Hello Lexi9,

                     Tempting though it is to start reading the internet, you have to remember each cancer is unique to the individual, so you have to be careful of reading too much into things.its far better to keep a clear mind to focus on what your medical team are telling you.

As someone who has gone through colon cancer with spread into the liver, l never reached for my keyboard once throughout my journey, l felt there would be enough stress without my adding to it,and left it to the professionals to sort because if they couldn't l certainly could not.

There are too many factors that can affect individual outcomes but your husbands age and life story are great positives to take forward into treatment,and should stand him in good stead on a journey towards recovery.

l am 9 years on from losing 60%of my liver, and honestly once l got past the first few weeks after surgery l had zero issues arising from that, your remaining liver can enlarge to more than compensate for the loss

Its early days but l hope that it turns out better for you than you currently fear treatments have continued to improve since my time with better outcomes year on year,

                                                                                                                 best wishes to you both,

                                                                                                                                                        David

Thanks so much for replying. I try to just read sites like Bowel Csncer Uk, Cancer Research and Maggie's. Your right though, and your message has really helped. I suppose I just wanted to hear a positive story! I'm so happy to hear you are doing well, you must have been so relieved. Thanks again and for taking the time to reply. We now have a date for MRI for Monday and should know more today about the bowel tumour treatment. The very best of wishes to you. 

Hi, I hope you don't mind me asking but can you tell me more about the liver spread? We have sadly had the news that it has spread. There are 2 small tumours on his liver (one 6 and one 9 mm, so they are small). I don't know what this means yet. I know they can cut out but do they cut out if more than 1 and does the location have a baring on that? Don't know about location yet. The PET scan should be next week. Could that potentially show up more spread? I'm so heartbroken I'm trying to keep positive and cling onto your story and hope it can still be treated. 

Hello again Lexi9, 

                               l am sorry to hear your latest update and realise how upsetting this will have been for you. l also know that getting every answer raises yet more questions, but please bear in mind that l respond as a recipient not a practioner, and my reply will be based on my experience.

The PET scan gives far greater detail than other types and is seeking to give the highest level of definition in order to allow for the highest level of pre-surgery planning. It will allow a higher degree of understanding of spread and positioning,this is important as it has to be remembered that any surgical intervention of tumour removal must allow for a larger area to take into account clear margins around the site.So yes it is possible that a more informed picture will show a greater defined area.

Tumours on the outer lobes are much easier to deal with since they are sited well away from any other major impediments, it gets more interesting and cluttered once you move inwards.My understanding was the scan shows depth as well as surface area spread. In my case this informed the surgeons that the liver resection was finely balanced on the edge of being possible, so the liver resection was given precedence over the bowel. 

Multiple tumour removals are possible, the limiting factors being positioning and amount of healthy liver remaining, In my case l had 60% removed from two sites on both lobes, 45% along with gall bladder on one lobe, 15% from the other, so you can see there is a lot of potential for removal before becoming problematical. The remaining healthy tissue will expand to replace capacity

Things can move very quick once referred to a PET scan and there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that it saved my life, so l would very much view the scan as a big positive in the sense that what is will be,however what might be could be avoided by earlier intervention, knowledge is power..

l have tried to answer your questions within the limits of my understanding and hopefully in a way you are able to make from. The upcoming scan should provide your medical team with the final details it needs to arrive with a positive plan to move forward with a targeted treatment.

l will always be happy to respond to any future posts,which hopefully will reflect upon rehabilitation concerns, in the meantime take comfort from the fact that medical actions are advancing at pace,go gently until next week,

                                     David

Thanks David. I really appreciate your reply. It's been a sad and worrying few days but just need to keep everything crossed that Thursday eventually brings some positive news. How long did you wait between liver surgery and bowel surgery? Is your cancer cured now? Presume you get checked regularly? 

Hello Lexi9,

                     l must be endowed with a certain kind of calm or a great deal of stupidity,although l suspect its an overload of reality, because l never fretted about the unknown, aware l could do nothing to change it, so waiting upon results never phased me. l guess if your PET scan is next thursday you will probably get some answers by the end of the following week after your MDT have met and had the chance to assess the results and decide upon interventions going forward.

It was eight weeks between the two surgeries, and the liver was by far and away the harder of two. My tumour was confirmed by colonoscopy on christmas eve 2013, confirmed as cancerous on new years eve, radio/chemo mid feb, surgery july and september, post op chemo following january.

Yes l have been cancer free todate, and was checked out with regular yearly scans and colonoscopy every second year.You are signed off as cancer free at five years with no further tests

My biggest issue was a stoma site that refused to heal for 18 months until l had a reversal, and then the following five years waiting for my bowel to rejoin decent society, it eventually has but it was at the very far extreme of how most cases resolve.l am all yippee dippy doo dah day now and enjoying every minute of the new me.

It reads as terrible, but the reality is that in between the tiredness l could crack on and achieve a good deal until my batteries went flat. l also changed my perception of what constituted a working day, and was not fixated on a timetable that existed previously. It was work until approaching exhaustion, rest, eat, and do it all over again as and when you feel able. A positive was my conversion to accept patience, since l had very little before.

Hopefully the scan will show a little more sunshine into your gathering gloom, and a rainbow of hope will burst forth from amidst those storm clouds,

                                                                               be kind to yourselves and remember the only thing you can control is your own stress,

                                                           David

Thanks David. His PET was on Friday and MDT are meeting again on Thursday so hopefully we will know this week. I really appreciate your very detailed responses and it helps me to hold onto the fact that you are okay, even though I am aware that doesn't mean the same for my husband but positive stories is just what I need to hear right now. It sounds like you had by no means an easy journey but I'm glad it was a positive and successful one! I'm keeping everything crossed and I'll keep you updated as I massively appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. 

Hi David, I just thought I'd let you know my husband is going in for his bowel opp on Wednesday. The PET scan showed no further spread than what we know of. The liver spots are 6mm and 9mm and are on lobes 7 and 4a - both towards the top. I've struggled a lot this weekend as we are still in limbo with liver. They need to take it to a Liver MDT team now to discuss next steps after bowel opp. I keep reading about location being key for liver surgery but also if spots are too small that is also an issue and surgery might not be possible. That coupled with the fact that the only curable outcome is surgery, so I just keep praying that surgery will be the treatment plan. Dealing with all of this whist being pregnant feels extra hard and sad. Trying to keep positive just some days I find easier than others. 

Hello Lexi9,

                   thank you for the update, you have been very much in my thoughts with my awareness of the many worries you are facing.

l take the positives from what you have conveyed. that things are progressing apace with the bowel op. That it will go ahead in front of of the liver suggests that the liver is not critical, since l cannot see past the fact that the liver specialist would not have seen the scans and agreed to the current schedule.

Focus on whats immediatly in front of you and try not to get too far ahead of yourself, after all its not as if there is not plenty going on for you to go at

The bowel op seems to be a fairly straight forward proceedure with a good recovery outlook, so hopefully your other half will soon be back on the path moving forward since motivation should not be an issue

Best wishes for a successful outcome on wednesday as the first step on the climb back to a full recovery,

                  David

Thanks for thinking of me and again for replying. I was thinking along the same lines as you but then my mind also wondered to maybe they can't operate on the liver, so they go ahead with the bowel opp and then they will tell us that. . Like you have said all along, no point in second guessing and just need to focus on what's immediately in front of us and take each day at a time. I think the opp is to be keyhole so think that's less intrusive and quicker recovery. Thanks again and I'll keep you updated.