Colon cancer: Newly diagnosed guide

Colon cancer is affecting fertility in younger adults. So what can we do about it? Although life-saving measures are always discussed after a colon cancer diagnosis, fertility concerns may often be overlooked. In our care for this younger population, holistic treatment and quality of life are central to the conversation, including plans for future children. While conceiving naturally may be difficult due to treatments like radiation or surgery, there are options for hopeful families. With advancements in genetic testing and IVF, younger individuals have the option to keep growing their families, even after colon cancer treatment. So younger populations can confidently focus on the future.

We asked Mayo Clinic experts: Why are goals so important during cancer treatment?

Mabel Ryder, M.D.: Often treatments for patients’ cancer can be different. There can be different options, and so it’s important for the provider to know what the goals of the patient are, so we can pick the right treatment for them that perhaps enables them to achieve their goals for care and their other goals in life.

Judy C. Boughey, M.D.: It’s really important for the treating team to know what the patients’ goals are. These can vary based on how far they’re willing to travel, how much work they’re able to miss, and whether we need to adjust treatment plans to fit in with their family, with their job in order to enable them to complete their treatment course.

Shawna L. Ehlers, Ph.D., L.P.: You might see a young mom and she needs to be a parent. And so it’s really important for the team to understand how important and central that is to her. And that may mean trying treatments that are experimental. Because at all costs, she just wants to survive and be there. That may mean different treatment regimen that allows her a little more energy or even scheduling in the morning, so she can take a nap before the kids come home at the end of the day.

Dr. Ryder: Thyroid cancer for example: If the patient has a particular goal — such as “I’m a singer” or “I’m in a band” — and they want to preserve their vocal cord function, then a lobectomy as opposed to a near-total thyroidectomy might factor into that approach of what type of surgery we do.

Dr. Ehlers: You, as the patient, are the captain of the team, and really the only thing that matters is what your goals are. And your care needs to be built around those goals. So every part of your care should support what’s important to you in life. That’s why you’re fighting cancer.

We asked a Mayo Clinic psychologist: What's the best way to share a cancer story with others?

Shawna L. Ehlers, Ph.D., L.P., Cancer Stress Management Program: Part of what I do as a cancer psychologist, I think, is empower patients that it is their life. It's their story.

Patients come to my office a lot, asking about how to talk to other people about cancer. Sometimes people avoid going out of their house, because they don't want anybody to ask them about cancer.

You know the full experience like nobody else can, so the big, thick novel experience of your cancer. And the people closest to you know the abridged version. And people a little bit further away, the outline. And then three bullet points.

And I ask them to push that all the way out to the one bullet point you could put on the headlines at news at night and you wouldn't care who saw it. That one bullet point that you carry with you all the time so you have a response for anyone.

And it can be very sincere and genuine: "I am really tired about talking about me. I've been going to the Mayo Clinic, and they're really helping me out." And then to steer the conversation and say, "What I really want to hear about is, how are your kids?"

Dr. Ehlers has helped thousands of patients through the emotional side of being a cancer survivor.