Staging of Colon Cancer

Hi Toffeelover

My name is Sarah one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan support line.

Welcome to the online community, I hope you will find support from others going through similar experiences.

Finding out you have cancer is a worrying and uncertain time. It is understandable to want to know more about what this means for you. Your team will not be able to know for certain until all the results are through and they have met to discuss treatment and what they expect the outcome of treatment to be.

Staging doesn’t necessarily mean a cancer is terminal as some stage 4 cancers are treated as curable. Your hospital team will be able to explain this when you meet once results are through.

When you are feeling anxious and overwhelmed it can help to feel more control of your physical and mental health at this time. Preparing for treatment can help you cope better with side effects from treatment. You may also find it helpful to write down questions you would like to ask your team when you meet to discuss your results and plan next steps.

We can appreciate this must be a difficult and anxious time for you. It is important to reach out for support from others, friends and family and also others who understand what you are going through. Our online community has a bowel cancer forum for those going through diagnosis and treatment. You may find it helpful to reach out to others who understand some of what you are going through. Bowel Cancer UK also have online forums for support.

Once you have your full diagnosis your cancer team will be available to answer specific questions, you will also be allocated a cancer nurse specialist who will be there to support you.

If we can help with anything else, please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.

Best wishes,

Sarah

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

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