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Colorectal Cancer

PTSD?
hello I’m new here today and the reason for me joining was wanting to know how people have dealt with their PTSD when it comes to your scans and bloodwork coming back normal for the last year and a half after stage three colon cancer six months of chemo every time I get a bump or don’t feel right I have my mind just goes…
Stage 3 Rectal cancer Recurrence
Hi I am male with 37 years old I was diagnosed with stage 3 rectum cancer Aug 2023 about 6 cm tumor in my rectum and 8 cm distance to anal verge .I did first CT for checking metastas and it was clear. My oncologist decided 6 rounds of chemotherapy with folfox. After it was ended, I did my second CT and shows that tumor…
immunotherapy with stage 3 colon cancer
diagnosed in February of 2025 just finished 3 months of chemo (Oxyplatin and 5FU) had treatment every 2 weeks and now doctor suggest immunotherapy (Atezolimaub) because of the new results from the ATOMIC study that came out in June 2025. Has anyone had any dealings with this particular drug? I am MSI High and Lynch…
Stage 2 T3B questions.
Diagnosed with stage 2 T3B last week and has not entered my lymphs. Will start the chemo pill with radiation in a week for 33 sessions then full chemo only every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. The Cancer Center said the outlook is very good for shrinking and killing the 5cm tumor near my rectum. Received a call from a surgeon the…
CAPEOX v. FOLFOXIRI - comparisons?
I was diagnosed with T4bN1bG2M1 colon cancer with perineural involvement in 2023. RO colon surgery followed by 8 cycles of CAPEOX. Lung met that had remained stable during chemo but started growing again was removed this March because it appeared to be solitary, followed by a swift recovery. We are only 3 months later and…
Post chemo issues and severe foot neuropathy
I am nine months post radiation and chemo and still have hand tingling and finger numbness along with severe foot neuropathy (albeit somewhat better than five months ago). A month after chemo my feet (and left leg up to my knee) got severely worse from just the pins and needles feeling that developed after the fourth chemo…
Anxiety/Stress Post Treatment
Hello all, I am a 39 year old man who was diagnosed with Stage IIIb colon cancer in August 2024 (at the age of 38). I had surgery to remove a portion of my colon and then six months of chemo (oxaliplatin and capecitabine) that finished at the end of February this year. Post a late March CT scan and I was told there was no…
Chemo treatment experience /help
Hi - I am currently diagnosed with colon cancer. I have just had my surgery and now moving on to Chemo treatment. I had a choice of CAPEOX or FOLFOX. I am wondering if anyone can share their experience? I understand that for FOLFOX, a port needs to be implanted for the infusion. For CAPEOX, a port is not needed. But I am…
CEA Leveled Off but Not Dropping
For past two months, my CEA level has been around 10.5-11.5 but has not dropped after treatment. At one point I was as low as 2. Any idea why this is happening?
liver regrowth after resection
I had a liver resection just over a year ago. I had read so many articles about how the liver grows back after having a liver resection & have heard people on this board talk about how theirs was growing back too. Interestly, when I asked my liver surgeon if he could see any liver regrowth on my CT scan, he said "not much,…
Post Chemo issues,,, severe foot neuropathy
under construction
Post Radiation/Chemo - Pre surgery consideration? / Post severe foot neuropathy
I was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in Feb-2024 with the cancer extending into a few lymph nodes. Did five weeks (25 sessions) of radiation & oral chemo then 16 weeks of chemo (6 hours in the chair and 2 days connected to at home pump infusions). The tumor shrank 98+%, no longer in the lymph nodes, had a…
Synchronous primary tumors
Hello! I’m writing about my husband. His story—he had a partial nephrectomy at MD Anderson in February 2024 for Stage 1 kidney cancer. At that time he had a CT scan that showed a thickening of the ascending colon wall at 4.9. This March, he had another scan that showed the thickening had increased and there were suspicious…
Work - Blacklisted
I'm was diagnosed in June 2024. Completed first round of Chemo. I'm a Private Equity Lawyer (20 yrs) - M&A and Securities. Now, I can't find a position at any law firm. I don't offer why I took such a long hiatus from practicing, but also can't lie when pressed. My career has been a huge part of my life and now I am…
Living with stage IV CRC
Very interested in hearing from those who are living with stage 4 CRC as a "chronic condition". My wife is currently in this situation - receiving FOLFOX and Avastin on an ongoing basis, tweaking the Oxaliplatin concentration and sometimes backing it of entirely when the side effects become too severe. She is currently NED…
Stage 4 rectal cancer with lung and lymph node involvement - radiation and chemo
I am new to this site. I was diagnosed last week with stage 4 rectal cancer and given one year to live with no treatment or 3 tops with treatment. They say it has spread to my lungs but the nodules are very small right now. The tumor in the rectum is huge. Ironically other than rectal pain that is manageable with Advil I…
Stage 4a rectal with Mets to lung
35 yo diagnosed with rectal cancer last year. Had radiation, chemo and colon resection and had negative CT DNA bloodwork in January. Bloodwork came back positive in April have one spot on the right lung and one spot on the left lung. Have to meet with a thoracic surgeon interventional radiologist but they said no…
Fasting in conjunction with chemotherapy treatment
Hello, I am a colon cancer patient who is about to undergo folFox chemotherapy treatment. I've been doing a lot of research on chemotherapy and have found that fasting before during and after the chemo can negate a lot of the nasty side effects and also make the chemotherapy more effective. My question is has anyone had…
4 YEARS OF LIFE!!
Hello all you Rockin' Semi-Colons pals!! August 6 is my four year anniversary!!! I AM ALIVE!! I love those words. As much as I love NED. I have a houseful right now and more coming this weekend so I just wanted to sneak in here really quickly and share this with you. Tomorrow I will be off to the berry patch picking fresh…
Still have neuropathy from Folfox/Oxy chemo
Hi, I am new to the forum, I was diagnosed Nov 2015 with a tumor in the rectum. Had 28 traditions, 6 weeks of 24/7 chemo, surg resection of tumor with temp illiostomy (for 12 weeks) then take down, then 12 sessions of Folfox/Oxy plus others that I don't remember currently. I had many of challenges others have experienced…
Positive Cologuard Test - Opting for Virtual Colonoscopy
Hello all. First time posting here. A few days ago, I received the dreaded positive Cologuard result. After reading a number of internet forums about Cologuard being notorious for false positives, my anxiety about the test result has all but disappeared. I'm a 45-year-old white male. No symptoms. Normal stools. No family…
rectal cancer survivors
I am 38 y/o mom of two diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer. I went through chemo and radiation. Just had a colonoscopy today. Surgeon says he sees no cancer only scar tissue. That I have had a "good clinical response" to the treatment. The tumor 5-6cm tumor is gone. He is still talking about surgery to remove rectum and…
side effects of Folfiri
I found out my colon cancer as migrated to my Rt lung. I was previously on Folfox, and on Folfiri and just completed my 3rd cycle. When did people start noticing hair loss or thinning? Folfox my hair just thinned
Treatment breaks and STD/LTD
hey there! I am a caregiver for my boyfriend who was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal. He is hopefully finishing chemo tomorrow and then will start radiation+oral chemo and finishing up with surgery. You all know how that works. Prior to surgery we are told he will be on a break to give his body time to recover and heal from…
Vectibix Rash
Just started on Vectibix last week. Acne rash started yesterday. I called my oncology Doctor today and he called in a prescription for Doxcyline, but only gave me enough for 7 days with no refills. I have read past discussions that other people has taken this and it has helped, however, what I gather from the posts is that…
Iliostomy ahead
Aloha, I'm coming to the end of my treatment plan with Robotic LAR (lower anterior resection) in 2 weeks. They told me they'll be setting up an iliostomy bag. I'm sure they'll tell me all about it after surgery. I understand what it is. I'd like more info on: care tips, can I leave it off for any time, what are good food…
Do you tell people?
I’ve never been one to share a lot about my personal life with friends or family. I’m the one that asks questions and get others to talk about themselves. I have only known for a week that I have stage 3 colon cancer. I’ve told my husband, my mother, my mother-in-law, and a good friend. I’m guessing that at some point I…
18 years out after Stage 4 Dx
Hello all, This disease is so unfair and unpredictable but I did want to throw a chance of hope out there. It is now 18 years out from the initial diagnosis. Stage 4, mets to liver and lungs. Took long time but I'm still here and doing fine. I know the long term people who I first followed meant a lot. I have no magic…
Chemo pill vs pump and how to support body for lessening treatment side effects
Aloha! I've been recently diagnosed with stage 3, 2"rectal tumor, 2cm into the wall, 7 lymph nodes inflammed, at the top of the rectum. I'm headed in for my 3rd biopsy tomorrow to get pathology results to give us a proper plan moving forward. I turned 40 in March, First noted symptoms April this year, found tumor early…
CEA rising but no cancer detection
Hello im new to this board and I really hope you can help me. I never had cancer before and my CEA level was consistently below 2 for past 10 years. However suddenly this year my CEA was increased to 11.3. Then two weeks later, it increased to 14.1. We did colonoscopy, PET, and CT but no tumor is detected. I know smoking…

Colorectal Cancer

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