Mum's stage 3 colon cancer

Hi .

Yes it’s a horrible worrying time but it’s great that your mum has got the operation out of the way, the tumour is in the bin and she is now cancer free. That’s the bit that you need to focus on - she is now cancer free. I also had 2/17 lymph nodes affected, both of which were close to the tumour, so they are also now gone and as the cancer cells get infected in order (as it were) there should not be any affected further afield.

The post op chemo is just the belt and braces - a bit like digging out a dandelion, making sure you get all the root out and a couple of stray clocks, check that the surrounding soil is clear but then spraying the ground with weed killer just to be extra extra sure.

Theres are lots of people on here who are post treatment and doing well. I won’t tell you not to worry but please try to focus on the success of your mums op and look after yourself so you can help support her through her chemo.

Chemo is tough but doable so please let us know how your mum gets on

Take care

Karen x

Thanks so much for your reply Karen it means alot. Your right, I need to focus on the positives we were given but until it's all over don't think any of us can relax. The way you have described the treatment makes sense, mopping up I guess. She is having the 2 drugs, 4 cycles therapy over 3 months, apparently she shouldn't feel sick but I don't believe that, I guess hospital have to be optimistic for you, be lovely if she sailed through Chemo but can't help but see a frail old lady who could struggle with this part of treatment.

We've all had tough few years, my sister only got thyroid cancer last year n dad skin cancer year before, both doing well now. 

Thanks so much for your reply and encouraging words. Alot better to hear directly from someone with similar experiences rather than Google where I'm getting obsessed with staging and survival rates.

I haven't caught up on your profile but I hope you are recovering well n are in good health.

Will keep you posted.

Take care 

Xx 

Wow Karen, just read through your profile. You really went through it!! So glad you got the all clear in the end

Hi lds2019

Karen is right ( hi karen by the way!) chemo is a right twat, however its a very good sign your mum is having 4 cycles as opposed to 8, I can only give three tips...Sky cinema, sheperds pie, mulligtawny soup

dom

ps Im a great believer in statistics, stage 3a , which 4 cycles of chemo would suggest your mum is , has very similar prognosis to stage 1 ,ie very good

Hi again

Stay away from google! The 5 year survival rates are already 5 years out of date and, at the end of the day, everyone is an individual and reacts/deals with the treatment differently. 

Chemo isn’t pleasant but there are lots of antisickness pils and potions to help get your mum through it. She will probably be started on the maximum dose (calculated by weight and height) but it’s quite common to have this reduced if the side effects are troubling. If your mum really can’t cope with it then she can say she doesn’t want any more sessions - they won’t force her to finish the treatment.

As Dom says she just needs to do what she needs to do to get through it and if that means a diet of soup and cake for 3 months then so be it.

Sorry to hear that cancer has affected your sister and dad but hopefully your mum will follow their examples and make a full recovery.

Take care

Karen x

Thanks so much Karen and Dom. We can only take one step at a time I guess. Yes am keeping away from Google, everything I need is in here anyway. Will keep in touch. Xx

I have just finished my 4 pulses of mop up chemo. My oncologist told me that it was because they found that peripheral neuropathy reversed after 4 but could be permanent with 6. It is I think meant to be standard now, for mop up, where there is no evidence of actual tumour. 

Thanks pepsie. Just seen my mum, we had dinner and she is eating more now which is nice to see. Been discussing Chemo, she can either have 2 drugs for 3 months or 1 drug over 6. Still undecided, think worried the 2 drugs will be too much for her. She's got another week to decide.

Read your profile pepsie, again, you've really been through it!! So many strong ppl on here. Take care if yourself xx

Glad to hear that your mum is starting to improve .

Presumably the 2 drugs will be oxaliplatin by iv followed by capecitabine in tablet form for 3 months or the capecitabine alone for 6 months? I’ll be honest the oxaliplatin is the nasty one with a lot of side effects although there’s no guarantee that your mum would get all or even any of them. The capecitabine is a lot more doable (sorry for the grammar!) and usually in tablet form which avoids the intravenous side of things which can be quite uncomfortable.

Hopefully the oncologist will be able to guide you but if the difference in effect between the 2 is minimal then the capecitabine might be the more tolerable for your mum

Karen x