any body out there choosing no treatment for their cancer?

jadesouth
jadesouth Member Posts: 4
in Rare and Other Cancers #1

My husband was recently diagnosed with duodenal cancer with probable liver mets.  We have researched many of the procedures and treatments that may be available.  My husband having watched his mother go through pancreatic cancer with all of the treatment was thinking, are you better off just not doing anything.  Treatments of surgery, chemo and radiation seem to buy you about 4 to 36 months.  Most of that time seems to be recovering from surgery and chemo.  Just wondering if there is any information out there on survival rates doing nothing.  Any comments????  Hubby feels pretty good right now and has and advanced case......just wondering if mother nature will give him a better go of it without the illness and side effects of treatments.

Comments

  • lfitz10
    lfitz10 Member Posts: 5
    #2
    no treatment

    Hi Jadesouth,

    Just curious how your husband is making out?  I hope well!  I was just recently diagnosed as stage IV and I too agree with you and your husband.  My family and husband are mortified and are telling me that I am "giving up"....that I'm too young (49).

    Please let me know how things are going. 

  • lfitz10
    lfitz10 Member Posts: 5
    #3
    no treatment

    Hi Jadesouth,

    Just curious how your husband is making out?  I hope well!  I was just recently diagnosed as stage IV and I too agree with you and your husband.  My family and husband are mortified and are telling me that I am "giving up"....that I'm too young (49).

    Please let me know how things are going. 

  • Joxers1
    Joxers1 Member Posts: 4 Member
    #4
    lfitz10 said:

    no treatment

    Hi Jadesouth,

    Just curious how your husband is making out?  I hope well!  I was just recently diagnosed as stage IV and I too agree with you and your husband.  My family and husband are mortified and are telling me that I am "giving up"....that I'm too young (49).

    Please let me know how things are going. 

    No treatment

    Hi,  I just wanted to say I have considered no treatment and or stopping treatment after a short time. I have found most people don't understand that quality sometime outweighs quantity.  I just turned 46 and have had 30 years cut off my life. However, I don't see anything wrong with chosing not to treat.  There are much worse options out there than death.  I don't particularly want to die so young but neither do i want to have what time I have left riddled with nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, fatigue, etc. For now I have decided to give treatment a try to make final plans and take care of all the little things so I can have some dignity later.  Some people find my attitude morbid but I think most people are just really uncomfortable about death.  I often wonder if Gershon (sp) therapy would be an option but I don't know I have the stamina to seek it.  I've set my bar and will refuse treatment when I get there and way before there is nothing left of me.

    Here is hoping that you make the right choice for you and that you have the support of those who love you even if they don't agree with your choice.

     

  • lfitz10
    lfitz10 Member Posts: 5
    #5
    Joxers1 said:

    No treatment

    Hi,  I just wanted to say I have considered no treatment and or stopping treatment after a short time. I have found most people don't understand that quality sometime outweighs quantity.  I just turned 46 and have had 30 years cut off my life. However, I don't see anything wrong with chosing not to treat.  There are much worse options out there than death.  I don't particularly want to die so young but neither do i want to have what time I have left riddled with nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, fatigue, etc. For now I have decided to give treatment a try to make final plans and take care of all the little things so I can have some dignity later.  Some people find my attitude morbid but I think most people are just really uncomfortable about death.  I often wonder if Gershon (sp) therapy would be an option but I don't know I have the stamina to seek it.  I've set my bar and will refuse treatment when I get there and way before there is nothing left of me.

    Here is hoping that you make the right choice for you and that you have the support of those who love you even if they don't agree with your choice.

     

    No treatment
    Hi Joxers1

    Thank you for your support. Your plan sounds like where I'm headed as well. It looks like I will try a few cycles starting next month and will re-evaluate then.

    One oncologist told me though that the progression of the disease is worse than the treatment....lucky me!
  • betty7204099041
    betty7204099041 Member Posts: 1 *
    #6

    I found some interesting articles about those who chose no treatment. It is hard to find information on the internet about this. When my husband had colon cancer , we considered the same, but gave into fear. Wish we could have forgotten that he was ever diagnosed. How are you guys today ? I see your posts were over 10 years ago!

  • 1975rhabdo
    1975rhabdo Member Posts: 2 Member
    #7
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1367940#Comment_1367940

    if you have no real chance - 96/7 morbidity - I’d go out strong and have one bad month - not months..

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