Cancer in colon, liver and lungs...5 years post op

shannewc
on 1/19/11 8:43 am
Hi my friend had a gastric bypass 5 years ago, and a body lift one year ago. She was recently diagnosed with cancer. She had no signs or symptoms just tired. She is now given 2 yrs to live. I have a strange feeling the surgery was the culprit any input.....................
highaim
on 2/1/11 7:07 am


first of all, my oncologist doesn't give time frames like that unless you're ready to go home on hospice and we're talking like less than 6 weeks to live. Two years is a long time.......

I have a dear friend who was dxd with stage IV colon cancer (over half her liver was cancerous mass). I thought for sure she was going to die, but she's done really well and is on the upside of the battle. Chemotherapies, radiation, surgical, and other treatments have improved outcomes significantly. What used to be a 'death sentence' is just a 'difficult situation' now...... so have hope!

As for the issue of whether the surgery caused the cancer...I wonder about that myself.... since the diet requires so little fiber. I don't know if there have been any studies done on it? I will ask the surgeon when I go to my pre-op. It is a concern for me, for certain, as my half-brother developed colon cancer at 27 years old! 

Best of treatment to your friend....I hope she fights and wins!
noofygirl
on 4/10/11 12:05 am - Kingston, ON, Canada
 That's the whole reason I am having the surgery.  I am eliminating one of the factors for cancer recurrence.  I tried to get a full hysterectomy but my oncologist said it's too early & there would be too many side effects from that & it would outweigh the benefits.  I don't think the surgery is the culprit, I feel like if it was in there to begin with the surgery wasn't the culprit.  
Referral sent by my Dr Feb 2010... 1st Seminar Dec 20/10.... Met Dr. Jan 13/11.... Gastric Bypass Class Jan 13/11.... SW appt Feb 9/11... NUT appt Feb 9/11... 2nd Dr. appt Feb 24/11...PreOp appt Apr 20/11....Optifast Apr 26/11...2nd PreOp (with my family Doctor) May 9/11...SURGERY MAY 17/11!!!  
Rouns
on 11/7/11 2:58 pm - CA
I had VSG in Dec 2010, lost 127 lbs in 10 months. Within a month of my VSG, I had a tachycardia and subsequent successful ablation, today I got the results of a partial mastectomy done one week ago today, early stages of invasive breast cancer.

My choices, bilat mastectomy and skin conservation reconstruction or stay with the partial mastectomy and reconstruction to make breasts symetrical only done one week ago, and do radiation therapy and doctor warned me that an oncologist will be in my future.

I'm leaning towards the bilat mastectomy and no radiation therapy. Statistics show a little better going this route. Surgeon seems to be leaning towards radiation therapy, possibly chemo pending results of pathology reports that are not in yet. I know too many women with leukemia post radiation which is a known risk.

Back to your question, YES, I believe the drastic drop in weight in such a short period dumped a lot of estrogen into my system. I'm post menopausal and it caused me to have one heavy period after VSG surgery, but I also believe that my cancer is most likely an estrogen receptor (won't know for sure until pathology is back).

Yes, I probably would of found it in a year or so down the road, but the amount of estrogen my body had to deal with fast tracked the cancer. (It also uncovered a tachycardia that had gone undiagnosed previously.)

I don't regret for a minute having VSG, only wish I could of done it 15-20 years ago and avoided the collateral damage. I'm 54 years old, and it would of been much kinder to my body to have done it at age 34 years old.

For months I've been exhausted and the bariatric surgeon has been on me to exercise more, etc. A short 3 years ago I was running 5K a day and one day I just didn't have the energy, depression set in, gained weight, hit menopause, went on hormone replacement therapy (big mistake), gained more weight, had VSG, then tachycardia, now invasive breast cancer.

VSG is a double edged culprit. I've had lots of other problems show up since, but with the weight loss it was easier to diagnose and recover from surgeries. I try to view the VSG as possibly making my breast cancer diagnosis an early diagnosis vs. late stage and subsequently (by accident) saving years of my life.



      
136 pounds lost!   
David147
on 7/3/15 3:47 am

Cancer of the colon is the disease characterized by the development of malignant cells in the lining or epithelium of the first and longest portion of the large intestine. Malignant cells have lost normal control mechanisms governing growth. These cells may invade surrounding local tissue, or they may spread throughout the body and invade other organ systems.
Synonyms for the colon include the large bowel or the large intestine. The rectum is the continuation of the large intestine into the pelvis that terminates in the anus.

happyteacher
on 7/3/15 5:57 am

Hello,

I have different cancers (skin, breast) and the VSG so as you probably realize totally different situation medically speaking. However, my oncologist made it crystal clear that the very best thing I did for myself was to lose the weight, as that significanltly dropped my risk. With that said, I am very careful now to eat a very nutritionaly conscious diet and ensure that I routinely eat my fiber, veggies, protein, etc. will minimizing sugar and processed crap. So far so good :)  I also had a double mastectomy to help the odds, so in short I am a big proponet of as much preventitive care as possible. 

Surgeon: Chengelis  Surgery on 12/19/2011  A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!

1Mo: -21  2Mo: -16  3Mo: -12  4MO - 13  5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6  Goal in 8 months 4 days!!   6' 2''  EWL 103%  Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5   150+ pounds lost  

Join the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker group for recipes and tips! Click here to join!

lw152
on 3/7/11 8:52 pm - FL
According to what the onocologists tell me obesity is one of  the culprits. I have not had WLS but I am trying to get approved. All my doctors want me to lose weight to reduce my chances of reocurrance/developement of new cancers.
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