Colorectal cancer discovered during colonoscopy

Hi Kim,
I’m sorry you are having to go through this. Did you have ant symptoms before the colonoscopy or was this a screening colonoscopy? I had a similar experience. At age 61 in 2016, I had my first screening colonoscopy. I had no prior symptoms. A large sessile polyp was found about an inch above the cecum and could not be removed. The GI did biopsy it and tattooed it. Another flat polyp was found in the hepatic fold. The GI tattooed it but did not biopsy it. No other polyps were found. The sessile polyp was stage 0 carcinoma. I had a right hemicolectomy which removed both of the polyps. The sessile polyp was upgraded to stage 1 carcinoma with two “threads” just starting to penetrate the submucosa. Twenty lymph nodes were negative. For some reason for which I never received an answer, the other polyp was never biopsied, so I do not know if it was malignant or not. Surgery was curative and I have received no other treatment except CEA testing once a year and a colonoscopy every 3 years.
It will be 10 years May 9 that I am NED. I hope you have as good of an outcome. After all your tests are completed, you will have a better idea of what you are dealing with.

Hi @sbt19 , thank you for responding , and sharing your experience . I had no symptoms, just chronic constipation. It was my first colonoscopy, but way overdue. Hopefully not too late . I’m about to have CT scan now to check for metastases. Your experience gives me hope . Thank you so much for sharing it , and best wishes to you ♥️

Hi Kim,
My name is Gene and our diagosis' are very similar. Mine was discovered in March 2024 after going to the hospital due to a lot of blood while going to the bathroom. This led me immediately to the hospital ER. After having another episode at the ER, I immediately received a CT scan which showed I had something going on. The next thing I know the GI doctor was there telling me I was getting a colonoscopy the next morning. The results, 2 masses with one descending colon mass and one sigmoid mass. Weird thing is I did not have any pain or "known" issues until the blood. I had a colectomy 4 days later. Because I had a family history of GI type cancers from my fathers side, and myself along with 6 first cousins having a mutated gene that's how I was told I had Lynch Syndrome. Of the 6 first cousins having the mutated gene, my older brother has died from kidney cancer, one cousin died from pancreatic cancer, and all 3 children from another cousin have had colon cancer (all had surgery and all still surviving). My father died from colon cancer, and his mother (my grandmother) died from stomach cancer. I also, besides colon cancer, had previously had prostate cancer. I was fortunate that my colon cancer had not metastasized and 19 lymph nodes were clean. I am monitored very closely with checkup's and testing by oncology, urology, GI, and dermatology. I'm not sure how you were diagosed with Lynch Syndrome, but you can obviously ask. Also, the results of my previous genetic testing, they had told me I was 20% more likely to get a GI type cancer. They weren't wrong!

@kim19
Ask about a scan that uses a sugar contrast. I was told by a scan technician that contrast would find cancer if it has spread. I'm not familiar with it myself. Best to you !

@lockmith that would be a PET scan. Very effective at spotting active cancer cells/inflammation.

@geno77
Hi Gene , that’s some heavy stuff you and your family has been through . First things first : Oncologists says what I have is curable . He’s thinking it’s between stage 2/3 . My biopsies aren’t in yet , but my CTScan and mammogram look ok . I have some small ( too small to categorize) cyst on liver , and will be having an MRI soon . Course of action to be discussed next week , but I’m feeling really hopeful . That Lynch diagnosis is really scary . Won’t know if I have that for sure until the biopsies are in , but with similar family history , I imagine I do. From what I’m understanding; you are in a situation where you need constant monitoring for new cancer growth ? If that’s so , does insurance give you a hard time about all of the check-ups ? I feel like I’ve just aged 50 yrs since Friday with test every day since . I went to doctors once a year prior to Friday for just annual checkups and bloodwork .

@kim19
Hello again Kim. I was staged at 2, so vey fortunate in that regard. So far, other than having constant loose stools and filling up our septic tank with toilet paper, it hasn't been too horrible. I did have to go back to the hospital as I got what is called a sleepy bowel. That was no fun. But, as far as having to go through a lot, I had more issues with my prostate cancer. I had a radical prostatectomy and about 4 months post surgery I wasn't feeling quite right. Long story short, I had to undergo radiation treatment along with ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy) which were Lupron injections every 3 months. Between the surgery, radiation and ADT I became 100% incontinent. I have an implant that allows me to control my urine. The device is supposed to last about 10 years, I made it 6 years on the first one, 5 years on the second, and so far I'm about 5 1/2 years on my 3rd device. But it beats Depends and pads! Sorry to get off on that rabbit trail! I have had no issues with insurance which for me is Medicare and Tricare (retired military). If there is a positive, I believe that they caught yours early enough to be plenty hopeful. The 1 cousin I menioned with her 3 children having colon cancer (twin girls and a son) all had stage 3 and all are surviving and thriving. Both my children tested negative for the mutated gene which meas my grandkids won't have the genetic mutation. Good luck on your discussions next week and your path forward. I kow it can all be overwhelming and nerve wracking, but reaching out on Mayo definitely gives you insight and knowledge through other people's stories.