Has anyone survived stage 4 stomach cancer?

Fred said:

I had something just short of this, with malignant cells in my abdominal cavity but no grossly visible tumor. I was treated with a new chemo regimen consisting of platinum, taxotere, and 5-fu and later had radiation therapy and surgery (gastrectomy). There was a complete remission of my tumor (and erradication of the malignant cells ) with the chemotherapy. No visible tumor at surgery, but some evidence it had been in 3 lymph nodes. About as good a response as one could hope for. Ask your brother specifically to ask his doctor about that chemo regimen.

amandastam said:

hello
if there was no VISIBLE tumor, may i ask HOW the doctors diagnosed you ? i mean, with what method did they use to diagnose you? what symtoms did you have that made you go to the doctor? i can NOT get my doctor to take me seriously or give me any kind of catscan or anything else. i have symptoms, like, bloating after meals, feeling like throwing up, tired all the time, stomach discomfort......etc... but the doctor just says i have heartburn w/o running any test!

rnicolosi said:

My mother diagnosed with peritoneal cancer
Good morning. My mom was recently diagnosed with cancer of the peritoneum. After many months of testing, not eating or drinking, they decided to remove her gall bladder. When they opened her up, they found cancerous cells in her abdominal cavity. She will have her fourth chemo treatment in a week and may be done after that. Her bloodwork all comes back looking good. The chemo is taking its toll on her. She is very depressed and listless. I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to how to deal with this? I cannot imagine how she feels, only someone with this diagnosis can understand. I feel helpless, like I should be doing more. I feel there are so many more options out there. She lives in a small town where they are not up on the most recent technology and advancements. She doesn't want to get a second opinion and have to go through more testing. She even refuses to check out this website and get more info or talk to someone. Her oncologist recommended she see a therapist and she said she would but hasn't done anything about it.

Her oncologist told us that it's terminal but hasn't told my mom that. The testing did not find any tumors or masses anywhere else so I don't understand how it can be terminal. Can't the chemo kill the cells and put her into remission?

Thank you for listening and any advice you can offer. And God bless all of you who are going through this.


Robbin

chrischeca said:

Very similar type of stomach cancer
Hi DJ,

I was diagnosed in Sep 08 with a carcinoma on my stomach, they also did a laparoscopy and found that the tumor had penetrated the wall of the stomach and was spread to the peritoneal cavity. I have been in chemo treatment for 7 months now and I still have hopefully another month or two of chemo. I have had 10 cycles of which 9 were with the same dose EOX (Epirubisin, Oxiplatinin and Xeloda) plus avastin. The 10th one was only the Avastin and continue with the Xeloda on a lower dose. I have been getting them every 3 weeks. I have another 2 to go with the reduced dose and then a CAT Scan. If the CAT Scan looks positive they will do another laparoscopy to see if the cells on the peritoneal are gone. After doing that, they will consider surgery or another alternative. Your story gives me a lot of hope since it appears we have the same diagnostic and now I know someone that was able to eliminate the cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity.
I am originally from Mexico, just turned 40 and have a lovely wife and 3 beautifull children (8, 5 and 3). I am undergoing my treatment in Memorial Sloan in New York. Please keep in touch to see how are you doing. I wish you all the luck and remember that you will live for a very long period of time. If you have additional information that you would like to share with me please do so.
Christian.

SunnyD961 said:

Stomach cancer survivor again...
Hello. I am a 25-year-old Black female. I didn't know why I was sick at the time, but I was 23 years old, and I wasn't actually diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer until after my 24th birthday, mental and emotional toll, and a partial-gastrectomy in Feb. 2008. I started chemotherapy soon after surgery for 6 months finishing in Aug. 2008. Not even a month after my last cycle I was having symptoms again, and by Sept. I couldn't take it anymore. I knew why I was in pain, not having an appetite, getting bloated, and wanting to vomit. My heart told me my cancer was coming back. As of Sept. 2008, I am currently battling stomach cancer again. I will continue to go through every drug there is until there is no more, as long as I have more time with my family. My 3 year old son needs his mother around as long as I can be. As long as my Lord allows me to be here. I am going to fight until the end for my son, and my husband. Yes, there will be pain along the way. I am willing to bear it. Whoever said life's experiences would be easy and painless?

I have been through too much death in my short life to allow an invasion of my body to take me to my deathbed lying down. Never. My father died when I was 3 months old, my brother at 14 yrs., my step-father at 16 yrs., my mother at 21 yrs. and my grandmother (her mother) at 22 yrs. old. Not to mention, other uncles and aunts, cousins and friends along the way. I shouldn't be afraid of death by now, but I am scared shitless. lol I should hate the world and everyone in it, but I don't. I should have given up long before I was stricken with cancer, but I haven't. I'm not going to.

You tell your brother to fight for all he is worth. It will never be easy or painless all the time, but to have another moment with his children, nieces and nephews, parents, siblings, and friends. Maybe one day they will find a cure for us, and maybe not. He shouldn't allow today's drug pharmaceuticals predict his outcome tomorrow. Medicine has made huge strides over the years, and I don't think it will ever stop. So why should he? There is always someone worse off than you. Keep living and keep fighting.

kat26 said:

Hi I am a young stomach cancer fighter too x
HelloI am a 26 year old
Hello

I am a 26 year old white female from England. Last year at 25 i was also diagnosed with stomach cancer and have had my stomach and spleen removed. I had five weeks of radiotherapy and 3 cycles of chemo (i lost too much weight to finish the planned fourth one). My uncle died at 27 of it and my aunt in her 60's. My mum had it also and had a partial gastrectomy and chemo in 2007. Did you have any family history of stomach cancer? do you know if you had the h pylori infection? did they give you any indication of why you might have got it so young? i started out just with the odd bit of food poisoning, or so i thought, about two years ago, then i started getting a pain in my chest and bloating when i ate. I told my doctor about it and he sent me for an endoscopy due to my family history. The doctors from the endoscopy told me it was only ulcers and gave me ulcer tablets. I took those and went back two months later and they told me the ulcers should have healed and discharged me! they said it wasn't standard to check with another endoscopy and i definitely didn't have cancer etc. Months went by and i got really ill, could barely eat anything without throwing up and was getting severe acid reflux etc. They then put camera down me again and said could see slight blockage but no cancer in biopsies etc. It was only when i got so ill one day that i got in touch with my mums cancer surgeon. He sent me for urgent PET scan and then called me in to be operated on the next week. When they operated they found tumour was actually in the stomach walls and whole stomach had to go. It had also just touched my spleen so they took that out too. It hadn't spread to lymphs but due to spleen it is a grade 4. He was furious and couldn't believe i hadn't been taken serioulsy from the very beginning with my family history. I always ate my five a day of fruit and veg, never smoked or touched drugs and excercised reguarly.

I really hope you are doing well and keep fighting, my prayers are with you. This is such a tough disease but the fact we are still here fighting says alot. I have been through some dark days hating the world thinking why did i deserve this but i am trying to keep my faith. Really hope you are coping ok and would be great to hear from you xx

kat26 said:

Hi Cathy
Thanks so much for
Hi Cathy

Thanks so much for your reply and i am so sorry to hear of what you have been through. I hope you are still recovering well and your treatment is sucessful. How is it going? it would be great to keep in touch. Did you ever look into genetic testing for your family? x

LarryT said:

I am stage 4, stomach cancer, have survived for 2 years, 50 years old, and male.

To your question: I eat 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruits. A breast cancer study showed that having >5 servings of vegetables and fruits a day cut down cancer recurrence rate by 50%. I do not eat red meat. I do not eat salty, spicy, or oily foods. A rule of thumb is to eat fresh foods. Some traditional Chinese foods are bad in that regard due to special treatments for preservation. I exercise every day, starting from 10 min. a day last year to now 35 min a day. I sleep 8 hours a day. I appreciate life and am enjoying my life.

I went thru chemo and radiation therapies. The success rates of those treatments are low, about 30% per my oncology doctor, but unfortunately are the best one can find today. Never give up those conventional treatments. In fact the best defense against cancer is our body's immunity system. And the best way to build up one's immunity system is to do what I said above. Unconventional approaches can be supplemental. Miracles do happen. I have seen at least one success case. Just do not bet on it.

My life was not always like what I said above. I used to smoke, slept 4 to 5 hours a day, never ate breakfast, skipped lunch more often than not, had high pressure from work, and thus ill tempered. Looking back, I admit I deserved the cancer.

Encourage your brother. Never give up. Never!