Right hemicolectomy - Ronny Allan - Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer

Tag: Right hemicolectomy

The large intestine is made up of the colon (ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon) and the rectum, which carry the waste materials and get rid of it through the back passage (anus).

A right hemicolectomy operation is to remove the right-hand portion of the colon (approximately half the colon). This will include the caecum, ascending colon and a portion of the transverse colon. It is necessary to remove this much because of the way the blood supply supports the colon, rather than because the disease has spread.

If a tumor is present in either the small intestine, the caecum or the appendix, depending on margins, a right hemicolectomy is done to remove these tumours ‘en bloc’ with the right part of the colon.

26Mar 2023 by Ronny Allan No Comments

A spotlight on Appendiceal Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

A spotlight on NENs - Types, Awareness, Patient Advocacy, Spotlight on NENs - Types Series

What are Appendiceal NENsAppendiceal Neuroendocrine Neoplams (NENs) account for approximately 60% of all primary cancers in the appendix. The other main cancer types found in the appendix are regular adenocarcinomas (including signet ring cell and goblet cell) and mucinous neoplasms such as Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) or Low Grade Mucinous Neoplasms (LAMD). Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumours (aNET) account for 75% of all aNENs and are mostly indolent tumours treated effectively with simple appendectomy. In fact, most are incidentally found upon presentation of right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain in keeping with appendicitis. They are typically diagnosed in younger patients. Poorly differentiated appendiceal Neuroendocrine Carcinomas (aNEC) resemble small-cell or large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung, have aggressive behaviour, and usually present with metastatic disease at diagnosis.Mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms (MiNEN) is possible, particularly with Goblet Cell Adenocarcinoma. AnatomyThe…

20Nov 2021 by Ronny Allan 2 Comments

20th November 2010 – feeling perkier

Patient Advocacy, Survivorship, Treatment

Every year I cast my mind back to this time in 2010. Diagnosed on 26th July that year, I was in hospital from 8th - 26th November, an extended period due to complications. At that point, I had been keeping my diagnosis within close family and friends and my manager at work. People at work and my wider list of friends were probably wondering what was going on with me. Cleary, I let my emotions slip by posting this on my personal Facebook profile on 20th November 2010. Perhaps this was my way of opening up. To be honest, the first few days I was suffering a lot of fatigue and brain fog from the morphine/painkillers. The thought of posting stuff on Facebook was far from my thoughts. I was receiving…

02Aug 2016 by Ronny Allan 4 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer Nutrition Series Part 4 – Amines: Food for Thought?

Diet and Nutrition, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship

reviewed and updated 12th Feb 2022Background.Nutrition is an important subject for many cancers, but it can be particularly important for many Neuroendocrine Cancer patients. When I started writing my nutrition series (I listed the other parts below), I said that my intention is not to tell you what to eat, even though that might be a challenge for many, and this theme continues. The issue with Nutrition and Diet, in general, is that it's very individual and what works for one may not work for another.I like to focus on why such things might have an effect - patients can then experiment and see what works for them. Sometimes very few changes are required and settling on a diet that works for you is the optimum solution. p.s. Not everyone has…

16Dec 2014 by Ronny Allan 8 Comments

Surgery – the gift that keeps on giving

Survivorship, Treatment

As we approach NET Cancer Day, my thoughts return to 9 Nov 2010. I had been diagnosed with metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer a few months before and told it was incurable. However, with 'debulking' surgery, my Oncologist said my prognosis could be significantly improved. I now know from my own research that Neuroendocrine Tumours are one of a small number of cancers for which surgical debulking confers some survival advantage. Another term used at the time was 'cytoreductive' surgery which means 'to control symptoms and improve survival by removing or destroying disseminated tumour metastases'. Less neuroendocrine tumours should result in lower secretions of specific hormones which in turn should decrease the effects of Carcinoid Syndrome from which I was suffering at presentation. I'm still alive and kicking and don't feel too…