Colon spread to lymph nodes

2 replies
172 subscribers
687 views

Hello all,

I have been reading lots on here and other sites and find it amazing how welcoming and supportive these chats are.

I wanted to ask, my mother originally had an emergency operation December 2020 full colon removal and it had spread to the lymph nodes going up towards the aorta way so was classed as stage 4. My mum didn't want to know too many details and in covid times we weren't allowed in the hospital when this all happened. She had 6 months chemo and since had 2 clear scans. She now stays on maintenance chemo of a low level and they stopped her irinotecan. She has recently been told on her 3rd scan that she has enlarged lymph nodes but it is nothing to worry about and she will go back to having chemo every 2 weeks and back on the irenotecan which obviously shook her a bit... were very lucky to live on Christies door step I suppose.

I suppose I'm just wondering if anyone has had anything similar happen or have they had spread to the lymph nodes rather than organs and how have they managed. Every scan is more than scary as it is let alone hearing something you weren't expecting.

She seems to be very well and had returned to work, she amazes us every day!

court over 3 years ago

Hi Manchester

A big welcome to the forum .

To be honest it sounds as though your mum is doing incredibly well clinically and treating her cancer as a chronic condition . To get two clear scans is amazing . To put that in context my mum had immediate disease return to her liver within three months .

I think it is part of the process in keeping the disease stable and your mum is clearly responsive if you view this all from a clinical angle . However it’s not easy on the patient having to endure more chemo and takes a while to get some solid ground again .

Macmillan offers six free counselling sessions through Bupa if she feels it would be beneficial to chat living with cancer through with someone . In my mind I think being chemo responsive is half the battle and like my mum she seems very responsive . Also I see they are keeping her on her original chemo which is also a plus in spacing chemo options out .

My mum’s oncologist did prepare us to expect a bit of on /off approach but that they had various chemo combinations to use .

To get back to work and balance all that out … she is made of strong stuff .
However I do remember my mum’s face having to confront more intense chemo and I hated it for her . But we gathered strength and hope your mum and yourself do to .
Send her our very best and hers to more clear scans in the future . Has she asked if there is a radiotherapy / surgical option . I know there is a line and they also have their eye on a systemic approach which I get .

Take care ,

Court

0808 808 0000 is the helpline number if she wants to consider that aspect .

Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

Manchester over 3 years ago in reply to court

Hi court,

Thanks for your reply I've read your mums bio and it's absolutely amazing!!! Good on her that must of been tough going through all of that?

It has given us some breathing space with the clear scans and although it's never what you want to hear that there's a change on scans I just tell her and myself we need to be thankful it's nothing more as ive read so many heart breaking ones...

I'm not sure she sees her oncologist on her own so I don't think she questions the options just relies on them to give the option but I'll be sure to ask. I know when the operation happened they did take a few more than what they wanted as they had cancerous cells already. I understand what you mean I think its just really difficult as she has just got her life back to how it was and she dreads knowing how ill she will feel back on every 2 weeks and balancing her work life... we just all keep a positive and ignore things like general statistics as that has put a downer on things.

Thanks again for your reply.