Anterior Resection Surgery Vs Watch & Wait

Hi Jack. It’s a tough decision isn’t it? There’s people on here who are 3 and 5 years clear and others who have had to have the operation a year down the line. You will be closely monitored but will need to be able to cope with the stress of scans and wondering if every little twinge is something sinister. 

I’ve attached a link to a post that Jogey did who is still cancer free after doing the watch and wait. You can also type watch and wait in the search box at the top of the screen to view previous posts. If you click on Jogey name then he has a really detailed profile page

 Watch and wait 

Take care

Karen x

Many thanks Karen for your reply, it has helped alot. Great posts by Jogey and others regarding the W&W. Yes, it is a very hard decision to make, the medics put the ball in your court so its up to you to decide which way to go, I wish that there was more decisive quality information, stats and research of W&W patients to make the decision a little easier.

Thank you

Hiya Jack it's a tough one. I had a complete clinical response and my specialist told me the best course of treatment is an op and then a temporary bag for about 6 months. After discussing it and telling him that I thought watch n wait may be an option for me he said there's not a huge amount of evidence to share with me on this especially not for my age group (54 at the time). Still, it was discussed by my team and and I'm otherwise well it was decided that I could have watch n wait as an option. So after a lot of thinking and me deciding that even if I have an op it could still come back...I opted for watch n wait. I've just had another clear blood test and waiting results for latest MRI. I'm 16 months now since end of my radio. I don't get too anxious when I wait for results as I know an op is still an option if need be. Best of luck whatever you choose. It's a tough one and keep coming back for support. Regards Dancingdoll67

Hi Dancingdoll67, thank you very much for your response, It was very helpful for a newby starting out on this journey. Great news that you are 16 months clear. After a lot of thinking, reading and talking. I am now on the W&W route.  My thoughts are along your line that is if it does raise its ugly head I will go ahead with the operation.

I am very grateful for Macmillan having this site and people posting on here from which I am learning a lot.

Did you have an option of going for the Papillon radio, I had the option but when I went in for it the Doc could not see anything of where the tumour had been so it was not done.

Have you noticed any side effects such as Jogey mentioned thickening of the rectum seen on his scan and narrowing of the rectum as mentioned by cyclingjohnny .

Have you considered the Asprin Trial?

Many thanks Jack

I've not had any side effects. Time just seems to make me feel better and better. I used to go to the loo at lot and now I'm back to normal and have been for a long time now. The scans just show as completely normal with no thickening. So far so good. I've not been offered anything else. I have read about the aspirin trial but not gone any further than that! Glad to hear that you are on watch n wait. Hope it all goes well for you. 

Thank you very much, wishing you all the best.

Hi Jack I had the same options as you my oncologist and surgeon both told me separately that about 30% of people on watch and wait don't have any recurrence but to my mind that means that 70% do get it coming back so I have opted for the surgery which is booked in for the 14th March I can understand your reluctance to go for the surgical options but I believe it it comes back then the choice of treatments is more limited.  Of course we all have different ideas and reactions but I am not to bothered about losing my backside . As it happens my wife has a hmm non cancer related bowel condition and was on a waiting list for a Sto ma so now our surgeons have decided to do both at the same time. Good luck 

Hi Summersdad, thanks very much for your reply. I respect your view with going ahead with the surgery, I had the long course chemo radiation therapy, it was very harsh towards the last couple of weeks of the treatment, but it did the job of clearing the tumour. From what I have read, and have been told that it was a 25-30% chance of it coming back. I wonder what others on this site have been told of the % numbers of it coming back to compare.

Because of the clear result, the chance that it might not come back and having the option of W&W i decided on W&W. If the W&W option was not available then I would have had the surgery. Who knows what the future holds but if it does come back I would go for the operation.

All the best Jack

Hi Jack thanks for that and best of luck for the future.  Strange how different medics give different figures. I really hope your w&w works out good. Cheers David