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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.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Aug 6, 2024
In reply to @doralchevy "My 75 year old husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer last November and began his first..." + (show)
Profile picture for doralchevy @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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thowfeek | @thowfeek | 15 hours ago
In reply to @amariewilkinson "Please reach out to me. 42 year old Mom of 3 here and Mayo was able..." + (show)
Profile picture for amariewilkinson @amariewilkinson

Please reach out to me. 42 year old Mom of 3 here and Mayo was able to cut mine out very near sphincter with robotic surgeon and colorectal surgeon working together to do so. So far, no colostomy. Doing my darkest to keep it that way. I also did rectal and pelvic radiation and chemo. No easy thing! But I’m doing well a year later.

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@amariewilkinson
Hi are you able to share the names of the surgeon and doctor please

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cvestor | @cvestor | 3 hours ago

I was in the same situation Surgeon in Milwaukee said do this surgery bag etc don't know if you will make it off the table or go die. Was not a fan of these options. Came to Mayo no surgery treated with chemo and radiations, As of Jan we beat the bastard but still have checkup every 3 months It was a tuff 2 years but no surgery or bag Stay at the cancer house which ws a ton of money saved DOctor has to recommend it but it was a blessing as far as expense Radiation Treatment was done at Mayos and chemo was done at a branch site of a local hospital after I put my foot down as could not afford to drive 2 hours each time for a treatment. Money was & still is very tight as tight as thru all the treatments my husband was killed It was a long 2 years difficult yes but no surgery no bag and alive Ask questions be firm but polite as it is your body and YOU make the final decisions

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