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tkd3g
tkd3g Member Posts: 767
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My lovely husband won't get a colonoscopy cause he isn't 50 yet!!! @*#$*&@!!!!

please post your age at diagnosis - cancer stage- and a yes or no to family history.

Forgive me if this is like a previous post. Chemo has truly robbed me of my memory.

Please, everyone, this is something we can all print out and bring to our doctors. We have to get rid of the outdated notion that colorectal cancer is an old mans disease!

Thanks

Barb
«13

Comments

  • tkd3g
    tkd3g Member Posts: 767
    #2
    I'll start:
    43 - stage 3 rectal - father had colon cancer at 65

    Thanks

    Barb
  • davidsonxx
    davidsonxx Member Posts: 134
    #3
    age 48 stage 2a no family history of colorectal ca but family history of other cancers
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #4
    davidsonxx said:

    age 48 stage 2a no family history of colorectal ca but family history of other cancers

    47--stage 2, mother passed from brain cancer in 2000--she was 70.
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    #5
    33--stage 4---no family history.

    (I just figured I would have to be the one to get cancer because my siblings would have been emotional wrecks who wouldn't be able to handle it...lol)

    Stacy
  • WendyMarie
    WendyMarie Member Posts: 48
    #6
    Age 37 when diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer due to familial adenometous polyposis, usually an inherited disorder. Ironically I have no family history.
    Wendy
  • kbienapfl
    kbienapfl Member Posts: 61
    #7
    Stage IIb rectal July 2006, age 46
    Stage IV, mets to lung, May 2007 age 47

    Family history of cancers on father's side of family. His family of seven children, all but one had cancer and died by the time they were 70.

    Mother had colon polyps, removal of portion of colon. No additional treatments required.

    My children have been advised to start screening at 25 - 30 years of age, as well as all of my nieces and nephews. My Siblings should have started screening at 40.

    Our insurance company's are not following our family genetic history. Don't expect them to advocate early screening.

    Hope this helps.

    Kathy
  • Lisa Rose
    Lisa Rose Member Posts: 598 Member
    #8
    Age 40 ~ Stage 3c - rectal. March 2002

    My aunt ( mother's sister ) colon cancer 2002 age 72

    My mother colon cancer 2006 age 74

    Lisa
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #9
    Age 37, Stage 2/3, family history.

    GET THE #$%^ SCOPE, MERCURIO!!! It can be one of those special life experiences you and Barb can share...
  • DK2006
    DK2006 Member Posts: 126
    #10
    Hi Barb,
    I was diagnosised with stage 3a colon cancer at 45. I am a vegetarian and avid exerciser. My grandfather died of colon cancer, but my parents are both fine.
    I understand your concern about your husband. My husband (40 years old) got a colonoscopy as a birhtday present for me. Everything was fine. (He won't need another colonoscopy for 10 years!) It was an enormous relief for me and he said that he gained new found respect for everything that I went through. What a great gift!
    Best wishes,
    Donna
  • kerry
    kerry Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #11
    Diagnosed age 50 with stage 3. Dr. said it has probably been growing for 10 yrs. Bummer! Recommendations for my children to be checked by the time they are 30. No family history of cancer.

    GET SCOPED!! (the drugs are to bad)

    Kerry
  • christeleb
    christeleb Member Posts: 60
    #12
    36 - stage IV colon with liver mets (I had been asking for a colonoscopy but was told i was too young, was scheduled at age 38 or 10 years prior to my mon's death.....)

    Currently doing genetic testing

    Mother passed away at 48 of colon cancer

    PLEASE have him done the colonoscopy, I should have insisted even if I had to pay for it. I regret it now, but it's too late
  • Limey
    Limey Member Posts: 446 Member
    #13
    Age 46 Stage IIb
    age 45 stage IV metastatic to abdomen
    famil history, do not have the familial gene but grandfather had stage IV at age 43.
    My dad had pre cancerous polyps, one borther had pre cancerous polyps, another brother had 14" of his colon removed due to diverticulitus(sp) and my last brother does not want to get tested - he is 52
    go figure. I would have loved the opportunity to have had a colonscopy early and PREVEVTED this stage IV - Colonscopy-Chemo - um there really is no question as to what to choose.
  • chynabear
    chynabear Member Posts: 481 Member
    #14
    kerry said:

    Diagnosed age 50 with stage 3. Dr. said it has probably been growing for 10 yrs. Bummer! Recommendations for my children to be checked by the time they are 30. No family history of cancer.

    GET SCOPED!! (the drugs are to bad)

    Kerry

    Diagnosed the day after I turned 27 - Stage III, had been growing at least 5 years. I have almost NO incidence of any family cancer, let alone colorectal cancer which is why it took me much longer to get diagnosed.

    My parents irritate me in the same way. They are self employed and can't afford insurance. My mother hides under the, "we're healthy and would know if we were sick" blanket. I keep trying to tell her that I was "healthy" too and gave the cancer time to spread.

    I don't know what to do about them. It makes me so mad and scared. But, what do you do? I can't afford to pay for their scopes and they are adults who can make their own choices.

    I hope you get through to your husband better than I do to my parents.

    Tricia
  • mom2eleni
    mom2eleni Member Posts: 7
    #15
    Age at diagnosis :33
    Stage: rectal cancer stage 3c
    Family history: no rectal cancer, grandfather had cc at 70, aunt had uterine at 33

    Tell him to get his colonoscopy...the prep wasn't that bad and I lost 3 pounds to boot! And, I love anesthesia...:)

    Marianthy
    Beginning 24/7 chemo today!!!
  • Hanac
    Hanac Member Posts: 55
    #16
    Good survey! I had just turned 49(Stage 3, 5 nodes out of 13)...No symptoms...no family history.

    I have been thinking along the same lines as you. There seems to be a whole hell of a lot of us who were 50 or less when diagnosed. Last week I sent away for cancer statistics, asking for the ages of diagnosis for colon cancer patients over the past 15 years. My plan is to become armed with the facts and then approach my US Senator, Diane Feinstein, about introducing legislation which would require insurance companies to pay for colonoscopies at an earlier age. Once I get a sponsor, I hope to start an internet campaign urging people to approach their representatives to sign onto the bill.

    Apparently the age for breast cancer screening used to be 50 until there was a push to reduce the age to 40.

    What sets the colonscopy apart from other tests, and what makes early testing even more compelling, is that it is not just a test...it can also be a cure. Let's get the word out and save some lives!

    Love you all!

    Hana
  • funnyguy
    funnyguy Member Posts: 89
    #17
    Hanac said:

    Good survey! I had just turned 49(Stage 3, 5 nodes out of 13)...No symptoms...no family history.

    I have been thinking along the same lines as you. There seems to be a whole hell of a lot of us who were 50 or less when diagnosed. Last week I sent away for cancer statistics, asking for the ages of diagnosis for colon cancer patients over the past 15 years. My plan is to become armed with the facts and then approach my US Senator, Diane Feinstein, about introducing legislation which would require insurance companies to pay for colonoscopies at an earlier age. Once I get a sponsor, I hope to start an internet campaign urging people to approach their representatives to sign onto the bill.

    Apparently the age for breast cancer screening used to be 50 until there was a push to reduce the age to 40.

    What sets the colonscopy apart from other tests, and what makes early testing even more compelling, is that it is not just a test...it can also be a cure. Let's get the word out and save some lives!

    Love you all!

    Hana

    Age 38 at Dx for Stage IIa

    No Family history of any cancers

    One sister has since had a colonoscopy at 47 and found precancerous polyps. she called to thank me for 'hounding' her to go.

    Insurance company tried to deny my claim for the colonoscopy. I complained and they paid. Didn't matter about the cost; I was going anyway because of symptoms.
  • judymike
    judymike Member Posts: 11
    #18
    funnyguy said:

    Age 38 at Dx for Stage IIa

    No Family history of any cancers

    One sister has since had a colonoscopy at 47 and found precancerous polyps. she called to thank me for 'hounding' her to go.

    Insurance company tried to deny my claim for the colonoscopy. I complained and they paid. Didn't matter about the cost; I was going anyway because of symptoms.

    My husband was diagnosed at age 44 with stage 4 (mets to liver). At the time did not know of family history, but later found out his grandparents had history of cancers.
  • briamber
    briamber Member Posts: 3
    #19
    Posting for my dad:
    Diagnosed two weeks ago at age 54. He had a colonscopy as recommended at age 50. And now four years later, he's stage iv colon cancer.
    We have no family history of cancer that I know of.
    So get it done early and often.
  • sladich
    sladich Member Posts: 429 Member
    #20
    48 - Stage 4, No family history. By the looks of all the posts - practicallye everyone was under 50. Encourage your husband to get a colonoscopy!

    Debbie
  • rthornton
    rthornton Member Posts: 346 Member
    #21
    christeleb said:

    36 - stage IV colon with liver mets (I had been asking for a colonoscopy but was told i was too young, was scheduled at age 38 or 10 years prior to my mon's death.....)

    Currently doing genetic testing

    Mother passed away at 48 of colon cancer

    PLEASE have him done the colonoscopy, I should have insisted even if I had to pay for it. I regret it now, but it's too late

    Interesting ... I was diagnosed at age 35 with stage IV, after showing symptoms for a couple of months. I was also scheduled to have a colonoscopy at age 38, because that was ten years younger than my mother was when she was diagnosed. She died at age 53 (on my 18th birthday, no less!). I wonder if I'd have made it three more years, if I'd waited to get scoped at age 38. I think probably not, it was already in my liver and left lung.

    Rodney

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