What Do These Lab Reports Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 10 Jul 2017

Question: I have attached a letter regarding my mum. Please answer the following:

1. Can mum be cured?
2. Has this gone in the lymph nodes?
3. Not heard when treatment will start, I am worried it will spread whilst waiting for treatment?
4. Do you see this be an early stage cancer? I dont know what stage it is. What stage is it?
5. I am worried sick my mum is only 66

Answered by Dr. Ornela Ademovi (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, please follow below!

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,

I understand your concern and I am sorry about your mom. From the doctor's report, it looks like the cancer is still confined to the colon and has spread to the other organs, which is good news...well, except for one or two lymph nodes, but radiation and chemo therapy will be able to sort them out.

Can your mom be cured? Yes, she can. Luckily the cancer was discovered before reaching to other organs. It looks to be stage A3, which can be considered early stage.

As for the treatment, no worries because it will not spread that fast while waiting for the scheduled treatment. The doctors will make sure of that.

As long as cancer remains within the colon it can always be dealt with, by first killing the cancers cells in the lymph nodes and in the colon, preventing it from spreading further, and then cutting the cancerous part out.

Of course, the long list of other diseases your mother suffers from will make things harder than in an otherwise healthy people, but have faith that it is still to get a have a good outcome.
I hope this answers your question.

If you have further questions I'd be happy to answer them.
Wishing you and your mom good health and all the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Ornela Ademovi (34 minutes later)

so mum can get through this and be cured? as mum has had cancer twice now I am scared it will come back again when we have got rid of this

Answered by Dr. Ornela Ademovi (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It is possible but there is no guarantee

Detailed Answer:
Yes, the possibility to be cured is real based on the the stage and treatment options I mentioned above, however there is always a degree of caution a doctor must exercise when it comes to making a prediction in a cancer diagnosis, because the human body is very complex and the co-existing illnesses can often get in the way of a good outcome.
And yes, given the fact that your mother has had cancer twice, there is a possibility that if she overcomes cancer this time it could come back again or not at all. One cannot say for sure.
I understand you are worried and I am sorry about this, but you need to be strong for your mother at this time and concentrate on making her feel loved and supported. This is all she needs from you at the moment. You worry will show and make her even more anxious and when battling cancer, anxiety is something you want to avoid at any cost.

I hope this helps.
Wishing you and your mother all the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Ornela Ademovi (4 hours later)

in the first answer you sound really positive and then the second answer it seems like you are having second thoughts. I am even more worries now

Answered by Dr. Ornela Ademovi (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
I am positive on the possibility of a cure

Detailed Answer:
I am absolutely positive that it is possible for your mom to be cured, however it is impossible for any doctor to be sure 100% as there is no guarantee on the complications.
All I am saying is that, on paper, the possibility exists, but there is always a degree of uncertainty that goes with everything.
I hope you understand.
Wishing you and your mom all the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana