More good news!

I met my oncologist earlier this evening and it is good news.

She explained that my tumour had not broken through the bowel wall and had not reached the surrounding blood vessels or lymphatic system. It had however got into the bowel muscle. It was classed as a low grade class 2 tumour which is good. There is an 80% chance that I am completely cured and a 20% chance the cancer will return. If it returns it is likely to affect the liver or lungs. Chemotherapy will only increase the odds to about 82% and whilst it is my decision, she felt because I was low grade it would not make any real difference. I haven’t made my mind up but there seems little sense in putting myself through 6 months of chemo, which would have to start in 4 weeks time, just to chase an extra 2% chance.

I will be screened every 3 months for 2 years with scans, blood tests and chest x rays which should pick up any cancer should it return. It can then be treated by surgery and/or chemo. If after 2 years, I am still in the clear, then my chances are very very good and after 3 years I am virtually in the clear. I would then be screened only every 5 years. The message was that if it was coming back then this will happen early not late and the longer I am in the clear the better it will be. Regular screening will allow it to be nipped in the bud.

The oncologist left us with the impression however that due to the low grade nature I fell within the 80% fully cured band.

We are all confident that I am cured and are happy that we will have the comfort of regular screening.

I can now get on with recovering from the operation, without having to worry about chemo, and hopefully prepare for the ileostomy reversal in a couple of months time.

I can’t believe it is only 4 weeks today since the operation and 6 weeks since diagnosis! So much has happened to get to where we are today. It has been made bearable by the love and support of my family and all of you you lovely bunch of bloggers.

Love, Jon; x