Colon Cancer Forum - Colon Tumor found during colonoscopy

I am very sad to be here posting this. My mother turned 60 yesterday and had her colonoscopy this morning - the doctor found a tumor that was too big to remove during the procedure. He took a few samples and sent it off for biopsy. He told us that just by looking at it, he is unable to tell us whether it is benign or malignant. He said it is about 4cm x 4cm (1.5 inches) and a fairly large size. Other than that, he said we'd have to wait a week for the results, and, whether they be malignant or benign, the mass would need to be removed anyway. Of course, I was crying my eyes out and my mom was so calm but I just am so scared. The doctor did not seem very optimistic - at least in my opinion.

So, her background. She has had diverticulitis off and on in her 50's and suffered with constipation her whole life. She has also had hemorrhoids but nothing too major. She has never been a drinker or a smoker and cancer does not run in our family at all that we know of. She is a just a tad overweight - maybe 10-20 pounds at most? Also, she has never had a colonoscopy before.

She has no pain, no weight loss and had a chest x-ray about two months ago for an elective cosmetic procedure - it was negative. However, she did tell me that she has had a tinge of bright red blood after a BM while wiping about three times in the past three years? So, this concerns me a bit.

Oh, and about two years ago, when she had severe pain in her left side, she went to the ER and they did a CT scan with iodine - they discovered that she had diverticulitis. Would they have seen the tumor at this point?

So, would mind helping my mom and me out with these questions? We would appreciate it so much. We would just like to know about the sizing and the real chances of this tumor being benign? Every place I look on the internet seems to have very little chance of it actually being non-malignant - why did the doctor not tell us the truth? Why can't he give us a better idea by just looking at it? If it is 4cm round, does this most likely mean that it has gone into her lymph nodes and metastasized to her liver? The fact that the findings were fungating and friable - does this point toward it being malignant more than benign? Why in the world was the doctor not frank with us about this - he wouldn't explain any of it!

I am so scared for my mom - I can't even function, she is my very best friend and I'm a complete wreck - I never thought this could happen to her in a million years - please give us any information and advice you have - we thank you so, so much!

*** Findings: In the rectum, a non obstructing, large size, fungating, friable 4cm. by 4cm. mass was seen. The mass was not bleeding.

Colon Tumor found during colonoscopy - chances it's benign?