In this month we don’t want to only raise awareness about prevention of colon cancer. We should be aware of the significant progress we have made in the last 10 years treating it.
With the introduction of irinotecan, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, and cetuximab, overall survival has tripled to more than two years; but this does not tell us the whole story. In the past patients with metastatic disease all died from their disease. This is not true any longer.
With more active therapies, we have cured more and more patients, particularly those whose cancer has only spread to the liver. There are increasing reports that this is also true for lesions found in one site in the lung.
With genetic testing we now can identify more active therapies, which now have response rates of 70 percent and higher, leading to more conversion of unresectable to resectable tumors.
I wanted to share with you one story of my patient who was diagnosed with metastatic disease with a liver lesion in 1998. We treated him for years with any new drug which came on the market, which translated into seven different therapies. Because of some success, we resected liver lesions three times and lung lesions twice.
He was even on a Phase I clinical trial prior to his last lung resection. We cleared both his lungs and his liver but never removed his rectal cancer.
Last year we saw on the PET scan that there was a lesion close to the rectum (colonoscopy was clean). We needed two attempts to biopsy it but found rectal cancer, which was the site of the 1998 tumor. We removed it, and we are now treating with chemo.
We kept this patient alive to have access to new medication which again allowed us to make him live longer and allow another surgery with the intent to cure. It is amazing that there are metastases left after our battle against this disease.
He has no evidence of disease after 12 years. Unfortunately this does not happen to all patients but gives us hope that we have developed a lot of new treatments which will help more patients.
There is hope and cure for more and more patients. FIGHT ON.
March 03, 2010 at 10:27 am, Peggy Dague said:
Thank heaven for patients who are willing to try all treatments. It didn’t save our daughter, Rebecca Dague Marec, but her fight and others pave the way for others who may be saved. God bless you all.
March 03, 2010 at 10:53 am, Erica Paul said:
Thank you Dr. Lenz for posting this. As someone fighting metastatic colon cancer, I cherish hopeful stories and hold onto them every way I can. I too am willing to try any new treatments possible to control or even better “cure” my disease. I have hope for the future and what new treatments will come along to help me and so many others. Thank you for being a “voice” of hope for all battling the disease.
March 03, 2010 at 5:16 pm, Jim B said:
I love the encouraging prospects. I was diagnosed stage IV, mets to lung and liver, 3 years ago at age 47. I have been through multiple surgeries, stereotactic radiation, and countless rounds of chemo. I am still here and doing remarkably well, waiting for the next big breakthrough that will cure me of this disease. I know it is coming !
March 04, 2010 at 10:49 am, Jennifer Weir said:
Thanks Dr. Lenz for sharing HOPE with us today. Hope propels us to work hard to find the best care and solutions our situation. Not to mention the mind body connection that hope provides.
Without hope we give up.
Looking forward to seeing you Saturday to spread some HOPE around!
Jennifer
Stage IV survivor with hope
March 04, 2010 at 2:12 pm, Laura Morefield said:
Ditto to all the thank you’s. And it was great hearing your enthusiasm pouring out of yesterday’s
Cancer Care phone call. I am “fighting on.”
March 06, 2010 at 3:53 am, wendy hammond Marsaln said:
Thank you Dr. Lenz. I believe in you. I think you could help my mom. She is only 59.I have written to you previously and you wrote back to me.Thank you. This article makes me feel so proud of you. I love to hear that a doctor cares so much for people that he does everything he possibly can for them and never gives up and never stops trying new things. We need more doctors just like you. I know there are others and I appreciate them also.We just need more who care so deeply.You answer people’s leters,write blogs,keep everyone informed,and work very hard to help as much as you possibly can and for that I am grateful. Sincerely Wendy Hammond(Marsaln)
April 12, 2010 at 2:16 am, Anonymous said:
Dr. Lenz, Thank you for all your valuable information. You are a gift to all of us. We are all in support of staying alive as the next treatment may be very helpful. I have a question regarding lymph nodes. If someone has one lymph node still showing active on a PET after FOLFOX and FOLFORI + Avastin (24 treatments total) is it reasonable to take out the lymph node? Will this spread cancer? Everything else is clear. Thank you.
April 24, 2010 at 1:02 pm, jlyn said:
just reading the comments of others fighting the same battle is immensely encouraging.My brother has stage IV rectal cancer with mets to the liver and lung-and is in his second round of chemo. My heart is lifted by the courage and survival stories of others
May 06, 2010 at 1:35 pm, Linda said:
Dr. Lenz, My oncologist is running out of options for a while now. Today he is starting me on Avastin, Mitomycin, and Etoposide. My radiologist feels comfortable starting radiation on week number 3 of this regimend. My oncologist wants to make sure the regimend works first before any radiation. My question is why wait? If the radiologist can easily take care of a number of these tumors. all but the one in liver why not let him asap? He knows he has to work around the avastin. Why wait when I am out of options? I really would come out and visit for your opinion if needed. Thank you in advance for your advice.
June 02, 2010 at 4:53 pm, julie said:
what do you think of a prognosis of being ned and off chemo for 2 1/2 years following succesful liver met resection (3) lung met resection (2) with original stage 4 diagnosis in 2006? my docs say i am on the right track just like to get other inputs. thanks.
September 07, 2010 at 7:33 pm, Walker said:
Thank you for posting this. It’s funny how you use what seems to be a forbidden word in the onocology community today when talking about stage IV colon cancer – the word CURE. We’ve been told over and over that my husband can’t be cured, simply because he was diagnosed at stage IV (at age 48). Miracles happen, and treatment advances continue to be made! Don’t give up! My husband wasn’t supposed to even survive the 6 months of chemo, and he is still alive 2.5 years later, still working full time with a very active life! The key for us is to be aggressive with the treatments and keep on praying and fighting! GOD bless you all.
October 05, 2010 at 8:07 am, hopeful said:
My husband was dx stage IV almost 4 years ago and told probably would not be a surgery candidate. He has been through a colon resection , liver resection, rfa, and a subsequent major liver resection. He has been cancer free for a year now and going for another ct today and results next week. Keep hope and faith alive and believe in miracles. With God, all things are possible. (Thank you St Jude for your powerful intercession).
December 05, 2010 at 2:19 am, Glenn S Davis said:
I just found this site and it is certainly very interesting to me. My Colon Cancer first found in 2008, came back agressively in 2009 and in March of 2010 found it had matastasized to the Lungs and Liver. The Colon was resected and a round of Rad. last fall (prior to finding in March of 2010 that it had matastasized)and now I have been on Chemo and Avastin since April.
The Doctor at M D Anderson shared with me in April of this year that it was incurable and the Medical Statistics would give me approx. 6 Months without treatment, and maybe 2 years with treatment. While I am gladly taking the treatments as prescribed and I thank God for the Doctors, Medicine and Technology (James 1:17), as a Christian I am first and foremost trusting The Lord for the outcome for it is truly up to HIM!
While I have had a very hard time finding what appears to be legitimate testimonies of someone cured in my specific situation, I beleive with all of my heart that there is no doubt that God has healed people in this specific situation. I do beleive HE is Sovereign and it is completely up to HIM for the outcome. I am however petitioning HIM for complete healing and trusting HIM for whatever outcome HE so chooses! I have no doubt that HE has performed miracles in times past as HIS Word proves, and I beleive HE still performs miracles as HE so chooses in HIS Sovereignty today; for as HIS Word says, “HE is the same yesterday, today and forever”(Hebrews 13:8)!
I now pray for each of you and each one of your loved ones about whom you have shared! Many might say I am “a religious fanatic!” Not in my mind, but rather just a very committed Christian who beleives in Jesus Christ without doubt (John 14:6) and who trust The Lord and HIS WORD(Psalm 1:1&2) without exception! God bless you all and as we and your loved ones are on this Journey, I pray The Lord would bless, guide and that we would all learn exactly what HE has for us and know wihtout doubt where HE desires us to walk to Glorify HIM in this Journey! I remain
yours in Christ,
Glenn S. Davis
January 04, 2011 at 12:18 pm, MARCO ANGELINI said:
Dear Dr. Lenz,
2 years ago, My dad – 53 yrs old – was diagnosed with colorectal cancer stage IV as there were two infected lymphonodes in his mediastinum. He has done three different kind of chemo therapies, however the latest PET scan still shows the lymphonodes. How do you think we should threat the lymphonodes….can we operate? All his other organs, including liver and lungs, are clean.
Hope to hear from you!
Thank you very much,
Marco
January 04, 2011 at 7:19 pm, Kate Murphy said:
Marco,
We can’t give medical advice over the internet.
We do encourage you to get an opinion at a large cancer center where a team of doctors — medical oncologists, surgeons, and radiologists — can give you more information about options.
Our Answer Line Associate will be in touch with you to talk more about what your options might be