How do others handle pT4a with visceral peritoneum metastasis?

Welcome to the community! It's wonderful that you're connecting with others who understand this journey. Many members here have experience with similar diagnoses and stages, and they often share valuable insights about their treatment paths and what to expect. The colorectal cancer community is incredibly supportive, so don't hesitate to ask questions or share updates as you continue with your FOLFOX treatments - others will likely relate to your experiences and offer encouragement along the way.

Welcome Kevin. It sounds like you found your CRC early enough that FOLFOX should work pretty well to clear it up for you. I was diagnosed with stage 4 CRC during a colonoscopy on the 80th anniversary of D-Day (12/7/2021) when I was 75. A blood draw at that point indicated that I had a CEA of 61.6. PET, MRI, and CT scans a week later indicated that I had several half inch tumors in my lungs and about 15% of my liver was functional. I started FOLFOX in the first week of January 2022. My biggest surprise from that first session was when I first walked out of the oncologist office into a 10 below zero parking ramp and the pain on my face was excruciating. It felt like I had painful icicles a foot long coming out from my face. Living with the chemo pump attached to my port didn't turn out to be nearly as bad as I had originally envisioned it being. I was sure that I would probably pull it out some night while I was asleep, but that never did happen. Before the year was out, my CEA numbers were back in the normal range (0-3). I've had my numbers go up and down since then, but have been treated with rounds of generic Capcitabine tablets a few times since 2023. Life is good. I think the most frustrating thing about chemo is the fact that after you do a couple hours of real work, you feel like you need at least a 1 hour nap.

Hang in there Kevin. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in July ‘25. I had 10.5 inches of colon removed in September ‘25 and went through 6 months of chemo. Just had my six month Oncology checkup and I am clean as a whistle! Yes, the process is scary…but you’re gonna be fine! Stay positive and trust your Doctors!