puzzled in Chicago

pia123run · July 2005

My pa is 64 years of age and had his first colonoscoy 2 wks ago becouse he had blood in stool. they found a large tumor in colon and rectum. I could not believe it. How could that grow so large in a year? that is my thought. I asked my pa if the Dr. ever recommended a colonoscopy before or take home hemacult cards? he said no. I could not believe it, pa has been having yearly phyiscals for the last eight years with the same Dr. and this was not detected sooner.I don't know to much about cancer yet but do tumors go undetected and grow so quickly without any prior detection?

CAMaura · July 2005

You know, it is an incredible shame, but I thinkt hat docs are just really lax about ordering routine colonoscopies. Maybe it is the insurance thing; maybe it is the stigma of the colon and all that flows from it.

It took a long time for breast cancer, and the testing for it, to be common in conversation......I guess that is the situation here....?

Hang in there and ask a bunch of questions now. You really sound active in your father's care....and that is wonderful.

Take care.
Cheers,
Maura

hillby · July 2005

It amazing that he wasn't told he should have a colonoscopy long before 64yrs of age. Unfortunately, this cancer can go undetected until its in an advanced stage. I don't know how old you are....but as his child you should get a colonoscopy AT LEAST 20 years prior to his diagnosis age. Our doc's said our kids should all have them starting at the age of 30!! I was Diagnosed at age 51 and my kids are at a very high risk!
Read up as much as you can about this disease so you are capable of questioning the doctors at all times. You need to be proactive in the decision making process - it could save his life.

Good luck and take care. You will be you pa's advocate thru this.

Byron

2bhealed · July 2005

hi pia,

Since your pa did not have a colonoscopy before most likely a large tumor has been growing for years not one year.

When I was dx'ed almost 4 years ago (39 yrs old) my tumor was the size of a lg lemon. The doc said it could have been in there from 5-10 years. This was slow growing.

My sister died of intestinal cancer (when she was 33) and no one ever told us we were at risk and should get a colonoscopy. Everyone, every single time I went to the doctor, said her cancer was so rare. HA! So it never occurred to me that I should get checked.

So I echo the previous suggestion that YOU will need to monitor yourself earlier than normal too. I wish someone had told ME!!

peace, emily

nanuk · July 2005

a year before my diagnosis of colon cancer-(age 63) I called my Dr and asked if i should have a colonoscopy; he asked if there was any history of colon cancer in my family, and I replied "no"..
He then advised not to worry about it. Approximately one year later, during a routine physical,(finger wave) another Dr. found a six-inch tumor that had penetrated the bowel wall. He said it had been growing for over a year.
In my case, an early diagnosis would have meant a cure..now I have the medical profession to thank for my eventual early demise. There should be severe consequences for this kind of professional negligence. CHANGE DOCTORS!!

bsrules · July 2005

Hello!!

My husband was diagnosised with advanced stage iv in 2003. he was 58 years old. The Dr. thought he had the starts of an ulcer and not to worry and to have a colonoscopy due to his age. He had one and then all hell broke loose.The Dr. said that he had this probably in his mid 30's. Unfortunately, he didn't make it but he told all of his friends who were much younger then he was to get checked out even if your insurance does pay for it. Your life is more important then money!!!! In doin so he has saved a dear friends life. He is 32 yrs. old has 3 young children and they found a precancerous polp which they removed. The 2 kids have been checked and his brothers also and thankfully all are fine!!! PLEASE don't neglect yourself and get checked out!!!! Make sure they do a full colonoscope!!!!

Best Wishes and Prayers heading your way!!!

Sue

spongebob · July 2005

nanuk said:
a year before my diagnosis of colon cancer-(age 63) I called my Dr and asked if i should have a colonoscopy; he asked if there was any history of colon cancer in my family, and I replied "no"..
He then advised not to worry about it. Approximately one year later, during a routine physical,(finger wave) another Dr. found a six-inch tumor that had penetrated the bowel wall. He said it had been growing for over a year.
In my case, an early diagnosis would have meant a cure..now I have the medical profession to thank for my eventual early demise. There should be severe consequences for this kind of professional negligence. CHANGE DOCTORS!!

Nanuk -

You have a lot of livin' left Brah - Get out there an have a ball!!!

Love you, man...

Sponge

Btrcup · July 2005

Mu hubby was diagnosed at 43. He had been bleeding from his rectum for a couple of years, but he also had hemmroids. When he turned 40, our doc wanted him to get a colonoscopy, but he never went. He started experiencing abdominal pain in Feb. 2004 and when we took his to the ER, they thought he had appendicitis. That's when they found the tumor.

The doc said the tumor could have been growing for at least 10 years. Our kids will start being checked in their late 20's, early 30's.

Hope all goes well with your pa.

Linda (Baltimore)

kangatoo · July 2005

Btrcup said:
Mu hubby was diagnosed at 43. He had been bleeding from his rectum for a couple of years, but he also had hemmroids. When he turned 40, our doc wanted him to get a colonoscopy, but he never went. He started experiencing abdominal pain in Feb. 2004 and when we took his to the ER, they thought he had appendicitis. That's when they found the tumor.

The doc said the tumor could have been growing for at least 10 years. Our kids will start being checked in their late 20's, early 30's.

Hope all goes well with your pa.

Linda (Baltimore)

As you can see Pia.......a lot of colon cancers can and do invade us without any early symptoms. As you can also see haemharroids also are a major "masking" culprit for colon/rectal cancer. I was dx'd with haemharroids back in 97 but was told....nothing to worry about! Then in 2003 was dx'd stage 2 colon/sigmiod cancer. My specialist told me the cancer was probably already there in 97! Some cancers grow slowly....others are quite aggressive so colonoscopy scanning is pretty much the only real test that works well.....at least the cancer can be "seen" most of the time. Barium enema's are also reasonably reliable. Unfortunately colon cancer in many, many cases just does not present symptoms. Apart from some anal bleeding(thought to be hemharroids) I had vertually no other symtoms yet I had 3/4 colon blockage.....go figure.
cheers, look after your dad....Kanga n Jen

puzzled in Chicago

Comments

Discussion Boards