Guidance and reassurance needed

Hi 

You might find it reassuring to read some of the profiles over at bowel cancer U.K. forum . Some good posts from experienced people who have being using maintenance chemo for years and getting good results . As you point out location is also a factor. If after chemo a specialist surgeon in Hipec thinks they can remove all visible disease they will refer your scans for assessment from those teams also thus opening up other avenues to combat the disease . They have all become much more aggressive in how they approach the management of stage 4 patients disease . Some patients do get to surgery despite a difficult diagnosis. Hipec surgeons are specialists in that field . 

They will absolutely review your scans after chemo and if they think another surgeon could achieve a good surgical outcome they will refer you to a centre of excellence. 
They will monitor you closely and if an opportunity to get to surgery opens up they should hopefully refer you . You are also entitled to a second opinion so hopefully that should give you some reassurance too .

However saying all that oncologist have really developed stage 4 bowel cancer treatments too !

I think the Hipec surgeons have a criteria they work to . 

Take care ,

Court 

Hi Courtthanks so much for such a positive, no nonsense response.

It is a journey which I intend to approach positively, as I did for the first treatment sessions.

I'll update my story here as I journey onwards, take great care of yourself

Ian

Good on you and for the days when it’s just not so easy to achieve that come here and we will prop you back up . People took care of us during treatment and we all know there are days when we just need to find some more solid ground . 
I am wishing you significant shrinkage and some good treatment options going forward .

Take care ,

Court