Chris, I would like to help answer some of the questions you may have...I was diagnosed in Nov of 2012 with stage ,3..operated on in December and I had 6 months of chemo starting in Feb...ending in Aug of 2013....please friend me... Ron

I was diagnosed in 2011 with stage 4 anal cancer with mets to my lympth nodes and liver. I had a 12% chance of living 5 years. After chemo, radiation and a liver resection, I am doing great!!! I was 51 when diagnosed, raising 2 grandchildren and had just retired one month before diagnoses. I had many, many people praying for me. During treatment, my mother died suddenly (I never told her I had cancer) and my husband committed suicide. I prayed and knowing not everyone gets a miracle, I believed. I am a miracle. Now, I have adopted my two granddaughters, live and manage a 70 acre farm and volunteer at numerous organizations; I give thanks everyday for my blessings. I know how hard and scary cancer is but please try to live one day at a time. I will keep you in my prayers.

Horse pad what a great story. God was certainly good to you as he was to me. We certainly have an awful lot to be thankful for. By reaching out to others, I have hoped to give them the inspiration that they may need. Please keep in touch...Ron

Chris, I am in the exact same boat as you are. I am 38 years old, and went to my primary care physician because I was passing blood in my stool. I was sent to have a colonoscopy. Prior to the procedure I was examined by my specialist and he believed i had internal hemmroids. (sp?) anyway, we went on with the colonoscopy, and when I came out after the procedure, my doctor came and said I had a mass 8 cm from my rectum that looks "suspicious" and he had done a biopsy. When the test came back, he called and asked me to come to his office. When I went back, instead of going to an exam room, I was placed in his personal office, I knew something was wrong. After 4 pathology tests, it was confirmed I had Squamous cell cancer of the Colon. A very rare form of Cancer (.002% in every 10,000 cases of colon cancer) he told me it was 4.7 cm x 5.8 cm and it was inoperable. My doctor met with the leading cancer "team" in Birmingham, Ala and it was decided that I should take chemo and radiation to shrink the tumor. Things took another turn. I was called on Tuesday to report to his office and I went, and he said I would see two oncologist the next day, and he was doing surgery on me Thursday to put in a central line for Treatment. I am 2 days after the surgery, and at this point the Tumor has enlarged so that I have not been able to have a bowel movement now for 8 days. I am concerned because if the tumor ruptures, it would release stool inside my abdomen, and I will have sepsis before I can even reach the hospital. I have a week still to go before treatment starts but usually radiation is in cycles. I week on 1 week off. However they have not told me why ( But I can guess) but I am taking, starting April 2nd, Chemo and radiation for 7 consecutive weeks. I truly think there is nothing they can do. If I live to the end of the seven weeks he said "hopefully" he could remove the Tumor and be able to attach my colon ends back together, but if not, I would have a stoma and a Colonoscopy bag the rest of my life. I am 1 of less than 100 cases reported since 1919 with this type cancer. I have met with my family already and have made Funeral Arrangements. My son is now 20, and there is no easy way to prepare my son and my mother for my very short expected life span. God be with you. For me, that is all anyone can do, but at this point, i hope my many friends are praying for my family most. I have been sick only 3 weeks, but the Squamous cancer is already spread to Stage IV.

If you ever have a chance to write, I can tell you more. You stay Positive, Please! Mine was just too far gone to respond. They have not admitted I am on the way out, but I have not began chemo or radiation and they already have me on Super Duper strong pain meds, and nausea meds. Since I have not gone in 8 days, I feel what will get me is a ruptured Tumor. Abdominal Sepsis is extremely quick way to poison my blood, and I hate I may go that way for my sons sake. So you younger ones reading, I know the usual age to start testing is 50, but I started at 30 years old, and still have this terrible, painful way out. Peace, Love, And god Bless You All.

Ours are stories that I wish were never written. I'm a 54-year young grandma who has spent the last 10 years terracing my garden, remodeling my house and preparing to spend my life watching my 2 grandkids grow up while holding hands with my husband of (now) 20 years.
Talk about a slap in the face! I had a hysterectomy 6 months ago. About 3 months ago I started having pain when I tried to void food. Then it got worse. After 2 months of NO solid food, and losing 40 pounds, I finally went to the Doctor. He did an abdominal CT, then a liver Biopsy (still telling me nothing...although the 50 - 60 bright white spots on my liver should have been a clue...) I walk into his office 2 days later and am told I have (Sorry-I had to take a minute. This all happened LAST WEEK!) STAGE 4 COLON CANCER that has METASTASIZED TO MY LIVER. I find out Tuesday if it's in my lungs and bones (Oh, by the way-I've also had 5 Back Fusions and one in my neck!)

My worry is I live in a fairy small town, with a small cancer center with a small budget. I am fighting for my LIFE here and I don't have a lot of choices. They say 6 months with NO Treatment, LUCKY for 5 years with.

THAT'S not good enough for me. Any ideas? Has anyone heard about OHSU (Oregon Health Sciences University) doing ant groundbreaking work? How about CTCA?
I want to watch those babies grow up!
By the way: I tell EVERYONE I see that looks even CLOSE to 50-" GET A COLONOSCOPY! IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE! IT COULD'VE SAVED MINE!"

Hi Chris, I am a forty eight year old single mother of four boys. I am extremely anemic and went for a CT scan last week. I was told they can see colon cancer and spots on my liver and one on my lung. I have a colonoscopy scheduled for tomorrow. I am terrified for my boys and am hoping there is something they can do to prolong my life so I can get them all to adulthood. This is terrifying. We sound like we are at a similar stage. Let’s keep each other posted on treatment options. I live in Canada. Where do you live? (I have heard they are making good progress with stage four colon cancer and things are changing all the time. It would probably be good to compare our options)