Really need some big time advice and guidance, anybody out there? Thank you!

ppm20wife said:

Hi and thank you Julie - the
Hi and thank you Julie - the Pluta Cancer Center will be our 2nd opinion appointment - they have all his records now and will see us after his CEA marker blood test comes back (appt on Monday) - btw what will that tell us? As I said, our original dr. explained it all and I took notes but for some reason it is not sinking in yet

Stay calm down.Although
Stay calm down.Although doctors try to give a diagnosis about which stage the cancer is at,but they will not know exactly after they do the surgery.Only the pathology test will tell you exactly if any lymth nodes are involved,if there is any,that means cancer is at stage 3,if not,that means still either at stage 1 or stage 2.If the cancer has spead to any organ of the body,that means stage 4.You can go to this link to check out Colorectal Cancer Staging
http://www.oncologychannel.com/coloncancer/staging.shtml#stagegrouping.I suggest you when you go to cancer center with your husband,you should ask if they have library or social worker servive where they can give you free cancer books or booklets,this way you can learn a lot from books.Actually after all these years' research,colon cancer treatment is pretty straightforward now.I assume your husband's diagnosis is at stage 2,usally they will do chemo and radiation first for six weeks,then surgery, after surgery if it is needed,then more chemo.Anyway,they have standard and routine treatment for colon cancer.If they do more test,I am guessing they want to choose the right medication for him.Just stay calm down,do your own research,either google,or post message on this board.The more you know about cancer,the better you handle it.Good luck.

Lynch Syndrome
Testing for Lynch Syndrome (HNPCC) is a blood test. A geneticist will interview your husband, take a family and personal history and establish 'likelihood' prior to taking a blood sample. If Lynch is likely there are some real benefits to knowing for sure, from my perspective. I have children. If a gene can be identified that is mismatched, they can be tested for that. Each child has a 50/50 chance of the same mutation. Because they have not yet been able to identify my mutation, my sons all need to have annual colonoscopies starting now. So, they have all recently had their first colonoscopies at 23, 21 and 17. If they were able to be tested and didn't have the mutation they could each wait for that testing until they were 33 - 10 years younger than I was at diagnosis. I'm having extensive genetic testing done still. It's been a year. Although Lynch is associated with other canzers (endometrial, stomach, etc) it doesn't usually metastasize. Second primaries are much more treatable and curable than mets are.

If he needs a total colectomy it's to avoid recurrence in the colon, which is common with HNPCC. The large intestine removes liquid from the stool. It will impact his 'function' in that area and he'll need to get used to a new normal but it won't impact him as much nutritionally. Most of that takes place in the small intestine.

The size of his tumor isn't good news or bad news. It should have little impact on his prognosis. Lynch is usually found on the right side (ascending).

When you go back, take a small tape recorder and a list of questions. They will give you so much info that you won't be able to keep up or remember everything. You'll want the info later. I also get a copy of all test results in writing: blood labs, scans, surgical reports, etc. I have several large binders with everything organized - one is for billing/insurance info. ick.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Please keep us up to date.

Kimby