Renee Gentzel

So, it turns out my cancer partied hard with my lymph nodes. Not only did my cancer pop-up early in life (before age 50), but it decided to also break into the top rarities of metastatic colon cancer. Isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis (meaning spread of the cancer only to this area and nowhere else) of colon cancer occurs in less than 2% of patients. Yet, as of today, I am confirmed to be one of these patients. The biopsy of the hot lymph node was confirmed to contain adenocarcinoma, and it is likely that another enlarged lymph node nearby also contains the cancer (this one was unable to be biopsied). What’s next? Definitely the addition of avastin. Will be discussing options with my bevy of oncologists and surgeons.

As one of my fellow patients on Colontown put it, “Cancer is a rollercoaster ride that you can’t get off of.”

With that news over, I’ll be trying to focus now on the holidays! Hope everyone enjoys their time off of work, that great family memories are made, and cheers to a better New Year in 2020!