Pet Scan Results - Not Good

jcavanaugh
jcavanaugh Member Posts: 100
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Well, my dad got his results today and we do not have good news. Diagnosed 05/2002. Multiple surgeries. As of 6/06 - NED with a cea of 5.5. In September 06, pet showed multiple spots in liver (did not give number or size - find this odd). At that point cea was 55. CEA climbed to 189 by end of October, very aggressive. Went on treatment (avastin and 5 flu??) and cea dropped to 57 by February. Appeared to be working. Now, cea is 79 or higher (not sure) just taken again today and pet shows the same mets in the liver plus one more and suspicious spots on the lung (a total of 8) not lite up on pet but suspicious - report says may be too small to lite up as today. We are devestated. We never thought that it would go to the lungs. We do not know for sure if if is in the lungs. The doctor wants to start a new treatment and scan in 3 months. Up until this year, we only had at the most three spots in his liver (always manageable and treatable). The oncologist sill refers to his disease as manageable/chronic. Has colon cancer become a manageable disease if monitored?? Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any words of wisdom or hope would be great.

Comments

  • Limey
    Limey Member Posts: 446 Member
    #2
    I am sorry to hear your news but as a caregiver, don't loose hope yet. I can not relate to the lung mets but I have been throught the Yea NED ahh not NED roller coaster a few times. I am not sure about cancer being managable, I do know many are beating the odds or greatly extending life by the new drugs. Stay positive even if you don't feel it inside (I am so reminded of that as of late). positve thoughts and prayers your way.
    Limey
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #3
    I'm sorry the results weren't better, but as Limey said, do not lose hope. My husband also has multiiple liver mets, on avastin/xeloda/oxal and they appear to be shrinking a bit after 2nd treatment. Another ct will tell more in 2 weeks. No lung mets (that we are aware of at this time) We are still hoping that resection, rfa, percutaneous ablation, etc are possibilities in the future. It is also possible that lung mets can be ablated in some cases if they get bigger. I just want to point out that there may be future options and although I know too well how discouraging the news was, continue to hope. Did your dad's oncologist tell you what new treatment he will be using? Has rfa, surgical options been ruled out ? Don't be afraid to get a second opinion either.

    Continued prayers for your Dad and your family. God Bless
    Diane
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #4
    hopefulone said:

    I'm sorry the results weren't better, but as Limey said, do not lose hope. My husband also has multiiple liver mets, on avastin/xeloda/oxal and they appear to be shrinking a bit after 2nd treatment. Another ct will tell more in 2 weeks. No lung mets (that we are aware of at this time) We are still hoping that resection, rfa, percutaneous ablation, etc are possibilities in the future. It is also possible that lung mets can be ablated in some cases if they get bigger. I just want to point out that there may be future options and although I know too well how discouraging the news was, continue to hope. Did your dad's oncologist tell you what new treatment he will be using? Has rfa, surgical options been ruled out ? Don't be afraid to get a second opinion either.

    Continued prayers for your Dad and your family. God Bless
    Diane

    Don't despair....hopefully others who were in a similar situation will reply here. When I first came to CSN in 03 there were many who thought all hope was lost. Since then the improvements in treatment and surgery have helped many to win the fight. For example, here in oz oxaliplatin and avastin I think if memory serves were not available. They were just around the corner. Laparascopic surgery had not been used long. These are just examples of the advances in medical procedures in just a few years. The available options are being improved with time and hopefully cancer does become more manageable. Your dad has come a long way since 2002 and hopefully he will be able to continue the fight with improvements to the way cancer is treated. Hang in there...a radical treatment may be within grasp...you never know! All the best from oz, Ross and Jen
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #5
    Hi -

    I'm sorry the news isn't better, but please do not despair.

    What treatment does the doc want to start?

    Scary as it is, there is literature out there that now refers to metastatic CRC as chronic and manageable.

    Please keep us posted - with more information, perhaps some of us can share experiences with you.

    Take care,
    Betsy
  • sladich
    sladich Member Posts: 429 Member
    #6
    Hi. I believe advanced staged colon cancer can be manageable/chronic. I have friend who is going on year 6 and has more or less been on chemo the entire time. She refuses to have any surgery, only the initial colon resection. I had one tumor in my left lung and I chose to have my lower left lung removed. I've also had a liver resection, RFA, chemoembolization. Colon cancer is very agressive so you need to treat it agressively. I currently have a small spot (7mm) in my lung. It hasn't lit up on the PET either. My oncologist is watching it. I have a CT and CT/PET every 2 months. Hang in there. My prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #7
    Yes, I have a relay for life friend who went from stage I "all cancer is gone" colon cancer to stage IV 3 years later, but is fighting the fight. She has just got to be VERY vigilant about ANY changes in her body...she calls her onc IMMEDIATELY...the faster it's caught, the quicker back to no cancer seen. Understand, the word 'seen' is intentional...she knows that there will be 'dust bunnies' in her body just looking for a place to start up. BUT, she also knows to treat her body well, eat right (bulk and antioxidents), and ENJOY life. She has a knack for doing this even during a reoccurance...

    Hugs to you and dad...don't give up the fight...hope is the strongest medicine there is!

    Hugs, Kathi

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