Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What can i expect with my father's stage 4 colon cancer


What can i expect with my father's stage 4 colon cancer?
My father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last summer. He has been on chemo and they tried to remove spots on his liver but they returned and chemo started again. You look online at the survial rates and its less than 5% for 5 years and its already been one year!
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
Hi there - sorry to hear about your father. All cancers, treatments and recoveries vary because all of the detailed circumstances vary from person to person. It depends on the age and general health of each individual. And very importantly, how early the cancer was found, i.e. the stage the cancer is in. This will dictate the course of treatment recommended and provide indications/statistics regarding recovery. Seek out professional advice both from individuals involved in your father's care and reliable medical sources. The best thing to do is talk with his doctors yourself, however, if you're underage, you'll have to ask an adult family member for all of the facts regarding his specific case. If you are old enough to consult his doctors, go prepared, research it yourself via the Cancer Society website or other reputable sites, and write down any questions that you have. If you're in Canada, make an appointment with the Dr and be prepared to use your health card as your provincial health care provider is charged for the doctor's time. You can do the most for your dad by remaining cautiously optimistic,(positivity has proven beneficial health results) and providing a lot of love and support. If you know of something he really likes then try to share that with him, like word games, or getting his favourite comedy DVD or reading to him - whatever you can think of that makes you both happy.... I hope this helps, Andrea
2 :
I am not sure what you mean by what you can expect? Are you asking for an explanation of how the disease progresses or are you asking about the possibility of a cure? I do mean to be cruel I know this is a difficult time for you, but you should know that he cannot be cured. His doctors are doing their best to give him more time; they are not trying to cure him. When the disease no longer responds to chemo they will recommend stopping it. They 5 year survival rate you found is correct. This means about 5% of patients diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer are alive 5 years later. I am so sorry. When you feel you are ready I suggest you look into hospice. These are wonderful, caring and special people who help patients and their families with the physical and emotional process of dieing. They will work with your father’s doctor to keep him as comfortable as possible and it allows him to remain at home. Best wishes to you both.
3 :
hello, wow that last comment was a straight to the point. My father was diagnosed with 4rth stage colon cancer back in 2005. He has been amazing. He has had surguries and treatments and I have literally watched him go from being a strong man to becomming very week in recent days. I read the survival rates online in the begining as well and felt unsatisfied. I wanted to know right then exactly what to expect and when his time was up. The truth is I was told to stop looking for the answer in statistics, and instead offer as much support as possible to my family. I was tought that making ammends with whatever was between my father and I now was important, and honestly I eventually have learned to cope. MY father is near the end now and it has at times been an emotionally rollercoaster, but he has nearly beat the odds. My advise is for you to spend time with your father, and also realize that todays cancer treatments are far better than that of the past. You wont find your answers here I never did, but as time progresses his physical appearance will change, especially with therapy. God bless you.







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Posted by Colon Cancer at 11:15 AM