A Dream Come True
- Country Ever After star Criscilla Anderson, wife of singer Coffey Anderson, joyfully shared news that every cancer patient dreams of: No evidence of disease.
- The mother of three, 41, took to Instagram to share her incredible news after battling stage 4 colon cancer since 2019. She was initially diagnosed with stage 3 in 2018.
- Advanced stages of colorectal cancer are not always curable, but because there are many treatment options available, they can often be managed, says a leading expert.
The mother of three, 41, took to Instagram to share her incredible news after battling stage 4 colon cancer.
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Anderson has been battling advanced stage colon cancer since 2019, and was initially diagnosed in 2018. She had been treated with chemotherapy for a second time and reported progress in April.
"Great scan results!" she wrote on her Instagram stories at the time. "All tumors shrunk to normal lymph node size."
Anderson also said that her blood work was within the normal range. "I'm taking it in," she reported of her big news. "My Dr. reminded me this chemo doesn't eradicate cancer but this is the best I could have asked for. My God is bigger than chemo."
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The family did not halt life plans whatsoever amid Anderson's battle and their dream home they are building in Dallas is nearly finished. Just in time for her good news. A prime example to keep fighting through your disease no matter what.
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Anderson's inspiring battle reminds us to live in the present and not give in to the stigma of this disease, or an advanced stage cancer diagnosis.
Anderson, of course, has gone through her ups and downs, but overall has shown immense strength as a wife, mother, and artist. The hip hop dancer has taught classes throughout her cancer journey, and even coached the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. She admittedly had her down days after her treatments, which she flew back to Los Angeles for every three weeks, but overall she has been a powerhouse who has inspired thousands of fans, along with her impressive support system in their highly active Dallas neighborhood.
Now she can breathe a bit deeper, relax and continue celebrating life with her family as she recovers.
Losing her fight to this disease has never been an option for Anderson.
Once asked by a follower how she is “preparing her children for her death” during a casual Q + A series on her Instagram stories, Anderson sounded off on the stigma of a late-stage cancer prognosis. In the fan's defense, they noted that their mother died from cancer, so they were likely speaking from their own emotions, though it understandably came off as startling to Anderson.
Understanding Advanced Stage Colon Cancer
Advanced stages of colorectal cancer are not always curable. But because there are so many treatment options available, they can often be managed.
Every cancer is different and every person's battle is uniquely their own, but it's important to understand treatment for stage 4 colon cancer, and what it means in most cases.
Dr. Paul Oberstein from NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center says that options for treatment are complicated and unique to each person. There are different surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments depending on where the tumor is in the body.
"When someone comes in with cancer that has spread outside the colon, it's called stage 4 colon cancer or metastatic colon cancer," Dr. Oberstein tells SurvivorNet. "The primary goal of therapy, and we discuss this in great detail with patients and their families, is to manage the cancer, is to try to control the cancer, to turn it into what we call a chronic disease, so to prevent it from growing, spreading, and causing problems."
Treatment of Advanced Stage Colon Cancer
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