Gastric & colorectal cancer
12 articles shown
When Green or Yellow Vomiting Won't Stop Despite Anti-Nausea Medicine — Understanding Bile Vomiting and Spotting the Warning Signs of Bowel Obstruction in Peritoneal Metastasis
In peritoneal metastasis from stomach cancer, persistent green or yellow (bile) vomiting despite antiemetics can signal a bowel obstruction; here are the warning signs to watch, how to manage dehydration, and when to call your care team.
When 'Inoperable' Liver Metastases Become Operable: Understanding Conversion Therapy in Colorectal Cancer
Liver metastases from colorectal cancer that are 'inoperable' at first can sometimes become operable after chemotherapy shrinks them—an approach called conversion therapy. This piece explains how resectability is judged, how to read tumor markers as a trend, and why follow-up continues after surgery.
Moving to Third-Line Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Understanding Oral Chemotherapy (Lonsurf) and Why Later Treatments Are Used in Sequence
How later lines of therapy work in metastatic colorectal cancer, what oral chemotherapy such as Lonsurf is, why treatments are given in a planned sequence, and how to seek a second opinion.
When you hear the unfamiliar diagnosis 'appendiceal cancer' — how it differs from common bowel cancer and why mucinous tumors spread across the peritoneum
A plain-language explainer on rare appendiceal cancer, how mucinous tumors spread across the peritoneum (pseudomyxoma peritonei), why cell grade shapes the outlook, and specialized treatments such as cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC.
Facing a GIST diagnosis: how this tumor differs from common stomach and bowel cancers, and why gene testing helps predict response to targeted therapy
A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) behaves differently from common stomach and bowel cancers. When surgery is difficult, targeted therapy such as imatinib may come first, and response can depend on gene changes like KIT or PDGFRA — so mutation testing helps guide treatment. Effect is tracked by comparing tumor size on CT rather than by a single blood marker.
When Scans Show "Nothing Wrong" but the Pain Persists — What a Referral to Pain Medicine Really Means, and Why Pain Is Real Even When Its Cause Is Invisible
When abdominal pain persists after surgery but scans show no structural cause, this explains what a referral to pain medicine means and why the pain is real even when its cause is invisible.
How Long Does Chemo After Colorectal Cancer Surgery Last? Understanding Why Adjuvant Chemotherapy Is a Fixed Course — Not "Forever"
Adjuvant chemotherapy after colorectal cancer surgery is not lifelong but a fixed course, usually about three to six months (often roughly 8–12 cycles), and the exact number may be adjusted for side effects and tolerance — so it helps to ask your care team directly how many cycles are planned and when it will end.
Menopause After Cancer Surgery — Weighing Hormone Therapy for Hot Flashes, Insomnia, and Joint Pain, and Understanding Non-Hormonal Options for Survivors
When a cancer survivor is offered hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, its safety depends on the type of cancer rather than the diagnosis alone; this article explains how gynecology and oncology should decide together and outlines non-hormonal options for hot flashes, joint pain, and bone loss.
A Sudden Sharp Pain a Year After Cancer Surgery — Why New Pain Isn't Always Recurrence, and How to Tell Everyday Aches From Warning Signs
New, sharp abdominal pain a year after gastric or other abdominal cancer surgery does not always mean recurrence. This article explains common causes such as adhesions, healing nerves, and post-gastrectomy digestion, outlines the warning signs that warrant prompt medical attention, and suggests recording symptoms when moving up a follow-up visit.
When the Patch and Pills Don't Help but an Injection Does — Understanding Breakthrough Pain and the Difference Between Long-Acting and Fast-Acting Pain Medicines
Explains why pain can vary by day and by chemotherapy cycle through the framework of background pain control versus breakthrough pain, clarifying the different roles of patches, long-acting pills, and fast-acting injections, and how to recognize when baseline pain relief is insufficient.
When Your Chemo Is Switched From 'First-Line' to 'Second-Line' — Understanding 'Lines of Therapy' in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
An easy explanation of what "lines of therapy" mean in metastatic colorectal cancer, why switching from FOLFOX to FOLFIRI is a planned next step rather than a failure, and how stabbing pain relates — or does not relate — to whether treatment is working.
When an Older Loved One Suddenly Sees Things and Can't Sleep After Surgery — Understanding Postoperative Delirium in Frail, Older Patients and Waiting for It to Pass
Older patients, and especially those with a prior stroke or cognitive decline, often develop delirium within days of major surgery. This piece explains what postoperative delirium is, why it usually eases once its causes are addressed, how families can help at the bedside, and which warning signs mean the care team should be told at once.