My 47 year old sister has stage 4 stomach cancer - can she survive?

savawolf
savawolf Member Posts: 9
in Stomach Cancer #1
My sister was just recently diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma stomach cancer. She has several bone lesions on her spine that they say is also cancer. The oncologist has said with treatment, she may survive a year to 18 months. And that if she did nothing, she wouldn't survive 3 months. She has decided to go through the chemotherapy treatments, and is hoping for a miracle, or at least as long as possible. I have read stories of people who have had this cancer, and of it spreading to other organs such as the liver or the lymphnodes. I'm hoping that since it hasn't affected other organs as yet, maybe she has a chance? Can anoyone share their stories with me? Please share anything you can with me, I'd so appreciate it!

Comments

  • Faithful_Angel
    Faithful_Angel Member Posts: 86
    #2
    There is always hope with
    There is always hope with treatment:) But stay realistic too. My father was diagnosed In Feb 2009...with stage IV .. He's now in the end stages but he has given it a fight. So there is always hope. There are alot of treatment options. If i can tell you anything that I have learned. No matter how bad it looks, or how weak they seem. There is so much fight left. I don't want to discourage you, stay strong and stay on this site there is so much comapassion and support. I would have never made it without the people here. And don't be afraid to ask questions to the doctors and ask for advice.

    Valerie
  • have2believe
    have2believe Member Posts: 134
    #3
    have hope!
    My mom was diagnosed in November 2009, and we were told the same thing. 3 months without treatment. We met with 3 oncologists before making the final decision on where to get treated. I remember one had given the average of a yr too. We met with a surgeon who said we were inoperable, and said that w/ treatment, she could live as long as five years. I remember how 5 years seemed so short and could not believe that was as optomistic as a dr could be.

    She had met to a distant lymph node by her neck and has received 2 chemo regimens and now is on xeloda (pill form of 5-fu). She is stable and doing well. We go to the gym together and she does the eliptical, as well as the weight machines. I will tell you that people will say she does not look sick, but at the same time, cancer is very unpredictable.

    I've heard that people with breast cancer with mets to the bones cannot die from the bone mets, so maybe that is true with this as well.

    Her last CT scan showed the cancer was no longer detectable in all the places including the stomach. She still has one pesky enlarged node, but I'm hopeful it will be zapped. I am thankful that we've had successful w/ chemo, and I hope she can live a very long time.

    I'd also suggest you check out 411stomachcancer.com (it was founded by a woman diagnosed w/ stage 4 stomach ca met to the liver and she is currently in remission). Also check out cancercompass.com...there's a stomach cancer section.

    I hope this helps. Take care.
  • savawolf
    savawolf Member Posts: 9
    #4
    have2believe said:

    have hope!
    My mom was diagnosed in November 2009, and we were told the same thing. 3 months without treatment. We met with 3 oncologists before making the final decision on where to get treated. I remember one had given the average of a yr too. We met with a surgeon who said we were inoperable, and said that w/ treatment, she could live as long as five years. I remember how 5 years seemed so short and could not believe that was as optomistic as a dr could be.

    She had met to a distant lymph node by her neck and has received 2 chemo regimens and now is on xeloda (pill form of 5-fu). She is stable and doing well. We go to the gym together and she does the eliptical, as well as the weight machines. I will tell you that people will say she does not look sick, but at the same time, cancer is very unpredictable.

    I've heard that people with breast cancer with mets to the bones cannot die from the bone mets, so maybe that is true with this as well.

    Her last CT scan showed the cancer was no longer detectable in all the places including the stomach. She still has one pesky enlarged node, but I'm hopeful it will be zapped. I am thankful that we've had successful w/ chemo, and I hope she can live a very long time.

    I'd also suggest you check out 411stomachcancer.com (it was founded by a woman diagnosed w/ stage 4 stomach ca met to the liver and she is currently in remission). Also check out cancercompass.com...there's a stomach cancer section.

    I hope this helps. Take care.

    Thank you so much! Your
    Thank you so much! Your information and story are very inspiring to me. I will definitely check out the places you recommended! I am so hoping that since it hasn't spread to any of her other organs, this will make her chances of survival much better. She has alot of fight in her, and comes from a family of fighters. She has a very strong will to live, and I am hoping this will help her win the fight. Again, thank you so much for sharing!! It is appreciated far more than you know, or that I can express!
  • savawolf
    savawolf Member Posts: 9
    #5
    Faithful_Angel said:

    There is always hope with
    There is always hope with treatment:) But stay realistic too. My father was diagnosed In Feb 2009...with stage IV .. He's now in the end stages but he has given it a fight. So there is always hope. There are alot of treatment options. If i can tell you anything that I have learned. No matter how bad it looks, or how weak they seem. There is so much fight left. I don't want to discourage you, stay strong and stay on this site there is so much comapassion and support. I would have never made it without the people here. And don't be afraid to ask questions to the doctors and ask for advice.

    Valerie

    Thank You!
    Thanks for sharing your story with me! My sister is hoping that if she can't win this fight, she can try for as much time as she possibly can. She has a very strong will to live and is ready for the fight. I really appreciate your sharing, much more than I can express here. Your story gives me hope that at the very least, we can fight for as long as possible, if not win the fight entirely. My sister comes from a long line of fighters in the family, so I pray for the best! Again, thank you so much!!
  • Faith in God
    Faith in God Member Posts: 2
    #6
    stay strong
    Please. I encourage you to do as much research as possible. There are a lot of options out there. You just need to find it. God has provided everyone with what they need to survive. Learn about chemosensitivity testing and find out which chemo drug works best. cancertutor.com
  • menang
    menang Member Posts: 35
    #7
    have2believe said:

    have hope!
    My mom was diagnosed in November 2009, and we were told the same thing. 3 months without treatment. We met with 3 oncologists before making the final decision on where to get treated. I remember one had given the average of a yr too. We met with a surgeon who said we were inoperable, and said that w/ treatment, she could live as long as five years. I remember how 5 years seemed so short and could not believe that was as optomistic as a dr could be.

    She had met to a distant lymph node by her neck and has received 2 chemo regimens and now is on xeloda (pill form of 5-fu). She is stable and doing well. We go to the gym together and she does the eliptical, as well as the weight machines. I will tell you that people will say she does not look sick, but at the same time, cancer is very unpredictable.

    I've heard that people with breast cancer with mets to the bones cannot die from the bone mets, so maybe that is true with this as well.

    Her last CT scan showed the cancer was no longer detectable in all the places including the stomach. She still has one pesky enlarged node, but I'm hopeful it will be zapped. I am thankful that we've had successful w/ chemo, and I hope she can live a very long time.

    I'd also suggest you check out 411stomachcancer.com (it was founded by a woman diagnosed w/ stage 4 stomach ca met to the liver and she is currently in remission). Also check out cancercompass.com...there's a stomach cancer section.

    I hope this helps. Take care.

    Do you know what regimen?
    I am curious what chemo combo your mom did - my brother was told 3 mos w/o treatment, and maybe a year with as well.

    Thanks!
  • savawolf
    savawolf Member Posts: 9
    #8
    menang said:

    Do you know what regimen?
    I am curious what chemo combo your mom did - my brother was told 3 mos w/o treatment, and maybe a year with as well.

    Thanks!

    No, I don't know regime
    No, I don't know regime she's doing. She told me they are starting with the first drug line of defense, can't remember the name but it's the most common one used first. They told her if that didn't work, they'll try a second line of defense drug. She did her first round last week, which consisted of a 6 hour appointment of saline and drug solution. Then a second day the very next day of a 30 minute "push" treatment, which was just pure drug. She goes back the 22nd for another round, which consists of 1 day saline and drug cocktail, with 2 consecutive days of "push" treatments. She doesn't know about beyond that, but they are also going to have her complete 5 rounds of radiation therapy.

    I hope this helps. I'm sorry to hear about your brother, and I will pray for a miracle for you, too!

    Thanks!
  • ciemny
    ciemny Member Posts: 1
    #9
    My Dad
    My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer that metastisized to the spine as well. He was diagnosed in January and has just started his 8th round of chemo today. It is kicking his **** to say the least but the doctors seem positive that it is working
    He is being treated at U of P in Philadelphia - how about your mom - where is she being treated
  • savawolf
    savawolf Member Posts: 9
    #10
    ciemny said:

    My Dad
    My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer that metastisized to the spine as well. He was diagnosed in January and has just started his 8th round of chemo today. It is kicking his **** to say the least but the doctors seem positive that it is working
    He is being treated at U of P in Philadelphia - how about your mom - where is she being treated

    My sister is being treated
    My sister is being treated at the Kaiser Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA. I'm glad to hear that the doctor's feel it is working for your dad. I, and my family, are hoping this chemo will also work for my sister. I don't know how good, or what quality of care she will get from Kaiser. Hope you continue to recieve encouraging news of the chemo working!

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