Enlarged lymph node after Extended Hemicolectomy?

There are many alternative explanations. You are doing the right thing by letting your care team know.

I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry about this. Presumably they have already done scans for spread of cancer and found none. Typically, colon cancer grows slowly and should spread slowly.  The planned chemo will probably knock out any extraneous cancer cells. 

Hi Susan13 thank you for taking the time to reply. I’m assuming then that anything else would have shown up on a CT scan? It’s so hard not to worry about every little thing. Thank you for your support xx

Hello, full empathy on difficulties not worrying about every 'little' thing! I also had a right hemilectomy last year , where a 35cm tumour was found and removed along with lymph nodes,  3 of which returning cancerous . Some reassurance for you is I was informed any organ spread would likely be liver region mainly and I'm hoping they have already done MRI/ CT scans for you, as me , to rule out spread to lungs, etc ( agonising wait!)? As mentioned,  when there is lymph node involvement,  chemotherapy is given as an ' adjunt' to " mop up " anything lingering, as I had and am currently 'cancer free' after that . Again, so hard not to worry,  we all understand that when you're going through this. Take care & let us know how you're getting on xx

Hi Bamo thank you for the positive reply! Glad to hear you are doing well and ‘cancer free’. They have done MRI and found what turned out to be a benign thing on my liver - but yes the waiting and the fear over that was awful! They did describe the chemo as being mop up but my tumour had grown out further than first thought so that has worried me too. I suppose maybe it gets easier in time not to worry so much?! Or maybe you just learn to live with it better. Thanks again for the supportive reply - I may well post again when I start my chemo! Take care and wishing you all the best xx

I think you just learn to live with the fear. At least for me that's how I am. Maybe eventually it will lessen but not yet. 

I’m still in my first few months so I can’t ever imagine it getting easier to deal with - but hopefully one day, instead of thinking about it everyday, there might be a few days when I forget! Heres hoping anyway. Thank you all for your kind replies - this group is so supportive and always makes me feel better xx

Hi Ki21  I really understand this. I had a right hemicolectomy in January, 3 nodes affected, high grade, now having mop up chemo. My fear is worse than ever atm. All consuming, every twinge or ache....... like you am hoping over time things ease a little! Best wishes xx

Thank you Arial88 - I hope your chemo continues to go well. I expect to start mine int eh coming weeks. My fear is how do they even know of microscopic bits have spread - or are they confident that chemo will zap anything that is hanging around. I suppose we might never have any guarantees! Sending positive thoughts to you xx

Hi Ki21 

Hope your team are able to reassure you . Bowel cancer generally has pathways for spreading . It would certainly be a very unusual site of a spread . 
Have you had a Covid vaccine recently ?

Take care ,

Court 

I think that's the horrible reality, there are no guarantees! But I guess we are doing all we can and will be monitored.  There are interesting trials around circulating tumour DNA, ctDNA, but testing for this is pretty new, but the main aim of the trial is to try and identify where there is residual disease, before anything turns up on a scan.

My oncologist was pretty straight talking and said there's no way to predict if it will return or not, so I think for me, I need to find strategies over time of living alongside this without letting anxiety consume.

It's early days for us though so I think where we are is normal! 

Positive thoughts to you, hope you get a date for chemo soon xx