Will he always be at risk for cancer?

Moomaus asked...

My husband was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in July of 2003. After right colon resection and over 9 months of stage IV chemotherapy, he was officially pronounced CURED by his oncologist September 2009. His scans taken at his six year check up all showed well. Then about two months later, out of the blue, my husband experienced visual blood in his urine. Not messing around, we went straight to his internist and then off to the urologist where another CT Scan was done and showed no tumors or cancer growth but a constricted right ureter. Two months earlier, this was not present on his CT Scan. We checked in a week later for a ureteroscope and were told that there are two very suspecious growths in the right ureter...one near the bladder, the other much smaller near the kidney. Except for this one time incident, my husband has had no problems with urination or feeling of obstruction or pain in the kidney area. Preliminary biopsy showed "inconclusive" but more testing came back again as a highly suspecious growth. So now, we have surgery scheduled for December 31 for removal or right ureter and KIDNEY. All suspect this is transitional cell cancer but no reason to believe that it is not contained. You can image our shock...I mean all is clear and two months later cancer to the point of having major, major surgery. I'm scared to say the very least. All doctors, including his oncologist DO NOT FEEL that this new outbreak is in any way, shape, or form connected to his Colon Cancer...they all seem to feel he is done with that. My own thoughts are do we now live with waiting for the shoe to drop every few years...is he more prone to secondary cancers because of his colon cancer? I'm told the TCC is very rare where it is seen in him and highly aggressive along with a high rate of recurrence. Can anyone help clarify this all for me. My husband is 57 years old and in general good health. He sailed, and I really do mean sailed through the vigorous treatment that he had for his colon cancer and bounced back with a gusto. But I know that this second diagnosis has taken the wind out of his sails a little and has completely rocked my boat! What are the chances of cure? Are there any good treatments out there should the final staging prove to be beyond T2? Any information, advise, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

Expert Answer

Andrew Putnam, M.D. is a Palliative Care physician at Smilow Cancer Center at Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale University.

Unfortunately there can be recurrence of the original cancer but the longer the disease-free time (6 years is a long time)the less likely it will return. Some necessary treatments, however, can increase by small amounts the risk of getting a new cancer. Also there continues to be the risk of other cancers (like anyone else)as having had one cancer does not prevent the person from getting a second different cancer.