In late January, I had a sign that something might be up within my GI tract. I went to my primary care physician who, after considering my age and physical condition (young and in good shape), told me it was probably nothing and that it shouldn't concern me unless I noticed it again. The very next day I noticed it again, at which time my wife Caroline (who is wonderful) set up an appointment for me with a local gastroenterologist.
Like my primary care physician, the gastro also concluded that it was probably nothing, but that we should check it out just to be sure. I was scheduled for a flexible sigmoidoscopy on that Friday. During the flexible sigmoidoscopy, my doctor found a polyp in my rectum. He indicated that it was a flat polyp attached to the wall of the rectum, and that surgery would probably be required to remove it. He then obtained a sample of tissue for biopsy and scheduled me for a colonscopy on February 3, 2010, to make sure no other polyps were present.
When I was preparing to be taken back for the colonoscopy at Huntsville Hospital, my gastro informed me that the results of biopsy had returned and that the polyp we found was cancerous (adenocarcinoma). After several tests, my cancer was pre-operatively staged as Stage 2 T3 N0 M0. The doctors found no evidence that the cancer has spread from its current location , and the endorectal ultrasound indicated that the cancer has likely not reached any lymph nodes.
After visiting doctors in Huntsville and Birmingham, I decided to receive treatment at UAB's Kirklin Clinic. I will be receiving 28 treatments of radiation and chemotherapy, followed by surgery in late May. I will then need an additional 4 months of chemotherapy to ensure any remaining cancerous cells are taken care of.
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