Had colorectal cancer resection. since it leaned more to rectal cancer, they have suggested chemo and radiation, I am 67 years old. Took out twenty lymph nodes, they were all negative for cancer. The radiation will only be a 10 percent benefit. This only for preventive recurrence. They said rectal cancer has more of a chance to reoccur. I want to do whatever would be beneficial for my survival. Do you think it would be worth the treatments. I will deal with the side affects if it will prolong my life. Would like your opinion.
Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. In my opinion you should take chemotherapy and radiotherapy both. In abdominal surgeries high chances of spillage of tumor cells in peritoneal cavity during handling of the tumor. So local recurrence is high. So better to give chemotherapy and radiotherapy both. Radiotherapy acts locally and prevent local recurrence while chemotherapy prevent s local as well as distal metastases. So my suggestion is to start chemotherapy and radiotherapy.