Surgery after mets?

vtspa6
vtspa6 Member Posts: 172
in Colorectal Cancer #1

My husband Tim is doing chemo right now, in a couple of months he will get scanned to see if the chemo is working shrinking the rectal tumor and hopefully shrinking the mets in the lungs.  Is it true that you need to surgically remove the main tumor first before you can address cutting out any mets?

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #2
    I don't know

    Sorry, I don't know the answer to that, as I had to have the tumour removed pronto, lest my bowel rupture. 

    I can see why they would do it, but if its fact, I do not know. 

    I'm sure someone else here may be able to help you. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #3
    Hi

    What site gets handled first by surgery usually depends on locations and severity. 

    There does not seem to be any hard and fast rule regarding the order, at least based on the experiences I have read about here,.

    You may want to ask this question to your husband's surgeon.  I am sure they must have some logic they apply to determine course of surgical removal of tumor vs mets.

    Marie who loves kitties

     

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #4
    Dear Friend,

    I was told that if I had a single liver metastasis it could have been removed at the time of the rectal surgery. Now the lungs are not in the abdominal cavity So that could be different. If it was a safe option I would gave both removed at the same time. I don't care what they say but I wouldn't want to walk around with those this inside me. It was an incredible relief for me that the cancer is out of my body. 

    All the best,

    Laz

  • vtspa6
    vtspa6 Member Posts: 172
    #5
    lp1964 said:

    Dear Friend,

    I was told that if I had a single liver metastasis it could have been removed at the time of the rectal surgery. Now the lungs are not in the abdominal cavity So that could be different. If it was a safe option I would gave both removed at the same time. I don't care what they say but I wouldn't want to walk around with those this inside me. It was an incredible relief for me that the cancer is out of my body. 

    All the best,

    Laz

    Laz, your right about that!

    Get those things out of ya!!  I know Tim will have to face what surgery to do soon.  I think it won't be a problem to cut out the rectal tumor, I am worried about the lungs.  If the 30 spots don't shrink or dissapear with chemo, where will the even begin cutting in the lungs?  I understand that you have to stop chemo for awhile to let your body get stronger before surgery.  I wonder if that will be a good idea?  Seems surgically removing the cancer is the best option, hope he will have that option!

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