Rectal Cancer Advice.

I meant to add that my wife has read the report and has gone into shock and says that i have stage 4 rectal cancer and that she expects me to die soon.

Hi . I’m sorry to hear that you’re both so worried and having to translate paperwork from French must be difficult. I’ve attached a really good link from the Macmillan page about T grading and staging. The T relates to how far the tumour has grown into or through the bowel wall however T4 does not necessarily make it stage 4. The cat scan will give your doctor a more accurate idea of things so please do not assume the worst - even if, and it is an if at this stage, there is spread to other organs then there is still a lot of treatment available as court will confirm.

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/bowel-cancer/colon/treating/treatment-decisions/understanding-your-diagnosis/staging-and-grading.html#10315

Hope this helps

Take care

Karen x

Thank you Karen, i will wait to see what the cancer doctor says on monday.

Hi ,

I agree with  . I think you need to have a chat with the doctor as there has been a few people here who have the tumour depth T4 mixed up with stage 4. If it was stage 4 it would also have M1 beside it . No spread is M0 . It’s very easy to get mixed up and has caused a lot of anxiety for people . 

You can reassure your wife that a lot of stage 4 patients respond very well to chemotherapy and surgery. My mum has been a stage 4 patient for ten years . Sadly not all patients but slowly progress is being made . But it does not sound as though this is your reality anyway .

Lots and lots of new jargon to digest .

take care ,

Court