Tomorrow is a big day---UPDATE disappointing

traci43
traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Well it's here. Tomorrow I go to San Diego to consult with Dr. Lowy at UCSD. He will be the tie breaker--surgery then chemo (what I want) or chemo then possibly surgery (what the surgeon wants). This is my second recurrence, my first after HIPEC just over a year ago. Seems like it's still in the abdominal cavity but each scan shows more lymph node involvement, only one tumor though. CEA rising slower than previous recurrance. Scared, worried, wondering what's going to happen.

Still have to go by my HMO and pick up a copy of my last two PET Scans. They were copied but they couldn't find them on Friday. Grrrrr! Will be there at 8 am to hopefully get them or I will have to postpone the appointment which is at 12:30 and a two 1/2 hour drive from home.
*******************************
Update--got the scans and made it to the appointment on time. Dr. Lowy agrees with my surgeon--no surgery, just chemo. I am sooooooo disappointed. I understand why better now, but it still sucks. The rationale is that the cancer has gone to the lymph nodes (specifically illiac lymph nodes) and that means it is systemic and surgery will only remove visable disease. Also surgery suppresses immune system and increase growth factors to heal--both are conducive to cancer growth. So, I will try to be a good girl and take my meds.

I am changing my diet to no sugar, more veggies, less meat and am looking into supplements to help the chemo be more effective and to make my body less hospitable to cancer. I'm disappointed but not willing to give up yet!
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Comments

  • biglaur
    biglaur Member Posts: 72 Member
    #2
    Good luck tomorrow.
    You might try and stop in to visit Dr. Arno Mundt...radio-oncologist at Moore's. He's a genius and a very cool guy. Thinks way outside the box and might have another thought as a possible treatment option. Always worth some new input. He did miracles for me. Laurie
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #3
    Traci
    Good luck with the consultation!
  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    #4
    biglaur said:

    Good luck tomorrow.
    You might try and stop in to visit Dr. Arno Mundt...radio-oncologist at Moore's. He's a genius and a very cool guy. Thinks way outside the box and might have another thought as a possible treatment option. Always worth some new input. He did miracles for me. Laurie

    thanks
    I'll keep him in mind. My referral is only for Dr. Lowy but I'll ask him. my tumors are very low and radiation is a possibility.
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #5
    Good luck!
    Good luck with your appointment! .....Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #6
    traci43 said:

    thanks
    I'll keep him in mind. My referral is only for Dr. Lowy but I'll ask him. my tumors are very low and radiation is a possibility.

    Traci, I'm very new on here
    Traci, I'm very new on here and I'm also new with my cancer diagnosis. But I am in treatment for colorectal cancer. I don't know if your's is similar to mine, but it sounds like it may be. I did chemo and radiation to shrink my tumor first ( surgeons decision/suggestion) and this gave the surgeon more room to work with for my surgery to remove the tumor. I did have surgery on Oct 8th.

    Gail
  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    #7
    plh4gail said:

    Traci, I'm very new on here
    Traci, I'm very new on here and I'm also new with my cancer diagnosis. But I am in treatment for colorectal cancer. I don't know if your's is similar to mine, but it sounds like it may be. I did chemo and radiation to shrink my tumor first ( surgeons decision/suggestion) and this gave the surgeon more room to work with for my surgery to remove the tumor. I did have surgery on Oct 8th.

    Gail

    hmmm
    Gail - Mine is a recurrance and is not on the colon at all. It's a 2 cm tumor very near the rectum with as of last count 3 lymph nodes involved. It seems my two recurrences have both been in the peritonal cavity and not involving in organs, for which I'm thankful. Although, I understand that liver or lung tumors are easier to treat than this.

    I hope your surgery went well and you are doing well. Traci
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #8
    plh4gail said:

    Traci, I'm very new on here
    Traci, I'm very new on here and I'm also new with my cancer diagnosis. But I am in treatment for colorectal cancer. I don't know if your's is similar to mine, but it sounds like it may be. I did chemo and radiation to shrink my tumor first ( surgeons decision/suggestion) and this gave the surgeon more room to work with for my surgery to remove the tumor. I did have surgery on Oct 8th.

    Gail

    Gail
    I just wanted to welcome you to the board.
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #9
    Traci
    I hope that you get those scans and make it down to SD in time. I will be thinking of you and hoping for the best.
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #10
    plh4gail said:

    Good luck!
    Good luck with your appointment! .....Gail

    Tracy, just the best from here!
    Have a big hug!
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #11
    traci43 said:

    hmmm
    Gail - Mine is a recurrance and is not on the colon at all. It's a 2 cm tumor very near the rectum with as of last count 3 lymph nodes involved. It seems my two recurrences have both been in the peritonal cavity and not involving in organs, for which I'm thankful. Although, I understand that liver or lung tumors are easier to treat than this.

    I hope your surgery went well and you are doing well. Traci

    Traci
    Oh I see...well I do wish you the best of luck. Even though I am new with all of this, I feel like I have been through so much. I have so many questions myself, but feel I may have some info for other's. Thought's, well wishes, and prayers are with you!

    Yes, for my surgery, Dr says he got it all. I hate the iliostomy, and I'm very glad it will be reversed soon. I give so much credit to all the ostomates out there!

    Gail
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #12
    Lori-S said:

    Gail
    I just wanted to welcome you to the board.

    Thank you
    Hi and thank you so much! I think this board is going to become a dear friend to me!

    Gail
  • Crow71
    Crow71 Member Posts: 679 Member
    #13
    Fellow Hipectite
    Hey Traci - I hope you have a successful day today.
    Let us know how it went when you get a chance.
    Roger
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #14
    I'm sending big, strong, good vibes to you!
    Please keep us posted!!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #15
    Hugs + good vibes to you
    Hugs + good vibes to you today!
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #16
    Finger crossed
    That you get those scans in time and make it to your appointment.
    I wanted to wish you luck, and am thinking about you.
    Winter Marie
  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    #17
    bump

    bump
  • Lori-S
    Lori-S Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    #18
    Hey Traci
    It's good to hear that you made it to SD on time. I'm sorry that you can't just have your surgery as you wanted. I'm sure that with the lymph node involvement the doctors really want to treat that as effectively as possible. Be a good girl and take your medicine. :)

    I always think that supplementing and eating right is a good thing. Don't worry so much about all sugar as it's the refined processed sugar that seems to be the worse. Our bodies do need sugar ... just not all the white refined sugar that seems to be everywhere. Let us know what you find out in regards to the supplements you take and remember to let the onc know which ones so they help treatment and not hinder it.
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #19
    Lori-S said:

    Hey Traci
    It's good to hear that you made it to SD on time. I'm sorry that you can't just have your surgery as you wanted. I'm sure that with the lymph node involvement the doctors really want to treat that as effectively as possible. Be a good girl and take your medicine. :)

    I always think that supplementing and eating right is a good thing. Don't worry so much about all sugar as it's the refined processed sugar that seems to be the worse. Our bodies do need sugar ... just not all the white refined sugar that seems to be everywhere. Let us know what you find out in regards to the supplements you take and remember to let the onc know which ones so they help treatment and not hinder it.

    Lynph nodes
    I got them affected too , in retroperitoneal area, we are radiating it and once radiated will remove it with surgery, so nobody told me about what you have been told! what about other opinion?
    Have a big hug.
  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #20
    Hi Traci,
    I can't offer any

    Hi Traci,

    I can't offer any advice, but I just wanted to let you know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Best wishes always, Cynthia
  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    #21
    Crow71 said:

    Fellow Hipectite
    Hey Traci - I hope you have a successful day today.
    Let us know how it went when you get a chance.
    Roger

    fellow HIPECtite
    Cool name. As you can see it didn't go as well as I hoped. I do trust Dr. Lowy and wish I could have had surgery. I hope the chemo does the job this time.

    When did you have HIPEC? How are you doing?

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