Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 7/5/2007

Question
QUESTION: My mom is 83 years old with very low presenting colon ca. she had 4 weeks of oral chemo and radition and transanal surgery 1  year ago. She has mets to the lung (foue spots) and recurrence in her rectum. she goes to the bathroom 10 times a day and that is making her miserable. Are there cetain foods, medicines that could slow this? She is considering Chemo after her next scan. She is very active but the constant stooling is wearing her down. please make any suggestions.

ANSWER: If she has problems with her bowel function - which I think is the basic question in your message here (please correct me if I'm wrong) - you MUST discuss this with her dr. I doubt that this can be corrected with any diet or medication. Unfortunately I think it is probable - if this gives her a lot  of problems - that it can only be relieved surgically (by a colostomy). But I'm not a surgeon so I may be wrong. You have to discuss this with her surgeon!


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QUESTION: Is the only way to perform a colostomy to stop this through removing the entire rectum? Her cancer is very low in her rectum. What is the likely hood of her success with advanced age 84 and such an extensive surgery?

Answer
If her cancer is located there it MAY (not sure) be possible to treat it with radiation therapy (if not too much has been given already for that) or a combination of radiation & surgery (also uncertain). Surgery anyway will have to be somewhat extensive. On the other hand if it already has spread to her lungs it is NOT probable that her dr. will want to do any extensive local treatment since that would be rather meaningless. But a palliative colostomy is quite possible. Chemo therapy can unfortunately not cure her in this situation (if it has reached her lungs) but MAY be of help combined with radiation if that remains an option.