[Boatanchors] W8DBF Has Left The Stage -

[Howard L Ritter, Jr]

Duane--

I'm terribly sorry to read what you shared with us in your email. Please be
assured that out best wishes are with you.

It may be helpful to know that I am a hematologist and oncologist (blood and
cancer specialist) in private practice in Toledo. I would hope that your
doctor's assessment of "advanced colon cancer" is a knee-jerk reaction,
since from the sound of it he had no evidence of any such thing prior to
finding out about your iron deficiency. Certainly iron-deficiency anemia can
be produced by CURABLE colon cancers as well as by advanced ones. All that
it takes is for the tumor to bleed into the colon over a long period of
time. The "advanced" part of advanced colon cancer is not required for the
development of iron deficiency, and actually does not contribute anything in
that respect. So if your doctor has no other reason to suspect advanced
colon cancer, please keep your chin up. Also bear in mind that not all iron
deficiency is due to cancer of any kind in the first place, but certainly in
a man it causes us to look for it without fail.

Obviously your doctor's recommended course of action must be followed, but I
hope it will prove his suspicions incorrect. Hopefully what you are told by
your doctor(s) there will be perfectly understandable, but I know how
patients are often left wondering just what the doctor meant when new
concepts are discussed, and if I can contribute in any way to your
understanding of what is found or what is proposed, please feel free to
email me at any time.

Best wishes,

--howard n7exn
[Howard L Ritter, Jr, MD]