question stage IV

shellyfox

Dad was dx with stage IV colon cancer...(went to liver).... he had surgery and 6 chemo treatments, A recent pet scan shows no more liver lesions. He wants to stop chemo, doc wants him to continue. Dad is 79 and is not sure he wants o spend wht time is left sick from chemo. Any thoughts? i don't know what to tell dad.

geotina

Shelly
My hubby is Stage IV, mets to liver and lungs. After he finished his first six months of chemo, he is doing what I call mainenance chemo or chemo light. It is much easier than the initial six months. It is an IV of 5FU and Leucovorin ever week (about 30 minute infusion) adding Avastin ever other week which only adds about 10 minutes to the infusion time. This combo has worked well for George. Only side effect has been fatigue in the evening of chemo day. Perhaps this would work for your Dad in keeping he cancer at bay. What kind of chemo is the doc wanting your Dad to continue? Some people just take the oral (pill) form of 5FU. Anyway, hope this helps.

Tina

John23

Just an opinion.....


I would allow Dad to make his own choices, regardless of what
they are.

Cancer is a horrible condition that goes in directions we can't
predict. Some do well with chemo, some don't. Some do well
with alternatives, some don't. So encouraging someone to go
in a direction you think is best, is something that will hang heavy
with you if it fails. The responsibility and choice should be with
the one that is going to pay the biggest price.

That said.....

If dad chooses to forego the chemo and conventional treatments,
you -can- encourage him to explore the benefits of diet and
some of the less invasive alternatives. They do no harm, and
can possibly greatly help him.

Do a search for "2bhealed". Emily's posts (and Scouty's posts)
deal with juicing and diet. They both have gone against the
mainstream medicine quite successfully.

Not doing chemo isn't a death sentence. But other options should
be explored in place of it.

It never hurts to try being as healthy as you can. Eating and drinking
good things never does damage.

Give dad my best!

John

shmurciakova

talk to the doctor..
Personally I think your Dad needs to have a frank conversation with the doctor regarding "quality" vs. "quantity". I can totally understand where your father is coming from as I once had this conversation with my doctor. Then your father can weigh the pros and the cons and make an informed decision. This is something your father will have to decide for himself and that you all will have to support. In the end it isn't the doctors decision to make.
Best wishes,
Susan

PhillieG

Decisions, decisions, decisions...
I also think your Dad should talk to his doctor to look at the options and what can possibly be gained and what the physical cost would be to your Dad and also exactly why the doctor wants him to continue. If it's just because that's the way they do things, that might not be a good enough reason. As John commented, there are also some dietary changes he could make that could be just as effective if not more so. I can understand your Dad's POV, I'm not sure I'd be very gun ho if there was not a lot to gain and I was 79.
-p

jams67

Dad
Give your dad a chance to make his own decisions or mistakes. If he asks you, then give him your best opinion, but he is a grown man and can think for himself. Hope this helps. You did ask for our opinion.
Jo Ann