Colonoscopy for post cancer monitoring.

FormerMember over 6 years ago

3 replies
113 subscribers
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Hello everyone and happy Easter to all.

My UK post T3N1M0 rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma monitoring has been 3 monthly CEA blood tests and 6 monthly CT scans. I will be 2 years post surgery in Aug and then it moves to 6 monthly bloods and annual CT scans. I have two questions

1. How many people have routine colonoscopies as part of their post treatment monitoring and if so how often?

2. If I had a reoccurrence at the op site would it show on a CT given that it is mucinous?

On my original CT the report said that all that they could see was a slight thickening of the bowel wall which they presumed was the tumour (it was 40 mm long at that point) although enlarged lymph nodes were clearly visible. They got a much better picture on the MRI scan. NICE guidelines talk about having a colonoscopy 1 year post treatment and another within 5 years which I haven't been offered. Although colonoscopies are not much fun I am wondering if it is more likely to pick up a secondary at the op site than a scan, especially given that mucinous tumours are more than 50% cancerous mucus and less firm and well defined than a normal (is there such a thing as normal) adenocarcinomas. I am wondering if I should chase this?

thanks

Nicky

FormerMember over 6 years ago

Hi Nicky, Happy Easter!

I had been wondering about this.

I was stage 1 T2N0M0 (adenocarcinoma) so didn't have any more treatment after my anterior resection. I did have a stretch of my anastomosis in November due to difficulty going to the toilet because of scar tissue. I have 3 monthly appointments with surgeon, and 3 monthly bloods which include CEA.

My surgeon said that I would have my CT scan at around 1 year post surgery which I have had. I asked about a colonoscopy and he asked if he had managed a full colonoscopy at diagnosis (which it was) and said it would be 3 years post surgery! I thought also that I had read 1 year and then 5 years if clear.

My surgeon then said that he could do a flexible sigmoidoscopy to check lower bowel and anastomosis area. I definitely think it's worth asking the question

FormerMember over 6 years ago

Hi Nicky

I was T3N0M0. And my tumour was less than 50% mucinous adenocarcinoma and I am on a 'robust' surveillance pathway because of this:

Colonoscopy at Year 1 and Year 4 (I had a failed one before diagnosis)

CEA every 3 mths for first year and then review. CT Scan every 6mths for first 2 years then annually for next 3 yrs.

I was quite frightened when they said I am on a robust surveillance because of the nature of the tumour. I didn't have any information about what it would look like on a scan though. I had my follow up last week and she said that a room full of people at the MDT would come to different conclusions about the surveillance pathway.

FormerMember over 6 years ago

Hi ,

I had what I guess would be a "normal" adenocarcinoma, T3N0M0. Re colonoscopies: I have two scheduled for the first five years (the first one somewhere in the next month), and then one every three years until I turn 74.

Can't give an answer on the CT scan, but from what you have described it is definitely worth asking the question.

All the best,

Yolande