Posted on 11/18/2013 2:29:56 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel
She wants to set up several tests.
Basically this tumor could go 2 ways - common metastasis (for which she wants to verify my lungs are OK, though lymphs and colon were fine) or a kind of uncontrollable abdomen cancer. She is concerned because it was so huge.
So, there is still the issue of do I have any cancer, or is it a big risk that I should go on chemo to stave it off?
Let's just say I did not feel all reassured.
Prayers are appreciated!
(could use a ping again!)
Prayers up, of course. BTT
Prayers for you.
What about a 2nd opinion? Since you don’t need that appendix, would surgery followed by chemo, or radiation, be an option?
I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV.
Offering prayers for wisdom for your doctors and for your own personal peace of mind.
My Dad had abdominal cancer - at first they thought it was sarcoma [very bad news], but then was determined to be lymphoma.
He had surgery, chemo, and radiation. It worked.
I have non-hodgkin’s lymphoma [supposedly an incurable form, mantle cell lymphoma] - went thru the MD Anderson protocol of Hyper-CVAD plus rituxin [for about a year]. Seems to have worked.
Hang in there, explore ALL possibilities. They are doing amazing things these days ...
Good luck and prayers.
I’ve had surgery and radiation, and great medical treatments.
You hear a lot of complaining about the med system these days but I’ve experienced none of that.
Find the best doctors you can (I’m lucky in that I know doctors and dentists as acquaintances).
Please get a second opinion.
Try Cancer Treatment Centers of America. I don’t know if there is one near you .. but you should check them out anyway. Maybe they can recommend another treatment center closer to you.
For any doctor to say they don’t know how to proceed after surgery .. I’d be running for the door.
Prayers don’t even require asking! Please let me know what you find out.
Do they have the results of the biopsies at all yet?
The docs thought my father had appendiceal cancer several years ago due to a large tumor-like appearance on his appendix, and it turns out what he did have was chronic and acute appendicitis which had inflamed his appendix to such an extent the doctors all thought it was cancer, even after the appendix and tumor were removed. He never had any symptoms of appendicitis, either.
I will keep you in my prayers.
Prayers up.
I had my cancer surgery last year, and they could only say my reoccurance risk was x% with chemo and y% without chemo, tell us what you want to do.
Get the cancer out and go to somebody that treats your kind of cancer to get the best information you can find so you can at least make in informed decision.
Don’t give up, a year and a half ago, I didn’t think I’d still be around now.
Cancer ping.
Praying for you!
Prayers up for you and your family.
May God keep his healing hand upon you and bring His Peace to you and your family.
Prayers for you
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There seem to be two schools of thought on chemo:
One line of thinking is to hit the cancer hard with everything the oncologist has to give you, as in a fierce battle against enemy invaders (cancer cells).
The other line of thinking is that chemo eventually lowers the body’s ability to fight off the cancer. So, it’s important to be sure chemo is necessary.
Personally, I went with the all-out battle, but I didn’t really have a choice. My oncologist specialized in my type of cancer, so she knew exactly what to do.
I’m glad to hear your oncologist is being very careful and checking with an oncologist who specializes in the type you have.
I’m so sorry you are facing this ordeal. Sending prayers your way!
She definitely gave that impression. Her concern is there is so little evidence about this rarity, including how chemo affects it. So chemo might not be done if the thought is it won’t really help given my circumstances. That’s what the tests are for, to further ascertain my risk factors.
Thanks for continued prayers!
Prayers for your health and healing (and always get as many opinions on treatment options from physicians as possible !).
I think my thread post has caused much misunderstanding - sorry!
To all the posts above who haven’t seen my earlier threads....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3078792/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3091507/posts
I’ve had major surgery for this, 3 weeks today. That part is “over” - now I’m meeting an oncologist who needs more tests regarding SPREAD in different ways and from there how to handle this, which is apparently a very rare type of cancer that triggers other cancers, not just the usual “metastasis”.
Thanks to all who offer support and prayers - most needed of all!
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