1. < Colorectal Cancer

Brother diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer

Posted by steele @steele, Apr 19 3:53pm

My brother was recently diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The cancer has spread to his lungs. He has 4 nodules located in the lower part of his lung with two measuring .8 one measuring 1.0 and the last one measuring 1.3. I do not know if this is mm or cm? I am just wanting to take part in this support group discussion hoping to find people who have had similar diagnoses and have come out the other side. We are a very close family and are really struggling with this news. He starts chemo this coming Tuesday. His doctor has him doing chemo in house so to speak one day and then wearing a machine for 46 hours while home, returning back to hospital for it to be removed and then getting a shot, I think to build up red blood cells. He will do chemo with this regiment every other week. This is all I know.

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cheyna23 | @cheyna23 | Jun 4 9:27pm

I was diagnosed with stage 4 colo-rectal cancer in 2021. Spread to my liver, I have nodules on my lungs but they didn't grow or change until recently. It's a HARD battle! Hopefully, he isn't underweight going into chemo. I was already severely malnourished, so that was hard. But... what helped me with all the chemo meds (the take-home pump especially) and insomnia is medic. marijuana. It helped with everything. I've had (I think) 14 rounds of chemo, 4 rounds of proton radiation (SOOOO COOL), and 3 major surgeries and about 7 small ones and ablations. I honestly feel pretty good most days, considering... Good luck to your brother and you stay strong too! I've watched people I love burn out trying to keep up and handle it all.

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1 reply
steele | @steele | Jun 5 7:59am
In reply to @roywalton "This topic has been discussed before but want to mention to ask your oncologist for a..." + (show)
@roywalton

This topic has been discussed before but want to mention to ask your oncologist for a CTDNA test.... I think the test you refer to is CEA. Data published just recently shows that CEA is not useful at all to detect recurrence. CTDNA is recommended right after surgery and again 4 to 6 weeks after completion of chemo. Try to complete the full chemo regimen! It's tough! But it's getting rid of any residual cancer!

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Hi again Roy, I thought I successfully posted a reply to this yesterday but I don’t see it. I printed this out the first time I saw it and plan to give it to my brother to give to his oncologist. He is being treated at Advent Hospital cancer center here in Orlando. His oncologist has been written up in Orlando’s Best Doctors magazine so hoping she is aware of these tests. Thanks again for the response.

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1 reply
steele | @steele | Jun 5 8:03am
In reply to @cheyna23 "I was diagnosed with stage 4 colo-rectal cancer in 2021. Spread to my liver, I have..." + (show)
@cheyna23

I was diagnosed with stage 4 colo-rectal cancer in 2021. Spread to my liver, I have nodules on my lungs but they didn't grow or change until recently. It's a HARD battle! Hopefully, he isn't underweight going into chemo. I was already severely malnourished, so that was hard. But... what helped me with all the chemo meds (the take-home pump especially) and insomnia is medic. marijuana. It helped with everything. I've had (I think) 14 rounds of chemo, 4 rounds of proton radiation (SOOOO COOL), and 3 major surgeries and about 7 small ones and ablations. I honestly feel pretty good most days, considering... Good luck to your brother and you stay strong too! I've watched people I love burn out trying to keep up and handle it all.

Jump to this post

Hi Cheyna23, one of the first things my brother did after his diagnosis was get his medical marijuana card. He does do the gummies and they definitely help. You stay strong 💪 too. You are an inspiration.

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callie1234 | @callie1234 | Jun 5 8:06am
In reply to @cvestor "That's normal routine for chemo I am looking at 8 sessions and in-between session 2-3 After..." + (show)
@cvestor

That's normal routine for chemo I am looking at 8 sessions and in-between session 2-3 After session 5 Mayo's plan is to do a Cat & MRI to see if we a succussing on killing the cancer I had 25 session of radio before the chem. If you have a port please note they itch like no tomorrow And after a chem you will feel like %^&(( for about 5 days & then get better It's not a fun trip

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My brother has not done radiation, and I don’t think surgery is in the picture.

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roywalton | @roywalton | Jun 5 8:18am
In reply to @steele "Hi again Roy, I thought I successfully posted a reply to this yesterday but I don’t..." + (show)
@steele

Hi again Roy, I thought I successfully posted a reply to this yesterday but I don’t see it. I printed this out the first time I saw it and plan to give it to my brother to give to his oncologist. He is being treated at Advent Hospital cancer center here in Orlando. His oncologist has been written up in Orlando’s Best Doctors magazine so hoping she is aware of these tests. Thanks again for the response.

Jump to this post

you may want to share the following research paper title with your oncologist and discuss the findings Journal of Clinical Cancer Research Clin Cancer Res "Minimal Residual Disease Detection Using Plasma Only Circulating Tumor DNA Assay in Patients with Colorectal Cancer"
https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-0410

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