Has anyone had stage 2-3 colorectal cancer with bowel surgery waiting?

I hope you have family to comfort you. There are protocols in place depending on thr type of cancer . Positive thougts Sending your way. If you work be careful! My employer refuses to engage with me by phone or in person AND refuses yo being me back after medical notes for 6 months of leave . Be careful tho health is priority .

The waiting period between procedures can feel overwhelming, especially when seeking clear answers about next steps. Many community members have shared similar experiences with staged surgeries and the uncertainty that comes with waiting for treatment plans to unfold. Consider reaching out to your medical team's nurse navigator or patient coordinator who may be able to provide more specific timeline information and help you understand what to expect during recovery and potential follow-up care.

Ellen, I am going to gather a team of family and friends to support me thru this. Everyone just seems to be scared or just doesn't want to be involved period. It is sad when you need someone they are not around.

Right -

I too was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma rectal cancer. . My mass is both external and internal with the rectum/sphincter involved making like an open door to where diapers have become my new norm. The problem I have is my oncology group/doctor is too slow. I have been told my mass is inoperable at this point, they can't get clean margins due to the tumor size. I was diagnosed at end of July, saw oncologist two weeks later and chemo didn't start until yesterday , over four months post diagnosis and the mass has grown, it is so painful. Was started in Oxaliplatin yesterday with an oral chemo that starts with a C also. He was going to start with FOLFOX first but I had my DNA done four years ago and the FOLFOX due to my DNA has to be cut by 50% which he was unhappy with so he is ordering a DNA test to confirm. All cancer patients should be DNA tested before chemo is started, that's common in Europe and other countries. The ingredient in FOLFOX can be neurotoxic and fatal to me

Seems we are sort of in a similar situation. My doctors never are 100% about anything. I had a tumor removed but the margins were not clear. I am waiting for a second surgery. It will be over 2 months since my first one. Again, my doctor couldn't do it until that date. In the mean time, I feel awful physically, very depressed, and just not functioning normally. I hope this ends soon. And I hope your's do too. Seems like we are just numbers to everyone. I wish you a good outcome and stay strong.

My oncologist is Very evasive like yours, he hasn't even told me what stage my rectal cancer is. It is frustrating.

Rochelle, we are in the same boat. You know what? This ship will not go down. We just have to keep ourselves straight even if our doctors don't. I am here with you!!

From what I understand,The only way for them to stage cancer is to examine lymph nodes removed during surgery (unless it's matasticized and it's stage 4). So if they haven't removed lymph nodes yet then they can't tell you if it's stage 2 or 3. At least that's how it was explained to me.

I had the bowel resection and then diagnosed as stage 3b. Adenocarcinoma. The mass/tumor had penetrated the colon wall and there are some tumor deposits in the fatty tissue surrounding the colon. Unfortunately. You won’t know about what stage you are until after the surgery. I lost a lot of sleep waiting. Don’t be afraid to ask for something to treat anxiety. You are facing a real threat to your health and anxiety is reasonable. But, I found that surgery was no big deal. Very little pain and discomfort. My problem was waiting for the intestines to become active again and that took a week. Probably because I’m old.

Having a team is important. You need at least one person to be your advocate. Someone who is not afraid to ask questions. Introduce key members to your treating team

I was diagnosed in November with a cancerous tumor in my transverse colon. Scan showed suspicious lymph nodes. I underwent a subtotal colectomy on December 12. Lymph nodes were also cancer. I was diagnosed with stage after the pathology reports came back on the lymph nodes. I was stage 3b and had adenocarcenoma. Surgeon removed entire colon except for 55 cm. I am just about fully recovered only 4 weeks post surgery. I had my port put in today and I have to start chemo next week they are waiting for DNA test results! I am getting 5FU and oxoliplatin with Lucovuoran. I was told everything was removed but I need chemo for any residual cells! I’m worried about side effects. Anyone else getting this treatment? They are starting me with 6 treatments then will repeat signaterra test and do a scan to determine if I will need additional treatments. Anyone have any insight to side effects and what I should expect?

Heather my surgeon removed almost my whole colon except 55cm because of suspicious lymph nodes and they were cancer as well! I was told treatment was needed even though they removed everything they could see! I guess it’s preventative? I’m starting chemo soon. I posted my situation here as well! I’m new to this so not sure how to communicate in the app.

They refuse to do any surgery on me due to the mass being in the rectum and sphincter along with pushing almo uncomfortable with having different nodules and the mass itself being completely into the vaginal area. As of now the surgical oncologist said he can't get clean margins. It is so painful for me I scream into a pillow all the time. Assuming they can shrink it, they will have to respect the whole area meaning I will no longer have a rectum or sphincter and will have a permanent colostomy and if it's determined it's invaded the bladder is involved and it has to be removed meaning I will have a permanent ileostomy as well. It's one bad thing after another.

@Heather Johnson, I thought I had a friend who has only been in my life a couple of years. She took me to every doc appt, every test, every scan, even to ED and suddenly she turned in me. She is one who watches a couple of doctors who do video blogs firmly believing all they say and do is gospel truth. I would just smile and thank her for the info. She is one who is constantly seeing doctors, getting test after test after test then getting on my case for not reacting not reacting like she does. The other night I relayed I contacted my PCP and Insurance and she rags in me for not processing as quickly as her. I told her three times to please stop as I was going to hang up which I did after third warning. Now I am supposedly the rudest person ever, says I have been that way since July which was when my biopsy was. Mind you I am also a 34 year chronic pain patient and the biopsy caused my CRPS pain and now intense cancer pain to skyrocket. I apologized to her told her was never my intent to be rude to her or anyone else. Being in severe pain 24 hours a day makes one bitchy and grumpy for sure and apologized yet again. She really hurt my feelings. We just react to things differently which I guess upset her. Her words really hurt and cut thru me. Guess the saying God brings people into our lives for a certain length of time is true. I told her I prayed she never has to face what I am now facing.

It is so important to have a team personally and medically. I have been blessed with both. On the medical side they should freely give you all the information you need regarding your treatment. I hope that you can get a personal team together