Gastric & colorectal cancer
12 articles shown
When Bathroom Habits Still Aren't the Same After Ostomy Reversal — Understanding LARS and the Bowel's Slow Adjustment
Explains why frequent stools, urgency, and a feeling of incomplete emptying can persist after ostomy reversal (Low Anterior Resection Syndrome, LARS), how the bowel slowly adapts over months to years, and how a food-and-bowel diary plus simple habits can help — including warning signs that call for medical review.
When Thin Skin Peels Every Time You Remove a Pain Patch — Understanding Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injury (MARSI) and Barrier Film Products
How fragile skin during cancer treatment can be torn when pain patches and tapes are removed (MARSI), what barrier film products do, gentle habits for applying and removing adhesives, and why to review pain control itself with your care team.
Can I Stop My Oral Chemo on My Own When Side Effects Get Bad? — Handling digestive side effects like heartburn on capecitabine (Xeloda), and why dose changes belong with your care team
When oral chemotherapy such as capecitabine (Xeloda) causes hard side effects like heartburn, the safest path lies between quitting alone and enduring everything — contact your team about a dose adjustment, a treatment pause, or symptom relief.
When 'Keytruda' Sounds Like a Last Hope — Which Colorectal Cancers Respond to Immunotherapy (MSI-H/dMMR), and What 'Almost No Side Effects' Really Means
Explains why immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) mainly benefits certain colorectal cancers (MSI-H/dMMR), how 'almost no side effects' differs from real immune-related adverse events, and the basics of insurance coverage.
When Chemotherapy Stops Working and You Wonder About a Bigger Hospital — Second Opinions, Clinical Trials, and What Major Cancer Centers Can Add
When several chemotherapy regimens stop working and families wonder whether to move to a larger hospital, the framework of standard care is often similar everywhere — but major cancer centers can differ in clinical trial access, comprehensive molecular profiling (NGS), and multidisciplinary review. This piece explains how to seek a second opinion, what to bring, and how shared care can work.
Gaining Weight After Colorectal Cancer Treatment — Why It Happens in Recovery and How to Slim Down Safely While Protecting Muscle
Why weight often climbs during recovery from colon or rectal cancer, and how survivors can lose it safely and gradually while protecting muscle and nutrition.
When Your Legs and Feet Stay Swollen After Colon Cancer Surgery — The Many Causes of Lower-Limb Swelling and the Warning Signs (Like a One-Sided, Painful Leg) That Mean You Should Call Your Doctor
An overview of why the legs and feet often swell after colon cancer surgery, the warning signs (such as a one-sided, painful leg) that point to a blood clot and need urgent care, and safe self-care like leg elevation, ankle exercises, and compression stockings.
When Your Loved One Says 'I Want to Stop' — Weighing Whether to Continue or Pause Palliative Chemotherapy
Understanding what it means when a loved one with advanced cancer wants to stop palliative chemotherapy — how to weigh quality of life against continued treatment, the difference between stopping treatment and stopping care, and the questions to ask the care team.
When a Prognosis Keeps Shrinking From Months to Weeks — Understanding Why Estimating the Time Left Is So Hard, and Why the End Can Come Faster Than Expected
A plain-language look at why a cancer prognosis can shorten quickly, what changes in function and complications like bowel obstruction actually signal, and how to shift focus toward comfort in the time that remains.
Returning to Eating Out Long After Bowel Surgery and Ostomy Reversal — Reintroducing Rich, Spicy Foods, Raw Vegetables, and Dairy at Your Own Pace
General information on returning to dining out and ordinary meals long after bowel surgery and ostomy reversal — how to reintroduce fatty, spicy, raw, and dairy foods one at a time in small amounts, observe your own tolerance, and recognize warning signs that need medical attention.
Craving Instant Noodles While Living With a Temporary Ostomy — Understanding the Difference Between What to Hold Off On and What to Enjoy in Small Amounts
When you crave foods like instant noodles during recovery with a temporary ostomy after rectal cancer surgery, this piece explains the dehydration and food-blockage risks tied to sodium and noodles, and the principle of adjusting timing and amount to enjoy them safely.
When Your CT Read Keeps Getting Delayed and You're Told to 'Come to the Outpatient Clinic' — Why Imaging Interpretation Takes Time and Why Results Are Often Shared at a Visit
When the reading of a CT scan done during a hospital stay is delayed and you're told the result will be shared at an outpatient visit, it's easy to fear bad news. This piece explains why imaging interpretation takes time, why results are often delivered at a clinic visit, and what you can ask to ease the wait.