. I started my treatment at the Houston center and they were wonderful. So sorry that you are dealing with the beast a second time. I'm going through the whole cancer thing again, but this time it's lung cancer. You do what you have to do, and if the doctor is an ashhat, tell them you want a different one.

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    AnneO1965 said:

    Good luck!

    Hi Debbie,

    If you have an MD Anderson near you, go there.. I started my treatment at the Houston center and they were wonderful. So sorry that you are dealing with the beast a second time. I'm going through the whole cancer thing again, but this time it's lung cancer. You do what you have to do, and if the doctor is an ashhat, tell them you want a different one.

    Thank you

    Hi Anne,  thank you for your recommendation.  I am going to Mayo Clinic in AZ for a 2nd opinion.  Just waiting for paperwork to be completed and then will start their process.  I'm having a colonoscopy tomorrow and hopefully get the biopsies back soon.  So sorry that you are dealing with this beast again.  I will keep you in my prayers

  • yetti
    yetti Member Posts: 82 Member
    edited March 2021 #15
    Please keep us posted!

    Dear Debbie,  please keep us all posted!  Prayers ? that everything turns out ok for you ! Sincerely Yetti 

     

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    UPDATE

    Hello friends,   I had my colonoscopy yesterday and it looked good.  He see "Findings suspicious for 2 areas of active malignacy in the sigmoid colon" from the PET/CT scan.  The PET scan showed the size of a peanut and one the size of a grape.  The colonoscopy showed an area that was a little red and he biopsied it but thought it was just irritation.  Boy am I confused.  Any suggestions.  See oncologist next week and get biopsies back next week.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    Worrying scan

    I had a scan that showed some uptake, so Onc sent me off for a Colonoscopy and biopsy. Turned out to be inflamation. Have been fine ever since. 

    I am sure you will be on a knifes edge until next week, when hopefully, your Onc will give you the all-clear. 

    Tru

  • grammadebbie
    grammadebbie Member Posts: 464
    edited March 2021 #18

    UPDATE

    Hello friends,   I had my colonoscopy yesterday and it looked good.  He see "Findings suspicious for 2 areas of active malignacy in the sigmoid colon" from the PET/CT scan.  The PET scan showed the size of a peanut and one the size of a grape.  The colonoscopy showed an area that was a little red and he biopsied it but thought it was just irritation.  Boy am I confused.  Any suggestions.  See oncologist next week and get biopsies back next week.

    UPDATE Biopsy

    Biopsy Showed NO CANCER Thank You Lord!   I was able to find the biopsy report online 3 days ago thru my health network.  I still would be waiting for Drs results.  I think thats horrible for Drs to have results and not call right away.  I have appt tomorrow.

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member

    UPDATE Biopsy

    Biopsy Showed NO CANCER Thank You Lord!   I was able to find the biopsy report online 3 days ago thru my health network.  I still would be waiting for Drs results.  I think thats horrible for Drs to have results and not call right away.  I have appt tomorrow.

    My last oncologist said they

    My last oncologist said they don't call with information as a standard rule so as not to panic a patient who might miss the call.