Hi Chris,

I'm so sorry to hear about your problems. I've had a bowel resection myself about 7 weeks ago, lost 30 cm of colon and so far all seems good now. The cancer was Stage 3, tumour was 4cm X 5cm but it had not spread outside the colon, no metastases were found, no lymph nodes were afected and no need for chemo. Or so the medics keep telling me... I'm always worrying that some surprise might crop up...

Do you know what stage your cancer was? 1, 2, 3, or 4?  And how long after the op did your resection tore apart? Did they give you any explanation why?

I can only imagine what you have been through with that nasty infection, glad it's under control now. Don't google things up because it will make you depressed and each personal case is so different, one size does not fit all. Statistics mean nothing. You'll find many people here have gone through multiple treatments and are still around and kicking, living their lives to the full.

If you need to ask questions, the Macmillan Trust has a free number staffed by wonderful professionals. They tell it as it is, no ribbons & laces. If you give them permission to register your details, they can create a file for your case and each time you ring them they'll know what's going on with you, so you don't have to repeat the whole story. Their advice was invaluable to me, when I was feeling lost and confused in the NHS jungle.

Do post here and let us know how you are doing. We are in this club together.

BIG HUG

XXXXX

Thanks, Ribas. In answer: it was very early stage colon cancer picked up in routine screening at 60. The surgeon said he'd got it all out, biopsy suggested the same. No Chemo follow-up. Tore after 5 days. Sign of a mass on a follow up CT scan, but ignored until a second follow up, a year later, identified it had grown so alerted them to look closer. Must have seeded into the lung at the start - impossible to predict or identify if the bloods are OK and biopsy is OK. Anyway, yes, Googling always inadvisable. Wish you well for continued recovery and thanks for your reply. Best C 

Thanks for replying. I'm interetesd in your case because mine seems similar, minus the unfortunate outcome, so far.

They always say that colon cancer can be successfully treated when caught at early stage. I got the shock of my life with diagnosis after a routine screening (poo test kit and a consequent colonoscopy) also at 60. Was told it was advanced, could have been there for 10 years. I saw the tumour myself on screen during the exam and was shocked with fear. The word "advanced" gave me the creeps and to deal with it I had to sort of detach myself from the situation while telling myself I was feeling absolutely fine and doing all the usual everyday things. The week that followed was hell, waiting for the results of CT Scan to know if it had spread. All clear.

Had op resection 7 weeks ago, no chemo needed they said, in hospital 7 days, healed really well and quick, surgeon says risk of vistula or resection coming loose is now over.

I feel very angry with the NHS because they only offer the screening test from age 60 onwards. All the european countries offer it from age 50, which is the scientific recommendation from the WHO but the NHS, being underfunded and all that, decided to cut costs here. If I had been screened earlier, it would have been caught earlier and I and many, many others... wouldn't need to go through all this. Even if the NHS did not have sufficent funds, at least they should inform the public and advise us that we could pay for the test screening ourselves. We have a right to know, to be informed, and they have all the sientific info. They have a duty of care. I feel like sueing them to raise awareness of this problem.

What do you think?

Have a good day!