Genomic sequencing or any treatment helpful for Stage 4 colon cancer?

Posted by komalkochar @komalkochar, Feb 4, 2019

Anyone tried genomic sequencing for Stage 4 cancer? How does it help & being effective? Any other kind of treatment which would have helped at stage 4 cancer?

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

Hi @komalkochar, genomic or tumor DNA sequencing holds lots of promise in oncology. Here is some information you may find interesting
- Tumor DNA Sequencing in Cancer Treatment https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/precision-medicine/tumor-dna-sequencing NCI
- Implementing Genome-Driven Oncology https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5463457/ HHS publication
- 6 ways individualized medicine is advancing patient care https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/6-ways-individualized-medicine-is-advancing-patient-care/ Mayo Clinic News Network

Have you been offered tumor DNA sequencing for your type of cancer? Do you have bone cancer or metastatic cancer that has spread to the bone?

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It's a metastatic cancer spread to the bone. Originally it was colorectal cancer.

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@komalkochar

It's a metastatic cancer spread to the bone. Originally it was colorectal cancer.

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Thanks for the additional information. Since you are referring to colorectal cancer that has spread to the bone, I moved your message to the Colorectal Cancer group. I invite you to explore the other discussions in the group: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/colorectal-cancer/ Here you'll meet others living with colorectal cancer, like @tressa @annejacobsen @1943 @missmary @rayleemorris @brenz, and may have experiences and treatment options to share with you.

@komalkochar, what treatments have you had?

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Hi @komalkochar,

While we wait for fellow members to join in, I also wanted to offer this information from Mayo Clinic about bone metastasis that occurs when cancer cells spread to a bone, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bone-metastasis/symptoms-causes/syc-20370191

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My father started with Colorectal stage 2 cancer in Jan 2018. Then he went through chemo & radiation which shrinked the size to 5% remaining, so he was cauterized for the remaining part which didn't help. So APR Colostomy successfully was performed on Aug 2018. From Sept 2018 - Jan 2019, he was going thorugh Chemo. But then, on Jan 23 2019, PET CT full body revealed metastatic skeletal lesions.
Anyone experienced colorectal cancer spreading to bones and surviving for more years than predicted? What was the treatment plan followed?
Any special diet which can be followed or any homeopathy or ayurvedic treatment?

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@mook

I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal rectal cancer in September 19. My tumour is in the sigmoid colon near the anal junction and is deemed “inoperable”. I also have a lesion on my liver segment 6. I have currently completed 12 chemo treatments with FloFox followed by Fulfuri but tumours not responding, no shrinking. I am currently undergoing two radiation treatments on the liver and colon tumour hoping for a positive result. Looking for information on successful Immunotherapy treatments or Genomic Testing for colorectal cancer. My doctor is running out of treatments in the toolbox.
Thank you.

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mook, MY PRAYERS, THOUGHTS AND BLESSINGS GO OUT TO YOU! I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer 21 years ago. When my surgeon went in and found it in a similiar as yours, she worked around things and removed the tumor! I went on chemo back then, 5 FU, and suffered a Life Threating reaction to it.
When I came out of the coma from the drug my doctor wanted to put me in Chemo again! Luckly my daughter was with me for my appt. with him! She almost hit him. We said NO!
One day I was in Barnes & Noble and ran across a bool intitled " TROUT WATERS"! In it the book author Jim Rowinski tells how he had gone through a similar experience with colon cancer. He explained how he put a lot of things aside in his Life and went out Fly Fishing for a year. After the year was up he went back to his doctor who said there were no signs of the cancer!
I took to heart. I was working out of my motorhome traveling from the Mexican boarder to the Canadian boarder traveling throughout the Rockies.
That year I was on a Trout stream or river all or part of the day for approx. 150 days! I had one of the most sucessfull business wise years I had ever had!
What also made it Wonderfull was the cancer has never returned!
As I said all the Powerful thoughts and Blessings go out to you wherever you are!
I have throught the past 21 years talked many doctors, holistic people, religious individuals, and the only thing everone can come up with is that the mind is a very POWERFULL PART OF OUR HEALING!
Obviously I don't know your circumstances in Life, I do know the Stress and Physical things you are going through!
During this time of circumstances I would take the time and try and research and read as much as I could on the disease and the Power of the Mind!
The body is an AMAZING SELF HEALING MECHANISIM!
AGAIN I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW ALL OF MY THOUGHTS, BLESSINGS AND PRAYES GO OUT TO YOU!
PS, a couple of years before this all happened to me, the NC State Basketball coach Jim Valvano was also going through something similiar as us, I heard him give a speach that he gave when asked about his condition, he said, "NEVER EVER, GIVE UP"! I have lived by that Mantra for the last 21 years!
Please if you would like to ask any questions, don't hesitate to contact me!
My thoughts, prayers and blessings go out to you!
ONE LAST THING, YOU HAVE FOUND ONE OF THE GREATEST MOST KIND AND UNDERSTANDING GROUPS WITH MAYO CONNECT!
I haven't had the cancer but I did come down with Chronic Lyme Disease two years ago. I like many Lyme suffers don't have any family support through this time! I can truthfully say I would not still be alive was it not for all the kind understand people that are on this site!
Richard(Sundance)

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I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal rectal cancer in September 19. My tumour is in the sigmoid colon near the anal junction and is deemed “inoperable”. I also have a lesion on my liver segment 6. I have currently completed 12 chemo treatments with FloFox followed by Fulfuri but tumours not responding, no shrinking. I am currently undergoing two radiation treatments on the liver and colon tumour hoping for a positive result. Looking for information on successful Immunotherapy treatments or Genomic Testing for colorectal cancer. My doctor is running out of treatments in the toolbox.
Thank you.

REPLY
@mook

I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal rectal cancer in September 19. My tumour is in the sigmoid colon near the anal junction and is deemed “inoperable”. I also have a lesion on my liver segment 6. I have currently completed 12 chemo treatments with FloFox followed by Fulfuri but tumours not responding, no shrinking. I am currently undergoing two radiation treatments on the liver and colon tumour hoping for a positive result. Looking for information on successful Immunotherapy treatments or Genomic Testing for colorectal cancer. My doctor is running out of treatments in the toolbox.
Thank you.

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Hi @mook, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion where @komalkochar asked very similar questions about genomic testing and treatment options for stage 4 colorectal cancer. Click VIEW & REPLY to scroll through past posts.

Mook, you'll find several discussions where members share about their experiences with immunotherapy, for example here:
- Immunotherapy - Keytruda for colorectal cancer https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/immunotherapy-keytryda/
- Metastasized colon cancer: At a loss..what is next? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/at-a-loss-what-is-next/
- Has anyone been treated with Panitumumab for cancer? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/has-anyone-been-treated-with-panitumumab-for-cancer/
- Vectibix https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/vectibix/

Is immunotherapy an option for you?

REPLY
@colleenyoung

Hi @mook, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion where @komalkochar asked very similar questions about genomic testing and treatment options for stage 4 colorectal cancer. Click VIEW & REPLY to scroll through past posts.

Mook, you'll find several discussions where members share about their experiences with immunotherapy, for example here:
- Immunotherapy - Keytruda for colorectal cancer https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/immunotherapy-keytryda/
- Metastasized colon cancer: At a loss..what is next? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/at-a-loss-what-is-next/
- Has anyone been treated with Panitumumab for cancer? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/has-anyone-been-treated-with-panitumumab-for-cancer/
- Vectibix https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/vectibix/

Is immunotherapy an option for you?

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Hi @colleenyoung
Thank you for emails/discussions. I will read through the information. My current treatment plan is one more radiation treatment followed by a third round of Chemotherapy. I am currently in discussion with my oncologist in regard to immunotherapy options.

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@sundance6

mook, MY PRAYERS, THOUGHTS AND BLESSINGS GO OUT TO YOU! I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer 21 years ago. When my surgeon went in and found it in a similiar as yours, she worked around things and removed the tumor! I went on chemo back then, 5 FU, and suffered a Life Threating reaction to it.
When I came out of the coma from the drug my doctor wanted to put me in Chemo again! Luckly my daughter was with me for my appt. with him! She almost hit him. We said NO!
One day I was in Barnes & Noble and ran across a bool intitled " TROUT WATERS"! In it the book author Jim Rowinski tells how he had gone through a similar experience with colon cancer. He explained how he put a lot of things aside in his Life and went out Fly Fishing for a year. After the year was up he went back to his doctor who said there were no signs of the cancer!
I took to heart. I was working out of my motorhome traveling from the Mexican boarder to the Canadian boarder traveling throughout the Rockies.
That year I was on a Trout stream or river all or part of the day for approx. 150 days! I had one of the most sucessfull business wise years I had ever had!
What also made it Wonderfull was the cancer has never returned!
As I said all the Powerful thoughts and Blessings go out to you wherever you are!
I have throught the past 21 years talked many doctors, holistic people, religious individuals, and the only thing everone can come up with is that the mind is a very POWERFULL PART OF OUR HEALING!
Obviously I don't know your circumstances in Life, I do know the Stress and Physical things you are going through!
During this time of circumstances I would take the time and try and research and read as much as I could on the disease and the Power of the Mind!
The body is an AMAZING SELF HEALING MECHANISIM!
AGAIN I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW ALL OF MY THOUGHTS, BLESSINGS AND PRAYES GO OUT TO YOU!
PS, a couple of years before this all happened to me, the NC State Basketball coach Jim Valvano was also going through something similiar as us, I heard him give a speach that he gave when asked about his condition, he said, "NEVER EVER, GIVE UP"! I have lived by that Mantra for the last 21 years!
Please if you would like to ask any questions, don't hesitate to contact me!
My thoughts, prayers and blessings go out to you!
ONE LAST THING, YOU HAVE FOUND ONE OF THE GREATEST MOST KIND AND UNDERSTANDING GROUPS WITH MAYO CONNECT!
I haven't had the cancer but I did come down with Chronic Lyme Disease two years ago. I like many Lyme suffers don't have any family support through this time! I can truthfully say I would not still be alive was it not for all the kind understand people that are on this site!
Richard(Sundance)

Jump to this post

Hello @sundance
Thank you for sharing your inspiring story. You are correct that the mind is powerful and that prayers and positive thinking is wonderful therapy. Blessings to you.

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