Elderly and Treatment

So sorry to hear about your mother.  Cancer treatment for head and neck is one of the worse we were told when my husband at age 73 started treatment for laryngeal cancer.  His started with an occasion ear ache and swallowing problems.  Our PC gave him a prescription for ear drops and said if not better in 5 days to see an ENT.  Well he saw the ENT and the ENT told me that he didn't know what made him scope my husband on the first visit but he did.  He saw a tumor on his laryx and sent him for a CT scan.  Then a PET scan then a biopsy which our ENT had already told me he knew was cancer before the report was back. 

My husband went thru 35 radiation treatments, daily for 7 weeks and 3 chemo treatments.  It was rough.  He had a feeding tube and by the end of the second week he was using it.  The radiation, which we didn't know until they did surgery 4 months later had closed off the back of his throat and it had to be reconstructed.  My husband had no trouble with the surgery and our head and neck specialist said he should be the poster boy/man for how well he healed.  My husband told me he wouldn't do radiation again.  Well fast forward one year and the H&N specialist found a tumor at the cervical of his esophagus.  It was small when found.  PET/CT showed no spread.  The only option was more radiation and chemo.  I didn't think he would do it but he did.  Another 35 radiation and 7 chemo treatments.  3 months later, PET/CT scan and endoscopy showed nothing.  But then 4 months later the PET/CT scan showed that the cancer had reoccurred at the cervical of his esophagus, much larger tumor and had spread to his right lung.  My husband declined all further treatment.  The only thing offered was chemo and we were told it wouldn't cure, only prolong and could possibly hasten.  4 months later he is doing okay.  Pain that is controlled with medication and low energy but still able to do and go when he feels up to it.  

After reading a lot on this board plus others, I know in my heart that my husband's decision was the right one.  Now he was healthy up until he was diagnosed.  Your mother on the other hand has other health issues.  If it was my mother, I would have to think long and hard about putting her thru the treatment for head and neck cancer, especially if she had other health issues.  My mother, at age 81 sailed thru by-pass surgery but her last 2-3 years after surgery were hard on her and she often said if she had it to do over, she would not have had the surgery. 

You and your siblings might be the one to make the decision since your father probably won't and your mother won't understand.  It will be a hard decision, but don't let anyone tell you, doctors included, that treatment isn't all that bad because it is one of the worse with all types of side effects. 

Wishing you and your family the best -- Sharon

hwt said:

S

Prayers that your Mom's exam is negative. I will share that my own Mother, age 87, had stomach cancer last October. I broke into tears when radiation was mentioned and told my siblings I could not let my Mom go through what I did. Fortunately, they did surgery, removed the cancer and she recovered fairly quickly. The biggest problem was regaining her strength and loss of muscle from being in bed during her recovery. They said it took 3 days of recovery for each day she was bedridden. Choices for older patients are more difficult because you have other considerations, including quality vs. quantity. I hope you aren't faced with those choices. 

My prayers are with you, mom and family. My husband was 77 when he went through treatment but absolutely no other health issues. He went through 35 radiations, two cisplatin. He was hospitalized twice from the side effects. After treatment he had two more surgeries from treatment side effects and two years later still is on the feeding tube. I am not trying to scare you but want you to know this is serious treatment. When my husband's came back in his lungs he asked the oncologist what he would recommend if he was advising his brother. I suggest that maybe you might ask the question, "What would you recommend to your mother in this situaion?" But, remember, it aint cancer until they say it is cancer.

Debbie

jim and i said:

My prayers are with you, mom

My prayers are with you, mom and family. My husband was 77 when he went through treatment but absolutely no other health issues. He went through 35 radiations, two cisplatin. He was hospitalized twice from the side effects. After treatment he had two more surgeries from treatment side effects and two years later still is on the feeding tube. I am not trying to scare you but want you to know this is serious treatment. When my husband's came back in his lungs he asked the oncologist what he would recommend if he was advising his brother. I suggest that maybe you might ask the question, "What would you recommend to your mother in this situaion?" But, remember, it aint cancer until they say it is cancer.

Debbie

My mother was in excellent health when she was diagnosed at the age of 83 with sinus cancer. She had never been seriously ill a day in her life; her mind was very sharp She was extremely active for an 83 year old. She went through surgery and radiation fine at MUSC in Charleston, SC. She was doing great and then the cancer returned 5 months later. We took her to MD Anderson. Then we took her to the University of Michigan, where at the age of 85 she underwent radiation again. This second time was so rough, she couldn't get herself out of the bed, couldn't hardly walk, couldn't swallow. She passed away 4 months after that. If I had to do it over again, I'm not sure. Surgery would have been tough because they'd have to remove her eye, very extensive. But the radiation was very tough. We didn't know what to do so we opted for radiation again. My mother wanted to try everything to prolong her life. So did we.

Sadly, age does make a difference for head and neck cancer.