Colon Cancer Blog

Personal recommendations are the best indicator of a colon surgeon's reputation. It's great if your doctor happens to know a surgeon personally and can attest to his/her character, record, and bedside manner. Learn more ways to assess the reputation of your potential surgeon.

If we're lucky, the challenges we face teach us lessons we can pass on to others who are experiencing a similar situation. Each week, I ask readers to consider a particular question and offer insight when they can. All responses will be considered for inclusion in articles designed to help site visitors cope with colon cancer and related conditions, such as genetic syndromes that increase colon cancer risk. This week's question: How do you cope with the nausea from chemo?

As the prices of drugs continue to skyrocket, patients need ways to save money on their costs. If you're looking for some ideas, check out Five Tips to Help Patients Reduce Drug Costs from About's Guide to Patient Empowerment. Not every idea will work for you, but using those that do in combination may help you save some money.

Have you ever heard of Hasya Yoga? I hadn't, but I read an article in the Yoga Journal today that touted the benefits of this new type of yoga developed by Madan Kataria, an Indian-based physician and author of "Laugh for No Reason." Hasya Yoga is a type of laughter therapy that combines deep, controlled breathing with stretching and belly laughter. Read more...

While all colon surgeons must meet certain requirements to practice, some surgeons are better than others. That's why finding the right colon surgeon is one of the most important steps you can take as a colon cancer patient. Learn about seven things to consider when choosing a colon surgeon.

From the Colon Cancer Forum: I'm a new kid on the block with stage 4 colon cancer. Last night I went to bed thinking about getting my affairs in order early next week. Meeting with my lawyer, shopping for a plot and saying my good-byes to friends and family. I came online today looking for info that would give me more info about how long I had. I found yours and other possitive posts. I now have a new lease on life and these posts have given me the strength I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and fight, fight, fight. THANKYOU! Respond to this post.

Stage 0 colon cancer is the earliest stage possible and is also called carcinoma in situ. Colon cancer is considered stage 0 when it hasn't moved from where it started; it's still restricted to the innermost lining of the colon. Learn more about stage 0 colon cancer.

From the Colon Cancer Forum: My 86-year-old father just had two feet of his colon removed as a treatment for stage 3 colon cancer. The doctor said my dad would not be a good candidate for chemo because of his age. It would make him too sick. He said that the cancer was not found anywhere else in his body, there is only a 50% chance the cancer could come back, and that my dad would probably die from old age before that happened. Any opinions? Respond to this post.

Cancer patients, survivors, and their families are invited to reserve their free hotel rooms for the eighth "Weekend of Hope" in Stowe, Vermont, May 2-4, 2008. Why are Stowe lodging establishments giving away hundreds of free hotel rooms? Find out by reading Free Lodging for Cancer Patients by About.com's Guide to New England Travel.

Recently, a visitor to the colon cancer forum explained that her dad had a colonoscopy on March 20th that found cancer. He's had subsequent tests and the doctors at the VA hospital plan to meet on April 15th to discuss treatment options. She's concerned that things are maybe moving too slowly and are an indication that her dad isn't getting very good care. What do you think? Do you have any advice to offer? Read the post.