Rectal cancer diagnosis very low in the rectum

Hi @ashleymeade could i get your email or number? My mom just found out she has rectal cancer. She doesn’t know many details yet. But she needs someone to talk to that have experienced this themselves. She’s scared and so am I. She’s my whole world!

@prettyeyes6 You could have your mom join the forums here on Mayo Clinic Connect, so she could read and converse with various persons who have had rectal cancer.

@evo, at the end of October 2022, I had a colonoscopy because my colorectal surgeon had touched a very low friable polyp with her gloved finger when I had consulted with her earlier that month. The biopsy said it was pre-cancerous. So, I had a transanal resection on Dec. 17, 2022, and the new biopsy said there were positive margins. The surgeon said she didn't want to operate again because she feared she would damage the sphincter and there was nothing else to see during the first surgery. She sent me to an oncologist. The oncologist agreed with her that the right path was to skip a new surgery and to radiotherapy. So I had RT in Feb and March 2023, which led to rectovaginal fistula. To my husband and I, it all sounded very logical and we decided not to go for a second opinion.
When I consulted the surgeon about fixing the fistula, I didn't like her proposal, so this time I decided to get a 2nd opinion. This surgeon, considered the best colorectal surgeon in town, said he would have operated again and taken a wait-and-see attitude before jumping into radiotherapy. His proposal to fix the fistula sounded scary, so we went for a third opinion, with a cancer investigator. He agreed with the second surgeon on all counts. I had a new colonoscopy and there was a new polyp facing the fistula. So I ended up having a very radical surgery to fix the fistula, remove the polyp, reduce the risk of new polyps in the rectum to nothing so as to reduce the risk of cancer to its most minimum risk.

So I encourage you to have a second opinion.

You can find a lot of useful information here: https://fightcolorectalcancer.org/surgery/ and on the whole website.
https://www.nccn.org/patientresources/patient-resources/support-for-patients-caregivers/questions-to-ask-about-cancer. The list of questions on this site were very useful to me when consulting with the doctors.

Make sure that you ask your insurance company what resources that they offer in obtaining second opinions- sometimes this step can be very valuable

asking your primary care doctor what oncologist, then radiologists, then surgeon they recommend, then ask each specialists their recommendations

then asking nurses their recommendations

then read reviews about them

ask the same question multiple times to get to your selection that feels right

its one of most important decisions you will make

ask the doctor why that choice was made when different than other recommendations

I was diagnosed with anal cancer stage 2 caused by the HPV virus. I had been treated for hemorrhoids that never seemed to go away and finally insisted on a scan. The scan showed a large mass. A biopsy was done and that’s when I found out it was cancer. I had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation. The chemo was not difficult to handle. On the other hand, the radiation was awful. It left me with days I couldn’t bare to have anything touch my skin. I suffered from fecal incontinence due to the radiation cooking my sphincter muscle. That’s how I ended up with a colostomy bag. Yes, having a bag is different and challenging at times, but it has given me back my quality of life. Before the bag I had to wear heavy pads. I spent my days either in the bathroom or looking for one. I know everyone is different and it can be overwhelming at times but since getting the bag my life has improved so much. I should tell you that the chemo did not work immediately on my cancer. It took almost 6 months after my treatment was completed for it to show that the cancer was gone. I will have scans and a colostomy done every 6 months for the next few years. I had my first scans and they were good…no cancer! I hope this helps you in some way.

For everyone following this discussion, you may also be interested in these related discussions:
- My journey with rectal cancer: What's your experience?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tumour-position/
- Rectal Cancer - Hospital Recommendation
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/rectum-cancer-hospital-recommendation/
- Rectal Cancer Post Ileostomy Bowel Movements & Contractions
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/rectal-cancer-post-ileostomy-bowel-movements/
See all 44 rectal cancer discussions: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/colorectal-cancer/?search=rectal%20cancer&index=discussions

@evo, have you met with your team to discuss your treatment plan yet? How are you doing?

Because of where I will be staying for my treatment is close to a hospital , they have referred me there to make my movement easier. I am yet to receive a call from the new team of doctors. Hopefully I will be called by the end of this week 🙏. All is well with me just that I get this severe constipation and abdominal pains 😢 which I take paracetamol to calm it done so I can't wait to start treatment. Did anyone had this symptoms and what did you do to help???

For constipation, many take Miralax or psyllium husk (capsules or powder). For the abdominal pain, ask your doctor if Buscopan is an option for you. Trimebutine can help with the motility; again, you should ask your doctor.
Also, make sure you drink lots of water and eat lots of fiber in your food, starting with fruits and vegetables.

@mjdavey36, welcome. I'm not sure if you saw @daledales reply to your question about getting multiple opinions here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1047669/

mjdavey, how did your appointment go this week?

Hello, my mother has rectal cancer and was referred for radiochemotherapy. What are the effects of the treatment and another question: What food is she allowed to eat currently? She is 63 years old. Thank you.