Me: I was diagnosed with Stage 3B goblet cell cancer (entire appendix) in January 2010. Hemicolectomy & biopsy produced 3 positive lymph nodes of 10=T4,N1,M0 "with tumor penetrating visceral peritoneum". No chemo or radiation.
My question is: Is Stage 3 appendix cancer maybe not as serious a diagnosis as many other Stage 3 cancer sites in the body? My studies and medical follow-ups seem to support that although I do not disrespect the disease. It does not seem to become deadly unless PMP manifests. Either I am luckier than even I think or is appendix cancer not as hostile as some others?
Or is any staging of appendix cancer ambiguous?
Thanks for your service to the cancer community.
Dr.: Was your cancer a so called carcinoid? If so you did not receive any chemotherapy because such cancers are rather insensitive to that treatment (& radiation therapy). That is probably also why such extensive surgery was used. I do hope it will work.
so i still havent found what im looking for
Another Dr: I don't know how old you are or your other problems. You did seem to have a rather advanced stage of this very rare disorder. The metastatic potential of goblet cell cancers is about the same as adenocarcinomas, and yours was aggressive, given the invasion of the peritoneum and the involvment of nodes. That being said, we don't have a lot of information that helps with adjuvant therapy like chemotherapy or radiation. Goblet cell cancers seem to be related to carcinoid tumors (which don't respond to chemotherapy and minimally to radiation) but behave more like adenocarcinomas (which are generally treated with adjuvant chemotherapy in stages such as you had.
Today I would probably have your tumor studied with multiple markers looking for clues as to how to treat, etc. I think it's a toss-up whether you should have received any treatment afterwards and while I probably would have offered treatment, I couldn't fault a physician who would not have offered it. We just don't know.
If you've had no evidence of recurrence in more than a year, your chances are good that the surgery was sufficient. Even with stage 3B colon cancers, surgery alone cures about 50%. Hope this helps.
better more like what im looking for
It's uncanny how many people wanted a colonoscopy for Valentine's Day. How many got to prep on their birthday though?
I'm 60 but still feel 59ish.
Well I read David Servan-Schreiber's last book. It was his memoir on dying and living which he finished just before the peaceful white light came to him. Very sad 150 pages as I knew it would be. Still, he lived 20 years after being diagnosed with deadly brain cancer. That's a tribute to his methods.
It takes all kinds doesn't mean all kinds are necessary. David was necessary.
Respect your disease.
One line I wrote down from "Not the Last Goodbye": "I've known the dangerous high of those who think they've conquered fate."
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