Stage IV with bone mets?

jerseysue said:

I don't have bone mets however Jana on this site does but I believe she is off to Africa for a bit of rest and relaxation.

Thank you, I will check with her later.

~lv2scrap

FRANTIC said:

Yes I had stage 4 colon cancer in August 2003.
IT did not go into any organs . BUt it broke out of the cecum and grew across the pelvis and attached itself to the sigmoid colon. Currently I have a permanent illesostomy. I just found out 1 month ago the cancer had spread to the bone in the skull. I have a large lump on the left rear of my skull. They say the tumor is in the skull bone however it is now growing towards the brain.
This past year since OCT.2006 I have been dx. with osteoporosis with compression fractures of the spine. Extremely painful. They biopsied L1 of the spine last year and it was negative for cancer. However the MRI in JUne states there is most probable lesions in the L2-L4. This is the first time cancer has shown up since 2003. I am devasted and scared. Right now I am going to start
radiation to the large bump on my head. Then after that is over with my oncoligist will be doing chemo. He told me over the phone it will be erbitux and avastin along with an antibody. I am 51 yrs young and am going out of my mind. I never heard of colon cancer going to the skull. MY CEA has always been 0.5, however this test called the CA19.9 has been normal then started to rise and then go normal for a couple of years now. I was scanned and scanned and no cancer showed up. However in April the CA19.9 rose to 119. The radiation oncoligist told me when it is in the bone that number does rise. MY question is how come my oncoligist who I adore did not know that.
Hope this helps. Would like to hear from you.
Your friend FRan from LOng Island.

Hi Fran,

Don't panic. I have have been up and down with the anxiety of my Dad. I just have to remember we are doing all that we can. My faith has helped me through a lot of my anxiety and fear.

My Dad had Stage 1 colon cancer in 9/01 and they remove the section and said he was cancer free, no chemo needed. 4/05 my Dad went to ER with trouble breathing. CT showed a spot on his lung. He didn't share this info with me. Followed up with the Primary care Dr. later. They just kept checking him for heart problems because he had fluid building in his lung. After months of test they finally sent him to a Pulmonologist who took the fluid out and recommended a PET scan. We never heard of such a thing. The day before Thanksgiving he called us in and said 80% chance he had cancer. He schedule a lung biobsy for Dec. 05. The surgeon came out and told me that it was aweful. There was nothing he could do for my Dad and that he would not be returing to work. He was referred to his oncologist and on Feb.06 began chemo. Long road hun? Makes me wonder where we would have been if it had be found in April 05 when they saw the initial spot on the lung. At this point he had it in his lung and going into the other, in his bones I think T6-T8, a rib and now they think the femur. His CEA was 1500 when they started chemo. He's been on 4 different regimins and has been as low as 78. Now we are back up to 978 as of last Wednesday. They are putting him back on Folfox. Doctor said we are running out of chemo options. I don't believe that. Meanwhile, my Dad continue to work except on chemo days. He is very optomistic. That helps a lot.

Stay very positive. It is hard I know. Just remember it is not in your hands and worry will not change the outcome and my even be worse because of the stress.

Take care.... If you have any more questions let me know. I will put you in my prayer..Keep me posted..

A friend in California
~lv2scrap