Treatment for bowel cancer spread to lymph nodes

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Hello,

I am 46 and I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in March.

I went to theatre for a bowel resection the end of April, however they couldn’t do the surgery as my uterus was too heavy from fibroids to move out of the way. I then had 4 cycles of Capox whilst waiting the 3 months for the next surgery. Beginning of September I had a full hysterectomy, bowel resection and formation of a temporary ileostomy.

My histology has come back showing that I have active cancer cells in 8 of the 35 nodes removed, including some blood vessel involvement and one that was away from my tumours. They found I had 2 tumours, one stage 3 and one stage 4 that had moved into my ovary. This has all been removed and shows good clearance.

The plan is now no more chemo, as my tumour had minimal or no response to the Capox, and I’ve been told no other treatment is available for this. So now I’m on 3 month bloods and 6 month CT scans.

I’m struggling with the no treatment plan, and just waiting for it to pop up elsewhere. I am trying to find out if there are other options and how to get a second opinion, and where to request to be referred for my second opinion.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Linda J - Macmillan over 1 year ago

Hello Charlie78,

Thanks for getting in touch with us during what sounds like a very difficult time for you. I’m Linda, one of the nurses from our support line.

It’s understandable that you are struggling with no treatment plan. It’s natural to feel this way and the uncertainty can be hard to cope with.

Normally treatment options are based on the cancer type, stage and what treatments have been given previously. It’s understandable that you are looking to talk this through and get a second opinion on the options.

Our information on getting a second opinion will guide you through the process. It also explains about the benefits and disadvantages.

You can either ask your current cancer team to make a referral or you can ask your GP.

It’s good to hear that the tumours were removed with a good clearance. You mention 2 stages of the cancer, but this seems more complex. I wonder if you are able, if you could talk directly with us, so we can understand in more detail about your own cancer experience. It can be very helpful for us to be able to ask questions directly. You can call us free on 0808 808 0000 and our lines are open 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.

If you don’t feel able to talk directly with us, you could email us with a bit more detail.

I hope this information has been helpful.

Best wishes

Linda J. - Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

Ref: LJ/FP

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Treatment for bowel cancer spread to lymph nodes