Hi there my mum has not long been diagnosed with stage 3c transverse colon cancer. T4 N2 v1.
she hopes to have surgery without the suggested chemotherapy first. Does anyone know if this is possible? She (and I) have done research so know that it’s not great odds that way but she really doesn’t want to go through chemo. Anyone experience of this? She is only in her late 60’s. Thanks in advance.
Hi
I am sorry that you have not yet had an answer to your question but sometimes it can take a little longer for someone to see it and reply.
I am sorry to hear that your Mum has had a diagnosis of colon cancer and I understand that this is a worrying time for you both. I know that it can feel overwhelming when being told about the recommended treatment. I understand why Mum would want to avoid chemotherapy if at all possible.
My own cancer was endometrial and I had surgery and this was followed by chemotherapy and also radiotherapy.
Staging and grading of bowel cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support
The above link explains a little more about the staging and grading of Mum's cancer.
Where a cancer is at a very early stage and has not spread at all from the original site then sometimes surgery can be enough to remove it. Mum's cancer has unfortunately been found to be a locally advanced cancer and this is why the chemotherapy has likely been suggested. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment that aims to mop up any stray cancer throughout the whole body. The surgery removes only the original visible cancer. So the risk- as explained to me was that although the surgery had removed everything visible- cancer cells could remain in the body and start to grow and spread elsewhere causing a recurrence.
The best thing to do is to get Mum to speak to her CNS/consultant about how she is feeling about having the treatment, to discuss whether there are any possible alternatives and to find out the risk/benefits of the treatment. So what I mean is talk through what could happen if Mum has chemo vs what could happen if she just has the surgery. It is of course a personal decision for Mum and treatment is only what is recommended. No one can make Mum have the treatment if she really does not want to- however I would urge her to make sure that you have all the facts so it can be an informed decision.
I remember being really scared when they said I need chemo but chemo regimes can be different drugs and different cycles. It is worth finding out specifically the chemo they are suggesting for Mum and what the regime would entail. Chemo was tough at times but I did find it manageable. Where there were side effects there was often medication to manage it. For me hair loss was a big concern but I did scalp cooling and kept most of my hair. For some regimes hair loss does not happen.
Hope this helps a bit. I wish Mum well for her surgery and whatever follow up treatment she decides on. We do have the Support Line available from 8am-8pm daily if either of you would like to talk things through.
Jane
