Stage 4 Survivor Stephen | Colorectal Cancer Survivor Story
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
- Receiving a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis is scary, especially when you’re only 28 years old. I talk with Stephen, a Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer survivor, about his symptoms, what happened when treatment plan 1 failed, and what it’s like being on an immunotherapy clinical trial. He also talks about how finding out he has Lynch Syndrome affected his treatment and also saved his mother’s life. This interview is a MUST WATCH!
Colorectal Cancer Alliance: www.ccalliance.org/
⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️
0:00 Intro
1:17 About Stephen pre-cancer
2:10 The symptoms he experienced
4:14 How he was diagnosed with colon cancer
6:33 His official diagnosis
9:11 His treatment plan A
10:15 NanoKnife surgery
13:19 Plan B - Immunotherapy clinical trial
16:19 Enrolling in a clinical trial
18:03 What it's like being on a clinical trial
20:12 Clinical trial phasing explanation
21:20 Getting to NED (no evidence of disease)
23:24 How long the immunotherapy trial lasted
26:15 His current follow-up monitoring schedule
27:03 His advice to ANY cancer patient
✅Click on this link to subscribe so you can hear more about what to expect after a cancer diagnosis: / @survivorjelena
😟Newly diagnosed and want to learn what it’s really like to go through treatment from a patient’s perspective? Check out my playlist What to Expect During Colorectal Cancer Treatment - • What To Expect During ...
😷My Colorectal Cancer Symptoms: • My Colorectal Cancer S...
💩My Ileostomy Reversal Experience: • My Ileostomy Reversal ...
💙The Story of My Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis: • The Story of My Colore...
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Your such a lovely young man you’ve been through so much! You deserve all the blessings life has to offer.I’m stage 4 too but I didn’t go through as much, but a different journey,I was misdiagnosed anal cancer, wrong treatments,gaslighted missed biopsies,after liver resection, I went on immune therapy too, it worked! It’s so true people Have to be involved! If only I knew in the beginning when my cancer was curable treatable!! God bless you for helping so many people with this!!
Stephen's story is so inspirational. My heart and prayers go out to him.
I hope he can live a happy healthy life for as long as possible.
I am stage 4 too ,but not bowel cancer, and although it can’t be cured it can be treated. I have accepted it and am living well.
jelena thank you. i was just diagnosed with rectal cancer. seeing the surgeon next week. and i am so grateful for this channel
Very inspirational. It’s 2023, how are you today? I pray that you’re well.
I'm sorry to hear that you had the colorectal cancer. I just want to say that you're beautiful person in-outside. By the way, Stephen was a true fighter! I really proud of him!
Was? Did he pass away?
Your story is giving me so much hope cause I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer PET scan found cancer in my colon multiple adjacent lymph nodes, Nodularity of the omentum suspicious for carcinomatosis, 1.8cm right adrenal nodules suspicious for metastasis I will have my first chemotherapy round this Friday 6/16/2023 I’m really scare right now if anyone out there go through same diagnosis like me please advise I’m truthful thank you 🙏
How are you now?
My mom also just got diagnosed (stage not determined yet). Let me know if you want to talk
I’m watching this as my mother is experiencing some symptoms related to colorectal cancer. Fortunately she has a great support system and managed to get an appointment directly to a proctologist. As her symptoms have been showing for the past 3 weeks, she will have an colonoscopy next week. Hope it is nothing, but if it is I have to say your channel will be very helpful to understand what should be a adequate course of action. Thank you very much!
Thank you for caring enough to put this important message out there! These testimonies make a huge difference in others’ individual battles. God bless!
Thank you! Your comment is exactly why I wanted to put others’ stories on here too.
@SurvivorJelena I am contacting you from South Africa, my boyfriend has stage 3 colon cancer, we would like for him to go that side for treatment, could you please get us in touch with Steven for the details of his doctor. We are so desperate please, he is starting to lose hope and thinks he will die any time. Thank you
Congrats Steven!!
I wish we all can live until our ripe old age
Your suffering was so horrific. I am so happy you survived it.
Thanks for telling your story. I’m sure you have saved some lives. Best wishes for continued good health.
What’s great interview. And getting a second opinion if you have any doubts about your plan is the way to go. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for another great video! I could relate to a lot of his story. I, too, was ignored, given laxatives and told I was "too young" for colon cancer, even though I was 45 and told them that my dad had it. I almost died due to the doctors and ended up on life support. I was initially stage 3. They found residual cancer at my colostomy takedown, and now, it's back again, spread to my mesentery and I'm stage 4. It was great to hear Stephen's story!
How are you now?
@@aathira7583 I'm hanging in there. I'm on chemo for life.
Are you ok now?
Stephen, one more thing. Alot of ER docs think everyone is drug seeking. I have never abused narcotics. The Thanksgiving before last, I got up late at nite and cut my heel. 14hrs later, I knew I needed stitches and an antibiotic. OK, so we did that. About 4am I knew something was wrong so I went back to the ER. I had MRSA. So they put me on iv antibiotics and by this time, i felt like my foot was on fire. I asked for 1pain med, and he said that I didn't need it for my situation. I ended up seeing a great infectious disease specialist and I was on iv antibiotics for 6 days. The truth of the matter is the type of pain you went thru and I went thru, ER meds wouldn't help. Anyway, lots of love and best wishes to.
No
Hi jelina. I’m the 55 year old guy survivor stage-3 and still getting better ❤️🩹 after the estoma reversal. Wow , guy !!! You are brave and very knowledgeable of your diagnosis. God bless you and help you live a long life. Amen 🙏.
Congratulations!!
Awesome for you! Congratulations!
Steven’s experience is so amazing! I’m so new with everything and just recently instead on seeing a gastroenterologist but it is only a video call this Wednesday. I wish I could have a conversation with Steven. Please thank him for doing the interview.
Stephen, first of all, I have to say I love you and I'm so happy you have conquered this awful disease. I am going thru some stuff right now, and I am looking forward to getting some resolution to my situation. My Dad was a Neurologist, since deceased, and I was very lucky to have his advice and access to great doctors. Now, I am on my own, and I am kinda scared. I have been through 3 serious spinal surgeries as a result of being rear-ended. But that was different. One thing I have to say is when you first went to the crappy ER, they should have drawn your blood, you had to have been extremely anemic. I am really deep down heart happy that you are doing so well and being so inspirational to others.And to Jelena, this series was amazing. You captured each individual 's journey so well. Thank you.
Thank you
thank you stephen for telling your story, thank you
Wow!!! I have hope if my Lynch returns!!
So inspirational buddy....congratulations🎉🎉
The body and medicines are incredibly complicated. It's best to learn and much as you can, and don't rush in or toss out any solution.
God bless you!
Great story…
I freaking love Steven! I live in the same state as he does. 🥰
Thank you ♥️
Wow, amazing. Your team sounded great.
Enjoy your life.
Amazing , inspirational story!
So, so good. Thanks for the series.
You’re welcome! I hope you learned a little from it. 😀
This is God's miracle on this kind man💖💖💖🙏🙏🙏
All good comes from above
Hey Jelena I just sub to your channel. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I have a loved one that was just diagnosed with appendix cancer and this gives me hope.
Thanks for subscribing, and happy to pass along a little hope to you 💙
Thanks for your work in this video. You are an angel!
You’re welcome. I’m happy you enjoyed it 💙
Amazing story and he so right read everything u can love your interviews
Thank you! And yes, as long as you’re reading from trusted sources, learning as much as you can will help you so much.
I was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer on January 5th. My radiation oncologist said I had an extremely rare miss-matched mutant tumor, but easily treated with immunotherapy using Keytruda. At the last minute, my medical oncologist informed me that my genetic blood test indicated an over-expressed gene and that chemotherapy using Folfox would be a better treatment, which I started on March 4, 2024. In addition, I started taking Fenbenzadole 222mg daily with Turmeric, (Joe Tippens) protocol. I already have seen about a 90% decrease in rectal blood and also a 75% decrease in having to take any pain medication. I don't know if it's Folfox, Fenbenzadole or both, but I will continue both.
blessings 💕 Michelle
For how long have I been hearing the 'you're too young to have cancer' line? I can't believe doctors still think like that.
I wonder how many 'too young' people have died from cancer because of this attitude. It's criminal.
I am very appreciative of you making this public. My diagnosis was Anal Rectal Cancer, a rare cancer, this year. Which I knew 15 months before diagnosis there was some serious issue, but could not get GP attention. I changed GP. Had to wait 12 full months on public wait list before Colonoscopy test, & have been treated at a young for age 74 on the public system with very impersonal attitude & almost no info. Had to google a lot. Recent PET Scan shows significant reduction, but I am concerned for ultimate outcome as if Surgery is required I have been told it is DRASTIC with removal of Anal Rectum. I plan to see a Private Specialist after PET in 10 wks. Like you I have had to advocate a lot for myself lying in a hospital bed with blood transfusions & practically no food gor a week as the hospital couldn't cater to lactose free & IBS issues. So thank you for this valuable info. I will push to enquire re Clinical Trials if needed.
That stinks you had to wait so long to get a colonoscopy - it’s a good thing you kept advocating for yourself. I’ve got a few videos on living with a colostomy, so check those out (if you haven’t already) to learn more about from others that have had everything removed “back there”.
I’m 70,have metastatic Amal Cancer,that spread to my liver,I had chemo / radition first, liver resection,than immune therapy, please look into immune therapy ,I was on Keytruda. I have been NEC for a few years
Also you have to make sure you go to a doc that knows about anal cancer! It’s a rare cancer. Private docs aren’t always good.I go to UCSD NCI cancer center is best for outcomes, clinical trials etc. also they. Take charity low income,your wait for tests is to long. Good luck🙏🏾
What an Inspiring testimony n all your information so helpful!! Please keep it up Your AMAZING!! ❤️🙏❤️🌹
Thank you so much!
I just can't stop trying to die 😂 he's got a dark sense of humor 😂
Stephen you certainly do an amazing job describing what you experienced with your cancer treatments. Yours is a very inspirational and hopeful story. Thanks so much for sharing.
Regarding your need to fire your first oncologist and find a new provider - you certainly did the right thing. Utilizing an academic medical center for cancer treatment has many benefits especially when dealing with a more challenging cancer diagnosis. One of the benefits of being treated at an academic medical center is the use of what is called a Tumor Review Board. Each newly diagnosed patient is presented to a group of oncology specialists - including medical, surgical and radiation oncologists. As a group they agree to a treatment plan for each patient. So you get the benefits of many opinions all at once. Plus in an academic center you have the potential to be included in a clinical trial - which was so critical to your success.
I’ve been blessed with an incredible team of physicians, NP’s, PA’s, RN’s, radiation techs and others who have helped me with my stage 3b treatments. The technology behind treatment is amazing. But the compassion, passion and dedication of so many people caring for you is equally important. I’m glad you’ve had such a miraculous outcome!
My mom was diagnosed with stage 1 colon cancer. She went Thur chemo and radiation. Then surgery after surgery all they did was monitor. They saw signs of it still be there in her body but it was small the Dr. Did want to put her thru chemo. That was a big mistake cuz it spread like wildfire to her lungs and also got pneumonia. She got treatment and underwent chemo again. It was working. A week after it had spread again and she ended up passing. She went once to the er and they told us she has stage 4 and that's the final stage and there's no going back. The disease can only be maintained. I was so mislead and confused that the oncologist didn't educate us better.
I'm so sorry about the loss of your mom.
Many doctors believe that cancer is a fungus very similar to the fungus that eventually decomposes the body.
@@lenny108 huh??
@@tcreative8030 You can google it: "Cancer is a Fungus: A Revolution in Tumor Therapy"
I hope you have a new oncologist? Do your research! Look into NCI cancer centers near you
LOL…L❤VED when you used the word grim…I been struggling with stage 4…almost 7 years so I’m skipping all the hard parts and loving the positive, Thank You
Hi I was wondering if you had liver Mets a d lung Mets and what treatment you had
NED or cancer free
Hi
I too am in the same stage as stephen was..could you get me the exact details of the immunotherapy drug that cured him?
It worked for him because he has Lynch Syndrome, but the name of the drug combination he was on was Atezolizumab (MPDL3280A) and Avastin.
This is why i hate some doctors they always goes like "you are so young! You are fine... come back tomorrow"
What was your diet during cancer treatment?
I hope he's doing well by now..
He is doing well. 💙
Brave.
Was the burst artery due to the Avastin? I had to go off Avastin for 8 weeks because I was offered Y90. 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after since Avastin affects the vascular system.
Is the drug on the market yet? What’s the name? How does one find it?
Hi mam after 28 days of chemoradiation what was the next procedure for you...please tell me till the surgery
Surgery was next. I did this video on all the appointments between chemo/rad and then: Getting Ready for Surgery - All the Appointments th-cam.com/video/Un3nd_cx3hk/w-d-xo.html
Everyone should have a Patient Navigator.
I just had a clogged up feeling like i cant go poop without external meds and although its not bloody stools its small pieces im 30 and i just was wondering when you were diagnosed i didnt see your age on the vids
I was diagnosed at 34. Stephen was diagnosed before age 30.
So many have had the same experience with the health care system..."you're too young". I get really pissed off. As a nurse practitioner, I am ashamed of these providers. C'mon guys, please get with the program...people's lives are at sake...smh..😠😠
I'm glad to hear about some of the good medical professionals out there like you that sound like you listen to and believe patients when they come in with problems.
@@SurvivorJelena yes, so sorry about your experience.
How r u doing now
What is the name of the doctor that he went for his immunotherapy and the hospital he works at?
It’s Dr. Wells Messersmith, he works at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.
@@SurvivorJelena thank you!
Love this Information Especially the end when he says study your case learn your facts if they tell you not to Google it I believe they’re bad doctor
It angers me how the medical world can treat human beings. Why is it this way???where they treat someone who could be someone they love so dismissive or like a number. Medical science has a long way to go in compassion but we reap what we sow. And there's no way we aren't held accountable for our behavior
Stages mean nothing my mum had incurable and inoperable cancer and by a miracle she went private and cancer was removed x
So happy to hear your mom was able to have her cancer removed. Stages can determine the treatment, but if you’re hitting roadblocks with treatment a second opinion can literally be a lifesaver.
How is his progress going?
He is still celebrating being cancer-free.
ER’s are horrible never go to ER
I went few times because of sharp pains they treat me like crazy woman saying your over reacting everything looks great you are very healthy and send me home. Well but I was right something was wrong with my body very soon my GE doctor found out that there was two big precancerous tumors in my colon.
Yeah, ERs aren’t the best at diagnosing pain that they can’t see. I’m glad your GE doc was able to help.
@@SurvivorJelena thank you
@@SurvivorJelena what symptoms pls tell
@@SurvivorJelena what symptoms pls tell
I been bleed for a month only after I whip is it some type of cancer?
You should talk to your doctor about it.
This is meant as constructive feedback so please take it as such. I find it really difficult watching you interview folks with that huge smile on your face and often laughing throughout as your guests share their horror stories with cancer. Perhaps you're not even aware of this disposition or perhaps its a nervous tic, but smiling, laughing, or making jokes while someone recounts a traumatic experience is inappropriate.
What happens if the colon cancer has been considered inoperable? 🤔 second opinion ?
Yes, second opinion, or begin other treatment and then you may become operable.
Immunotherapy in Latin America is so expensive.
None
Stage 4 will come back in a few years. Enjoy your life because it will in a few years.
You obviously didn’t watch the whole video.
And even if he did, it is a bad way to say that