As you are so helpful with other members who may be new to this, I thought your participation in the Ostomy group would be very welcome by others. There's also an Ostomy blog on Connect here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/living-with-an-ostomy/
I was diagnosed with stage 4 anal cancer in January 2021. It blocked my bowel so I had to have a colostomy and underwent 10 days of radiation. After that I had chemotherapy for 8 months. The tumors are no longer visible with a cat scan, but I have to have treatment for the rest of my life. I am now doing an infusion of Keytruda every 3 weeks. I hope they caught your husband’s cancer early. God bless.
Welcome, @soniamckenzie. This must be hard as a mom to watch your daughter go through cancer and treatment. Do you live close to her? What stage is her cancer and what treatment is she getting at the moment?
Have had anal cancer. It was stage 3. I am now(hopefully) am cancer free.
I was about to embark on the usual path of 6 weeks radiation with chemotherapy, but I wanted to check out proton radiation instead of the standard treatment. After finding, on this site, someone else who had been to California proton center in San Diego, I continued to pursue that inquiry.
Both of us had the same experience of going to the known cancer centers (ie mdanderson, mayo, Bethesda etc) we were both told they would not do proton for anal cancer. The reason was that they didn’t have the numbers to show it’s success rate. Personally don’t know how you get the numbers if you don’t do it?..
Anyway, I had 6 weeks proton radiation with minimal side effects. (Started out with oral chemotherapy but the diarrhea made it impossible to do the radiation daily. So I stopped taking it.)
it would appear that I am now cancer free and it also took care of the virus that caused it to begin with. Of course it will be a while before we have any definitive answers, ( just completed treatment 6 weeks ago) but I highly recommend you look into proton radiation.
Was the best decision I have ever made. Haven’t felt this good in a long time.
Best of luck
My husband was diagnosed with Stage IIa anal cancer in March of 2022. After Nigro treatment, he was NED for 9 months before local recurrence. He had APR surgery in August of 2023. He did well for his age and other health conditions during Nigro and the APR surgery. He is 78 and has A-fib, CHF, CKD and diabetes. Would love to walk this journey with you and maybe we could both learn some things.
was his cancer caused by HPV 16 or 18?
if so has he had blood tests since treatment to see if it is now resolved?
I was HPV positive before treatment and am now testing negative, though they will do the test every 3 months for a year to make sure stays gone.
it is still unknown, but appears that HPV virus is killed with the tumor using proton radiation.
I will have pet scan and blood test next month. will update after meeting with the doctor.
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Diagnosed 5 years ago! Colostomy now! Contact me if you like!
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1 Reaction@wilcy, I don't know if I mentioned this already, but we have a group talking about living with a colostomy here:
- Ostomy: Adapting to life after colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ostomy-adapting-to-life-after-colostomy-ileostomy-or-urostomy/
As you are so helpful with other members who may be new to this, I thought your participation in the Ostomy group would be very welcome by others. There's also an Ostomy blog on Connect here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/living-with-an-ostomy/
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1 ReactionMine was stage 3 about 6 years ago! Reconnection failed! Am happy with colostomy! Any questions? Good luck!
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1 ReactionWhat was your treatment? My daughter is: radiation 5 days, surgery then chemo.
I was diagnosed with stage 4 anal cancer in January 2021. It blocked my bowel so I had to have a colostomy and underwent 10 days of radiation. After that I had chemotherapy for 8 months. The tumors are no longer visible with a cat scan, but I have to have treatment for the rest of my life. I am now doing an infusion of Keytruda every 3 weeks. I hope they caught your husband’s cancer early. God bless.
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsWelcome, @soniamckenzie. This must be hard as a mom to watch your daughter go through cancer and treatment. Do you live close to her? What stage is her cancer and what treatment is she getting at the moment?
Have had anal cancer. It was stage 3. I am now(hopefully) am cancer free.
I was about to embark on the usual path of 6 weeks radiation with chemotherapy, but I wanted to check out proton radiation instead of the standard treatment. After finding, on this site, someone else who had been to California proton center in San Diego, I continued to pursue that inquiry.
Both of us had the same experience of going to the known cancer centers (ie mdanderson, mayo, Bethesda etc) we were both told they would not do proton for anal cancer. The reason was that they didn’t have the numbers to show it’s success rate. Personally don’t know how you get the numbers if you don’t do it?..
Anyway, I had 6 weeks proton radiation with minimal side effects. (Started out with oral chemotherapy but the diarrhea made it impossible to do the radiation daily. So I stopped taking it.)
it would appear that I am now cancer free and it also took care of the virus that caused it to begin with. Of course it will be a while before we have any definitive answers, ( just completed treatment 6 weeks ago) but I highly recommend you look into proton radiation.
Was the best decision I have ever made. Haven’t felt this good in a long time.
Best of luck
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionMy husband was diagnosed with Stage IIa anal cancer in March of 2022. After Nigro treatment, he was NED for 9 months before local recurrence. He had APR surgery in August of 2023. He did well for his age and other health conditions during Nigro and the APR surgery. He is 78 and has A-fib, CHF, CKD and diabetes. Would love to walk this journey with you and maybe we could both learn some things.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reactionwas his cancer caused by HPV 16 or 18?
if so has he had blood tests since treatment to see if it is now resolved?
I was HPV positive before treatment and am now testing negative, though they will do the test every 3 months for a year to make sure stays gone.
it is still unknown, but appears that HPV virus is killed with the tumor using proton radiation.
I will have pet scan and blood test next month. will update after meeting with the doctor.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction