Colonoscopy After Prostate Cancer

[gleason9guy]

I'm getting a colonoscopy this week, following my diagnosis of prostate cancer two years ago. Nearly seven years ago, my first colonoscopy showed only polyps that seemed fairly benign. Just out of curiosity, has anyone had issues with cancer in the colon following prostate cancer? I'm reading that it's fairly rare, but I've also talked to a NP who says this really needed to be done sooner because their is a significant risk to the colon.

[Hidden]

I did have the exam like you after two yrs with APC. I had no issues. Hope the same for you . Most of the time ,if they find something it’s out the same day with success .. Eat healthy.. live well ...don’t predict bad .

[j-o-h-n]

With Pca my oncologist said I should have a colonoscopy every 5 years.

AS you know most of the time the preparation is worse than the procedure. If i were you I'd do it.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 04/14/2019 4:31 PM DST

[noirhole]

Nope but after my last colonoscopy coming out of anesthesia my wife said I asked in a panic. "So I have colon cancer? All I need is another cancer" Totally freaked out the doctor I guess he did not read my chart before the procedure. We laugh about that now.

[gleason9guy in reply to noirhole]

LOL That's exactly how I think I would feel. I'm going into this thinking that just waking up from the procedure will be a nice start.

[Break60]

I had colonoscopy after rectal bleeding from IMRT. Everything but my poor anus was fine. No cancer but radiation damage.

[gleason9guy]

Yeah, the radiation left my bladder highly irritated. I completely understand!

[B8ssist in reply to gleason9guy]

I have an AUS now because the radiation caused such an issue with my bladder. No control and after 9 months of trying everything to control my urine, I had the AUS implanted. Now I am glad I did it.

[ctarleton]

Anecdotally, I've heard that colons that have a history of producing polyps are sometimes more likely to keep producing polyps in the future. A reasonable colonoscopy surveillance schedule could give one a better chance of catching something earlier, rather than later.

[MichaelDD]

I had stage 2 breast cancer at 50. Went through radical mastectomy, 4 months of chemotherapy and 5 years of a drug called tamoxifen. After being cancer free I figured there's no way I'm going to have a colonoscopy. Cancer can't get me now! My other half is an RN/OR nurse who kept telling me you have to get it done..me no. Then at 61 I get APC. Have removal and radiation and I still get from my other half you have to get a colonoscopy !! So at 62 I get my first colonoscopy. I meet with the doctor and he looks at me and said "oh you are a late bloomer". My reply was "what"? He said it was someone who doesn't come to see him until way past their time. I told him after having the breast cancer, now prostate cancer maybe if I was lucky after we were finished with the colonoscopy I would get a trifecta! He didn't find that funny. I did the colonoscopy and it was a breeze. He told me that I wouldn't have to do it for another 10 years. If I make it to 10 years I don't think I'm going!

[gleason9guy in reply to MichaelDD]

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate you sharing. I am fighting the desire to bail on this, but I know I can't. I procrastinate with changing the oil in my car and complying with my doctor's orders. Thanks again!

[Emmett50]

My husband had 39 sessions of EBRT and had SpaceOar placed beforehand to protect his rectum. About 7 months after radiation ended, he had some slight rectal bleeding. The MO referred him to gastro doc who did a colonoscopy. He had several benign polyps but no other issues than some hemorrhoids. No radiation related issues and we believe the SpaceOar helped with that. Mary

[spouse21]

My husband had a colonoscopy right before radiation, and a large polyp was removed. (He'd always had a couple polyps and was on a five-year colonoscopy schedule in the past.) After finding the big polyp, the gastroenterologist said to come back for another colonoscopy in three years, which turned out to be a year and a half after completion of radiation. My husband was worried about bleeding and other problems, but that post-radiation colonoscopy didn't cause any problems or unusual bleeding--no polyps for a change either. So take that anecdote for what it's worth.

BTW, my husband stopped taking baby aspirin completely about a year after radiation was completed because he wondered if that would lessen the post-radiation rectal bleeding. In his case it did. So he wasn't on any kind of aspirin regime at the time of the most recent colonoscopy.

[gleason9guy in reply to spouse21]

Thanks. I've heard that a colonoscopy at that point of the process is fairly typical. Unfortunately, the doctor in charge of my radiation therapy was a complete ass...pun intended. lol I pretty much fired him after my radiation was done and am not dependent on the GI doc for following up.

[pjoshea13]

I had a colonoscopy 7 years after a prostatectomy & salvage radiation. I had been told that the risk of colon cancer increased after 5 years.

I was having many bowel movements each day & the doctor said that he could do nothing without a look inside. The sedation cocktail didn't work. The technician nodded to the nurse & I was given another dose, but the procedure had to be aborted.

Nevertheless, there was a photo of healthy looking tissue in the radiated area. And there was a biopsy from further in that showed a problem below the surface - lymphocytic colitis - totally benign in terms of mortality, although not bowel movements.

I will never have another colonoscopy, but am glad I had that (partial) one. I attribute the healthy looking tissue to the huge amount of polyphenols I had been using.

The lymphocytic colitis cleared up 5 years ago.

The sedation drugs were rapidly metabolated by my over-active drinkers liver. My designated driver wanted to drive me home for a nap, but we drove to a Thai restaurant, where I had two glasses of red wine with my lunch.

-Patrick

[Stegosaurus37]

My previous colonoscopy showed two benign tumors. My latest, this past fall, was completely clean. The doc told me that as I was waking up. One cancer is more than enough, thank you very much, I certainly didn't need a second!

[j-o-h-n]

Go to this site and read:

cancercenter.com/cancer-typ...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 04/15/2019 5:309 PM DST (Uncle Sam's Birthday)

[MrZee]

Hi gleason9guy,

The colon is one of the human body’s most mysterious organs. I myself have intestinal bloating... think of feeling very full after a Thanksgiving feast. Now double or triple that feeling ... and that’s how bloating is. I’ve had a colonoscopy, endoscopy, and CT scan and everything looks good. Medical science just can’t figure it out.

What does help with a big part of the bloating is I had to give up all processed foods including all breads/wheat. That was hard to do because I love junk food.

But changing my diet to healthy does give my colon vast relief. Each time I’m regularly scanned, I have the cancer scare since it’s run rampant in my family tree. I do know what that fear is and treating it can be hell.

I truly wish you the best with this and perhaps (if you haven’t yet) ask your doctor about a good colonic diet.

Best always,

MZ