1. < Colorectal Cancer

Don’t want to lose anus

Posted by jenmo @jenmo, Dec 23, 2022

New member. Just received diagnosis with tumor 1cm from sphincter. Has anyone had a tumor shrunk and removed without losing their anus/sphincter and ability to poop normally? Any hope at all?

The idea of losing my body parts and changing my life forever, colostomy bag and whatnot as a single mom in her 40s is excruciatingly scary and depressing. Afraid of how I will manage chemo as a single mom but even more how to feel whole.

Desperate to hear hope that I might not lose ability to poop normally.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Colorectal Cancer Support Group.

Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Aug 6 2:06pm
In reply to @doralchevy "My 75 year old husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer last November and began his first..." + (show)
@doralchevy

My 75 year old husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer last November and began his first treatment in late January. They were trying to stage it because of possible liver and lungs involvement. He refused the remove the anus option and began aggressive chemotherapy for rectal cancer and did 8 chemotherapy sessions. Then he did 6 weeks of chemo radiation, again because he refused the remove the anus option. Just completed that about three weeks ago and his latest bloodwork shows no rectal cancer DNA strands. His doctors say he is the poster child for organ preservation. He's going in for scans in a month to see how the questionable lung "dodads" have behaved. So yes, you should read up on the OPERA studies that save the anus. There is definitely hope!

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@doralchevy, how is your husband doing after treatment? Any lingering side effects? How are YOU doing?

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