Calling on all stage 3 :)

I was diagnosed with rectal cancer 3/17/03. WOW it has been almost 4 years. YIPPEE!!!!
5 weeks of continuous chemo with daily radiation. Surgery was low anterior resection with temporary ileostomy. I had a reversal 8 weeks later. I then had only 4 out of 12 chemo treatments 5FU and leukovorin because I had diarrhea so bad I ended up in hospital and on TPN (IV nutrition). I had no more chemo but continued with diarrhea, incontinence, way too much time in bathroom. It was affecting my quality of life. 1/05 I made the hardest decision of my life and had a colostomy done---I haven't looked back.

My cancer was stage 3A----T2N1--2 positive nodes.
I have had chemoradiation, 3 surgeries, 11 hospitalizations--many were bowel obstructions. I had all my rectal tissue removed and have alot of damage from radiation. I had 2 pieces of small intestine removed that were damaged from radiation. I have been NED since surgery 6/26/03.

I still have cat scans every 6 mos. last one 11/06 NED and CEA 1.5

Maureen

Stage III sigmoid colon (T3N1M0) (don't know anything about ABC)

Surgery 8/01

CANCER FREE ever since!!! WOOHOO!

No "conventional" treatments but completely Alternative Treatments (too many to list here--again).

No CEA so no worries there (a blessing).

5 years and 7 months of NED!

Happy to be here.

peace, emily

I have only just been diagnosed as Stage 3 (not sure whether A, B or C) so don't suppose this post is of much help to anyone! I had surgery on Feb 19th to remove all my ascending colon, the bottom of my small intestine and a tumour the size of a "small football". Three nearby lymph nodes were affected, but my liver and lungs appear to be clear, along with the the distant lymph nodes they removed. I am recovering well from surgery (which wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared) and am due to meet my oncologist for the first time on March 20th. Catherine

Aggressive dukesC (stage3c) dx in jan 1998. Surgery to remove aroun 14 inches of transverse and descending colon. Six of thirteen lymph nodes cancerous. 48 weeks of 5Fu and levamisole. cancer free for over 9 years. Maintainance scopes every two years . The last one produced two small 2mm polyps one of which aleady had precancerous changes ,CEA consistently below 1. Stay vigilant ,give it half a chance and it will give you no chance. Ron.

My doctors say I was Stage III, not sure if A B or C. After radiation 19 nodes were taken and all were negative, they say some would have been positive before radiation?! My rectal cancer grew into the pelvic area.

I was mis-diag with ovarian cancer and had Carbo/Taxol Chemo for 3 sessions before they realized my tumor doubled and then I went to into radiation and 5FU, tumor went back down and they did a LAR, Hysterectomy, Closed a Vagina Fistula and removed the tumor, done October 2nd 2006.

I refused further Chemo and I am doing alternative methods and I have also started pursuing a degree in Holistic nutrition.

In the past 2 weeks I have had a Scope, CT Scan and Petscan and NED and my CEA is .7!

My oncologist no longer bothers me about Chemo and accepts my decision, even though he does not like it.

I just practice "The Secret" law of attraction. I will be healthy and cancer free!

God Bless,

Liz
www.runlizrun.com - to read my full story!

Stage III C- cancer in sigmoid colon, 13 of 27 nodes positive. Underwent surgery, then folfox,getting through all 12 treatments. It's been over 2 1/2 years and I am still doing great. All CTS and colonoscopies remain clear and my CEA was never up. So even with 3c you can do great!