My mom has had many problems with Diverticulitis. In Jan she was in the hospital for 9 days, and recently she was in for 3 for what they thought was Diverticulitis. After some sort of test (I am not sure what it was) it showed that she was not in active Diverticulitis, but had a build up of scar tissue from having it so many times. She was to have a colon resection next week when the doctor decided to do a colonsocopy today to rule out Crohn's and IBS.
Whew...ok, almost there...so in my experience (breast cancer survivor) doctors do not always say they are looking for cancer. My mom's mom died of colon cancer, so there is a risk, but I am wondering if there is anyone out there who has had something like this happen, colon cancer being "hid" by something else.
2006-09-29 01:44:49 · 3 answers · asked by BriteHope 4 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
ummm....maybe you missed the onformation where I said she was just in the hospital and is getting a colonoscopy today. That would be something a doctor performs. Thanks for the helpful information.
2006-09-29 01:50:46 · update #1
Your poor Mom, Chrohn's disease can be so difficult to deal with. It can be difficult to distinguish lesions and polyps in the intestinal tract as possible cancer or just a diverticulitis. I am sure your Mom's doctor is doing what needs to be done but yes a masking can happen. Depends on how bad the diverticulitis is. If there are too many polyps to biopsy or not. Also, these conditions she has can put her at greater risk for malignancy. Talk to her gastroenterologist and ask if every precaution is being taken and what those are, just for yours and your Mother's peace of mind. Good Health.
2006-09-29 01:55:12 · answer #1 · answered by waltnsue2000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose it is possible that there could be an early cancer there, but MUCH more common is the scarring that you describe associated with repeated bouts of diverticulitis/diverticulosis.
Personally, I would rather be diagnosed with colon cancer than any of the other situations you describe (diverticulitis with scarring or either of the inflammatory bowel diseases). Colon cancer in the early stages is very curable, the others are not so easily.
2006-09-29 08:55:35 · answer #2 · answered by finaldx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
see a doctor
2006-09-29 08:47:35 · answer #3 · answered by delta s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋