Metastatic Colon Cancer treated by maintenence chemo

mymomrocks

My Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2006. After a colon resection, they discovered that it had spread into her lymphnodes. She was treated with chemo (5FU and Oxcillipattin) for the normal treatment time. In June of 2007 she was complaining of pain in her vaginal srea. There was no sign of cancer. By January 2008 her tumor marker was rising. They performed a laprosopic surgery on her in Feb. discovering that cancer had spread to her rectum, uterus, vagina, and appendix. She had surgery that March. She was given an ostomy bag. After the surgery she had radiation and chemo and now recieves maintence chemo monthly. So far so good. They gave her the diagnosis of microscopic disease, but it seems to be under control. I try to be optomistic, but realistic at the same time. With my Mom recieving maintence chemo and constant care; what kind of time line are we looking at. I am a firm believer in God and am not asking anyone to tell me what only "HE" knows. I am just asking for stats!

robinvan

Welcome...
I'm sorry to hear about your Mom's cancer. It sounds like she has been through the wringer!

I'm a stage 4 survivor with local spread to the sacrum. I can relate to what your Mom has experienced by way of recurrences. I am also on a maintenance regime of chemo, ERBITUX. I was wondering about this same question today as I walked along the seaside. How long do I realistically have?

Regarding statistics... they are really not helpful in predicting an individual's response. That is not what stats are for. You cannot make an estimate of timeframe from stats. Even if such stats existed for your Mom's situation. I know if I asked my oncologist about my timeframe he would only shrug his shoulders and say "we can't know". I truly doubt that there is anyone on this board who could give you a sense of what time your Mom may have left. For myself... I have absolutely no idea. Too many factors to consider.

As difficult as this is we have to learn to live with this uncertainty. Stage 4 is bad enough! There are those around us dying every day. If your Mom is well now... enjoy it. You will know when the days are getting short.

Others may offer different thoughts and wisdom...

Rob; in Vancouver

coloCan

robinvan said:

Welcome...
I'm sorry to hear about your Mom's cancer. It sounds like she has been through the wringer!

I'm a stage 4 survivor with local spread to the sacrum. I can relate to what your Mom has experienced by way of recurrences. I am also on a maintenance regime of chemo, ERBITUX. I was wondering about this same question today as I walked along the seaside. How long do I realistically have?

Regarding statistics... they are really not helpful in predicting an individual's response. That is not what stats are for. You cannot make an estimate of timeframe from stats. Even if such stats existed for your Mom's situation. I know if I asked my oncologist about my timeframe he would only shrug his shoulders and say "we can't know". I truly doubt that there is anyone on this board who could give you a sense of what time your Mom may have left. For myself... I have absolutely no idea. Too many factors to consider.

As difficult as this is we have to learn to live with this uncertainty. Stage 4 is bad enough! There are those around us dying every day. If your Mom is well now... enjoy it. You will know when the days are getting short.

Others may offer different thoughts and wisdom...

Rob; in Vancouver

Here;s one way to look at things:
You can't do nothing much about yesterday except learn from it;
You can't do nothing much about tomorrow, tho you can make plans, you might be dead.
So you might as well do the best you can today cos thats where you are now.

There were times I was living/suffering second to second.Now, I do the most I can in a given day and rue wasting time. How long Do I have? How long do you have? Don't know. Thats why we gotta live now, as best we can given current circumstances.......steve