The 2009 Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer White Paper
Colon cancer patients and their families have a new resource.
The numbers are alarming: The American Cancer Society ranks colorectal cancer—a term that includes cancers of both the colon and the rectum—as the #3 cause of cancer overall in the United States (and the #2 leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women).
Yet it is one of the most preventable cancers, thanks to what we now know about effective colon cancer prevention. It is also one of the most curable of all cancers if you detect it and treat in its early stages.
The five-year survival rate for colon cancer when it is discovered and treated in the early stages is over 90%. In addition, early screening may reveal pre-cancerous growths (polyps) that can be removed easily, preventing you from developing colon cancer in the first place, even if you have a family history of colon cancer.
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Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Doc Says Doug’s Done
Doc Says Doug’s Done
March 3, 2008
Mr. Beckstein, let me take a moment to look at your chart.
Here are the results from my last Colonscopy.
OK.
Here are my CEA lab tests from 2007.
OK.
I had a CAT scan in March 2007, and there was no evidence of cancer.
I see that. No evidence of disease.
It has been five years since my colon cancer diagnosis.
Mr. Beckstein, you are done.
What.
You are done with cancer.
No more CEA tests?
Yes every six months but you will need a reading of 10 before I would be concerned.
What about CAT scans?
You really don’t have to go through that test anymore.
So I am done with cancer?
Yes. Doug you are done.
I left the doctor’s office a free man.
March 3, 2008
Mr. Beckstein, let me take a moment to look at your chart.
Here are the results from my last Colonscopy.
OK.
Here are my CEA lab tests from 2007.
OK.
I had a CAT scan in March 2007, and there was no evidence of cancer.
I see that. No evidence of disease.
It has been five years since my colon cancer diagnosis.
Mr. Beckstein, you are done.
What.
You are done with cancer.
No more CEA tests?
Yes every six months but you will need a reading of 10 before I would be concerned.
What about CAT scans?
You really don’t have to go through that test anymore.
So I am done with cancer?
Yes. Doug you are done.
I left the doctor’s office a free man.
I've Nothin' To Do
I've Nothin' To Do
by Douglas Beckstein
I opened my eyes and saw my brother, David, napping in the chair in the corner of my hospital room. This was day two after my abdominal resection.
My hair was soaked with sweat. Pain meds worked great, but I had had wild dreams last night. I had no idea what kind of day it was outside the hospital. Food did not appeal. A young doctor making his rounds entered my room. “Good morning, Mr. Beckstein," he said. "What are you reading?”
I had to look at the book open on my bed to answer his question. “Gods and Demons,” I replied, with a very dry mouth. I took a sip of water through a straw.
“Is it any good?"
"I don't know,” I said. “I can't really read on this pain killer.”
Ignoring my brother sprawled in the chair, the doctor walked over to the window and stood with his back to me. “How’s the view from here?” I asked.
"I can see the highway and the roof of this hospital,” he responded. Then he turned to face me again. “Is that an iPOD you have there?"
"Sixty gigs!" I said proudly.
"Cool. I want one," he said, inspecting the device closely.
The doctor sat on my bed, lifted the sheet covering my incision, and inspected the tubes connected to my body. I was very relaxed due to his engaging conversation. There was a nine inch incision in my body; staples held me together.
He stared at my drainage tube. “You don’t need this thing anymore,” he said. He placed one hand on my belly, grabbed the tube with his other hand, and yanked. Then he stood up, wrapped the tubing and collection pouch into a ball, tossed the mess into the hazardous medical waste garbage can, and returned to my bedside.
“You are doing very well. Healing right on schedule," he said, applying a band aid to my belly. Then he was gone.
My brother woke up. “Who was that guy?" he asked.
“I think he was a doctor.” Song lyrics entered my brain. "David, do you remember the artist who sang this song?"
Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me
I've nothin' to do.
"Statler Brothers," he replied, opening yesterday's newspaper.
by Douglas Beckstein
I opened my eyes and saw my brother, David, napping in the chair in the corner of my hospital room. This was day two after my abdominal resection.
My hair was soaked with sweat. Pain meds worked great, but I had had wild dreams last night. I had no idea what kind of day it was outside the hospital. Food did not appeal. A young doctor making his rounds entered my room. “Good morning, Mr. Beckstein," he said. "What are you reading?”
I had to look at the book open on my bed to answer his question. “Gods and Demons,” I replied, with a very dry mouth. I took a sip of water through a straw.
“Is it any good?"
"I don't know,” I said. “I can't really read on this pain killer.”
Ignoring my brother sprawled in the chair, the doctor walked over to the window and stood with his back to me. “How’s the view from here?” I asked.
"I can see the highway and the roof of this hospital,” he responded. Then he turned to face me again. “Is that an iPOD you have there?"
"Sixty gigs!" I said proudly.
"Cool. I want one," he said, inspecting the device closely.
The doctor sat on my bed, lifted the sheet covering my incision, and inspected the tubes connected to my body. I was very relaxed due to his engaging conversation. There was a nine inch incision in my body; staples held me together.
He stared at my drainage tube. “You don’t need this thing anymore,” he said. He placed one hand on my belly, grabbed the tube with his other hand, and yanked. Then he stood up, wrapped the tubing and collection pouch into a ball, tossed the mess into the hazardous medical waste garbage can, and returned to my bedside.
“You are doing very well. Healing right on schedule," he said, applying a band aid to my belly. Then he was gone.
My brother woke up. “Who was that guy?" he asked.
“I think he was a doctor.” Song lyrics entered my brain. "David, do you remember the artist who sang this song?"
Countin' flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn, with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me
I've nothin' to do.
"Statler Brothers," he replied, opening yesterday's newspaper.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Waiting
Waiting
Waiting for an appointment
Waiting for a parking space
Waiting for an elevator
Sitting in a waiting room
Signing yet another medical form
Looking for my health insurance card
Glancing at magazines that have nothing to do with my life
Waiting to see the doctor
Waiting for the diagnosis
Wondering, is this test accurate?
Looking at numbers on a page
Wanting to understand
Lying on my back for a CAT Scan
Trying to be brave
Asking for a second opinion
Crying quietly
Wanting you to make it better
Worrying about dying
Waiting for a cure
Wanting something sweet
Waiting for a blood test
Wanting to run away
Waiting for a prescription
Cursing side effects
Looking for solutions
Wasting time
Wishing my life was different
Wondering how long will I live?
Praying to God
Talking with friends
Telling my story
Recovering
Living more
Loving deeply
Waiting for an appointment
Waiting for a parking space
Waiting for an elevator
Sitting in a waiting room
Signing yet another medical form
Looking for my health insurance card
Glancing at magazines that have nothing to do with my life
Waiting to see the doctor
Waiting for the diagnosis
Wondering, is this test accurate?
Looking at numbers on a page
Wanting to understand
Lying on my back for a CAT Scan
Trying to be brave
Asking for a second opinion
Crying quietly
Wanting you to make it better
Worrying about dying
Waiting for a cure
Wanting something sweet
Waiting for a blood test
Wanting to run away
Waiting for a prescription
Cursing side effects
Looking for solutions
Wasting time
Wishing my life was different
Wondering how long will I live?
Praying to God
Talking with friends
Telling my story
Recovering
Living more
Loving deeply
Friday, January 2, 2009
Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is the #2 cause of cancer-related death among BOTH men and women in the United States. Yet this cancer is highly treatable if detected early. I would like to introduce you to an invaluable resource in our ongoing war against colon cancer:
The numbers are alarming: The American Cancer Society ranks colorectal cancer—a term that includes cancers of both the colon and the rectum—as the #3 cause of cancer overall in the United States (and the #2 leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women).
Yet it is one of the most preventable cancers, thanks to what we now know about effective colon cancer prevention. It is also one of the most curable of all cancers if you detect it and treat in its early stages.
The five-year survival rate for colon cancer when it is discovered and treated in the early stages is over 90%. In addition, early screening may reveal pre-cancerous growths (polyps) that can be removed easily, preventing you from developing colon cancer in the first place, even if you have a family history of colon cancer.
The key to preventing and treating colon cancer is current, accurate, reliable knowledge.
John's Hopkins University 2008
The numbers are alarming: The American Cancer Society ranks colorectal cancer—a term that includes cancers of both the colon and the rectum—as the #3 cause of cancer overall in the United States (and the #2 leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women).
Yet it is one of the most preventable cancers, thanks to what we now know about effective colon cancer prevention. It is also one of the most curable of all cancers if you detect it and treat in its early stages.
The five-year survival rate for colon cancer when it is discovered and treated in the early stages is over 90%. In addition, early screening may reveal pre-cancerous growths (polyps) that can be removed easily, preventing you from developing colon cancer in the first place, even if you have a family history of colon cancer.
The key to preventing and treating colon cancer is current, accurate, reliable knowledge.
John's Hopkins University 2008
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