Pathology reports after bowel and liver resection .

Sub over 1 year ago

5 replies
126 subscribers
518 views

Good afternoon everyone .

I thought I would share this , not to show off. It to hopefully offer hope to anyone starting this journey .

in July last year I was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer that had spread to the liver . I had 5 sessions of radiotherapy followed by 3 months of chemotherapy. The scans following this treatment showed that the tumours had shrunk enough for surgery . So just before Christmas I had bowel resection and then at the start of Feb I had liver resection . Well today I had my oncologist appointment where she said I was cancer clear ! The pathology reports showed no signs of spreading (further ) there was good margin for error in the bits they removed and all lymph nodes removed were clear. I even got to ring the bell ! (I know this isn’t to everyone’s taste and have their own opinions on the bell ) but for me it closed 1 chapter of my life and the end of a tough 9 month journey .

I will have 4 course if Capecitabine tablets - only because it could reduce the chances of reoccurrence (data is inconclusive) but I thought that if the cancer did come back I would kick myself for not taking the tablets .

hopefully this gives hope to people on a similar journey . Do your research (though Google can be a minefield !) and trust your oncologist- mine said at the start that the treatment was for curative reasons and she was right .

happy hump day

Jim x

Natata over 1 year ago

Hey Jim

What a fantastic news! Well done!
all the best in future. !

court over 1 year ago

This is just wonderful news Sub . I am so happy you have been given such good news .

You have gone through a lot so I really hope you have a great celebration being planned .
It’s so great to see the progress being made now .

It’s such an incredibly encouraging post for others starting out . We have a lot of silent readers so you just don’t know who needs to read this to give them the strength to face a difficult road .

Take special care ,

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Sub over 1 year ago in reply to court

Thank you .

much of my inspiration was from the oncologist stating that she hoped for cure with the treatment and also reading your story with your mum .

I am also in Scotland and I can’t thank the beatson enough, plus my bowel consultant in the RAH and then the staff at the QEUH for my liver resection.

i didn’t need to take the option of the tablets but I’d kick myself if it came back and I hadn’t taken 12 weeks of my life to help reduce those chances .

i know I’ve a way to go and may more scans etc until I can’t get discharged in 5 years time but I can’t worry about that . What will be will be and I’m not up for stressing about something that may not happen - seems a waste of time and energy !

hopefully people will read the post and take inspiration . Stage 4 no longer means no hope . Medicine has come such a long way - even since my father past from bowel cancer 7 years ago .

Jim x

Rac over 1 year ago

Fantastic news Sub. This is the news everyone wants to hear!

I start my last round of CAPOX today, CT scan Monday and results in a couple of weeks. I’m hoping to get the all clear after the scan.

Rachael

court over 1 year ago in reply to Sub

We were delighted with the Beatson too . Found them very proactive .

My mum had her surgery in the old Western ! Gone now but found it’s replacement equally as good .

How fortunate we are to still have such good teams of people out there when we really need them . I know the NHS has its challenges but think we are in a fortunate position where we are . Her oncologist was so forward thinking I always trusted her .
That’s so encouraging. I will tell mum .

Back in 2009 no one was optimistic, but we pressed on and it’s lovely to see a new group of staff coming through and the disease being treated as a chronic condition .

Take care ,

Court

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000