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Curative surgery.

Posted , 7 users are following.

TheToad
TheToad

Hi. My surgeon called my bowel cancer operation curative (or curatative) surgery. I have been looking up definitions and asking people, but still am confused about its actual meaning. It sounds reassuring but is there someone out there who can give me an accurate, medical meaning? My surgery was 9 months ago and I feel ok. Some loose BM's but CEA blood tests all good. No spreading or lymph nodes affected. Thanks. 

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Signing-Annie
    Signing-Annie TheToad

    Posted

    Hi John,

    my understanding is that the surgeons were successfully able to remove the tumour and hopefully left you with no remianing cancer.

    I am in the same position having had successful surgery.

    It is not deemed to be remission as this suggests a clear period but still with cancer (I think) but means we had cancer removed through surgery and at present do not have any cancerous cells.

    Not sure if that makes sense or helps you,

    Anne

     

    • TheToad
      TheToad Signing-Annie

      Posted

      Thanks. Yes that does make some sense. I suppose remission means that so far there is no sign of any recurrence but they have to wait a while. I have read that one year is good but five is when they can be reasonably confident. Mine did show that the tumour was successfully removed and there was and is no sign of any cancer to date. I am seeing a surgeon in about a month for a check up so will go with heaps of questions. Also a colonoscopy is coming as a routine check about October. I didn't have one before as it was an emergency. But so far so good. When was your surgery? Sounds like we are about the same position, as you said. I shall look up more things now like the meaning of remission etc. Thanks again. 
  • Daffs
    Daffs TheToad

    Posted

    Hi again John, You know you can get good answers on Macmillan, Beating Bowel Cancer and Cancer Research. Hope some help. Daffs
    • TheToad
      TheToad Daffs

      Posted

      Hi Daffs! Yes, I've had a look and will add it to my bed time reading. (Not such a good idea sometimes!) Hope you are recovering well. confused
    • TheToad
      TheToad

      Posted

      Hi Daffs. I'm keeping up with you on Macmillian now. Keep on battling! 
  • margaret91698
    margaret91698 TheToad

    Posted

    Hi John

    I dont know the true definition of curative surgery, but my cancer was described the same way before my surgery.  You have been so well since and nothing has spread, also you have not needed further treatments.  This all sounds good news to me.  Naturally when cancer has been found, it is necessary for future tests just to make sure that the all clear continues.  That's good too.  It seems to me you are doing OK.

    I wish you all the best.

    Margaret

     

    • TheToad
      TheToad margaret91698

      Posted

      Thanks Margaret. Had my 6 month check last Friday. She was very pleased. Spent about 30 minutes just talking and a few minutes prodding my gut. I learned quite a lot, including where the tumour was, (I had it in the wrong place,) and how many lymph nodes were removed and checked. Heaps! They went along the whole length of the backed up liquid in the bowel, as he put it. I think over 30. It was getting quite dangerous, even as far as a small perforation well away from the tumour. He said they caught it just in time. Scary, but so far so good. Hope you are doing well...
  • margaret91698
    margaret91698 TheToad

    Posted

    My goodness John, you really have been through it, but such good news that  it was discovered and cured, and you can now get on with life.  It's amazing that more and more people are beating this dreadful disease, I can get quite boring really by telling family and friends to get checked out at first signs of anything slightly abnormal.. I have even been going on when I write on this site.

    But you and I and I am sure many others are a good example of how we can conquer this.  I wish you continued good health and lots of luck for the future.

    Margaret

    • TheToad
      TheToad margaret91698

      Posted

      Thanks Margaret. That was really encouraging. I have to put up with my incisional hernia for a while now until that can be repaired. (There was an infection in the wound.) But that should be relatively simple after what we have been through. Thanks again, keep fighting! Spring down under so better weather. cool
    • TheToad
      TheToad margaret91698

      Posted

      Hi Margaret! Just reading through a few old posts and thought I'd say hello. I shall be 2 years 9 months since surgery soon and nothing awful to report. CEA tests 6 monthly and no consultant until March, so she must be quite pleased. Next colonoscopy Nov 2017. I still have two bm's most days, one semi solid and the next much looser. But nobody seems bothered except me. If you see this post, I would love to know how you are getting on. Best wishes. 

  • TheToad
    TheToad

    Posted

    Hello. My follow up colonoscopy on Thursday. Just routine they keep saying. But I am a worrier! I should be ok - a good report from the colorectal nurse a little while ago and last CEA was 1.1. I just am wondering whether any of you had a normal result from the follow up, or do they often find something? I have no symptoms of anything amiss either. I've never had a colonoscopy before as the blockage was seen on a CT scan. Maybe that's why I'm worrying, as its my first one. Hope everyone is doing as well as they can. 

    Best wishes, John. 

  • TheToad
    TheToad

    Posted

    Just a quick one. The colonoscopy was not a problem and I won't need another for 3 years! Great news. I was awake throughout and didn't find it very uncomfortable. So, all you worriers out there like me, the procedure is not bad at all. 😊
  • TheToad
    TheToad

    Posted

    And the latest good news is that a routine CT scan showed no recurrence or mets anywhere else. 18 months and feeling more positive as time goes on. Best wishes to all. 
  • millieT
    millieT TheToad

    Posted

    That's great news, John.

    I recently had a right hemicolectomy and my surgeon said it was curative, clean resection margins, lymph nodes were clear and no mets. It was an aggressive cancer that was caught in time. I had none of the 'red flag' symptoms at all. I have noticed that the pain in my lower back has gone, which my GP had thought was due to a pre-existing lower back injury, so when the scan came back clear on that in April 2014, I thought I'd have to live with that pain.

    A year later, April, I was rushed to hospital with intense abdo. pain from a blockage, the r. hemi was done and there was the cancer! My symptoms were non-specific but now that I feel better than I have done for a couple of years, I can see how they all added up to a sneaky colon cancer.

    I did have recurring anaemia over a period of 10 years. Would respond to iron tablets and injections, then come back. That was attributed to poor diet so was never investigated. No GP ordered a colonoscopy either despite my being over 50 and in the 'risk group'.

    For whoever else reads this: educate yourself about all the ways bowel cancer symptoms can manifest, connect the dots and ASK to be referred for a colonoscopy.

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