Friday, August 1, 2008

My father may be diagnosed with colon cancer and I just want to know if others have gone through this too


My father may be diagnosed with colon cancer and I just want to know if others have gone through this too?

Cancer - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Yes, I have a family member who went through this. It is hard at first but colon cancer is one of the most curable cancers when caught early. The most important thing is to know what stage the cancer is in and whether it has spread to the liver, as this can affect the outcome. Also your dad may need a colostomy bag, but not necessarily. Hopefully his cancer can be removed completely and the healthy colon reattached. He may be incontinent for a while and avoid certain foods which may not agree with him. His bowel habits will change. It's important to eat lots of fiber and fruits and vegetables and as little fat as possible. A diet rich in fatty fish is also recommended.
2 :
Dietary manipulations are a bit late if one actually has a colonic adenocarcinoma already. American Cancer Society data from 2008 lists over 108,000 people who were diagnosed with colon carcinomas in the USA. Most do well. It depends on the stage when this is found. Early detection of colorectal cancer provides the greatest odds of beating the disease. STAGE TNM GROUP DUKE’S Prognosis Stage I T1 N0 M0 Duke’s A 5 year survival >90% Stage II T3 N0 M0 Duke’s B 5 year survival 70-85% T4 N0 M0 5 year survival 55-65% Stage III any T N1 M0 Duke’s C 5 year survival 45-55% Any T N2, N3, M0 5 year survival 20-30% Stage IV any T any N M1 (distant) Duke’s D 5 year survival < 5%
3 :
I was first diagnosed with colon cancer in mid-September. I had surgery to remove part of my colon Oct. 1, and I'm seeing the oncologist Tuesday. It was a shock at first, but I researched it thoroughly and found the following: 1. Colon cancer is one of the most survivable cancers there are. If caught in stage I (the tumor has not spread beyond the colon), there is a 90% survival rate. In stage II (the tumor has invaded the colon wall), there is still an 80% survival rate. In stage III (the cancer has invaded the lymph nodes, like mine), the survival rate drops to 64%, but even then it's better if only 1-4 nodes have been invaded, so I figure I've got about a 70% chance. 2. He can expect to go through surgery for the cancer. They will take out a portion of his colon, and unless it is in his rectum, he won't have to have a coloscopy bag (they do everything they can to avoid that now). They took out about 8" of mine and sewed the 2 ends back together without any side effects,just a sensation that I'm drooping inside a little toward the end of the day, since the connective tissue that held it in is gone now. 3. From what I've seen, chemo is standard in all but stage I, and even then it's not unusual. The chemo used in colon cancer is slightly different than it is for other cancers. It does make you tired and nauseous for a day or so, but they can give him anti-nausea medicine, and it doesn't cause your hair to fall out. 4. I've seen differing opinions on whether radiation should be used for colon cancer, though it usually is for rectal cancer. The difference is that the tissue in the colon is very soft, and it's harder to target with radiation. My attitude is that I have diabetes, epilepsy, hypothyroidism and eczema. This one's curable. And if there's anything out there that's going to keep me on this planet in the long run, I'm willing to suffer a little in the short run.
4 :
I suggest that until he is diagnosed, don't worry. If he is still don't panic he can be successfully treated and with proper Diet while following Doctor 's orders can be saved.






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Posted by Colon Cancer at 11:58 PM