My father has stage 4 colon cancer that has traveled to the liver and lungs. I am trying to stay optimistic as he is about to begin treatments however on a more realistic side what are the chances of containing and shrinking these tumors?? My father has a very good attitude and wants to beat this disease he is 59 years old..
Cancer - 10 Answers
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1 :
Not to be the bearer of bad news,but I have also have a loved one fighting cancer now. She is also in stage 4 and the chance are pretty slim. I hope the best for you and your dad.
2 :
The good news is your father has a very good attitude. The bad news is the cancer started in the colon and is no longer contained there. It has spread outside the lining of the colon and moved to his liver and lungs. It may already be in other areas of his body as well. The chances of him beating the cancer are extremely low.
3 :
I am also sorry that the chances are probably low as another person already answered but a friend of mine who has been battling ovarian cancer for over 5 years who has been through any and all procedures,surgeries and chemotherapy was told that they could no longer do anything and more or less sent her home to die. She did not give up,she has tried Cancer Centers of America in Tulsa,OK and now has a greater chance of beating the disease. They operated on her and they seem to think they got it all and while there she met alot of people who thought their chances were as slim as hers and Cancer Centers of America helped them as well as they seem to have helped her. Maybe,just maybe Cancer Centers of America is an option along with alot of prayer. Good Luck and God Bless
4 :
My experience with cancer which my Mother died from about 4 years ago, is that once it goes to the liver then there isn't much of a chance for survival. Sorry, I don't want to get you down but it's better to face the truth now than to be totally shocked later when one of your parents dies. At least you will now what to expect.
5 :
For patients with stage IV disease that is localized to the liver, various treatments directed specifically at the liver can be used. Tumors may be surgically removed, burned, or frozen in some cases. Chemotherapy or radioactive substances can sometimes be infused directly into the liver. Patients with stage IV disease rarely live beyond 5 years, and the median survival (meaning half the patients live longer, and half shorter) with treatment is between 1 and 2 years. Please see the webpages for more details on Colon cancer.
6 :
Wow, sorry hun, but it doesn't sound good. Stage 4 is it. Be sure to go with him to the doctors to hear what's expected if you can. Ask your dad to tell his doctor to allow him/her to discuss his case with you & whoever else. When my dad found out he had lung cancer, we were told attitude makes a difference. And he beat it (for about 4 & 1/2 yrs), but in the meantime, other cancers started popping up & it became one fight after another. We had a good 5 years after his first diagnosis which his doctor said only 5% of patients survive so we're thankful for that. I do believe his attitude bought him extra time because he fought against death for so long. He didn't just give up from the start. But after awhile, it was just too hard on him. He took Terceva for the past 2-2&1/2 yrs, but eventually there wasn't anything that could be done. Enjoy whatever time you have with your dad, and be sure to say or do everything that you can as soon as possible. My dad never got to write us the letters he'd wanted because things happened so fast. One Thursday he was fine, talking & walking around.... Friday not feeling too well~had a rough night with alot of pain. Saturday he was gone at 2:45 p.m. Attitude is everything make whatever time he has left as good as possible. It'll be hard for you to not have sad days, but don't let every day be a depressing one. Savor every special moment that you can. Who knows, tomorrow they could come up with a cure. Always have hope, but be realistic. Good Luck, my prayers are with you & your family.
7 :
Read this before any treatment is started - urgent. Cancer http://dgwa1.fortunecity.com/body/cancer.html
8 :
My mother had ovarian, cervical, breast cancer,had surgery, chemo and radiotherapy, it then spread to her bones, lungs and liver. She battled the cancers for 17 yrs, once it hit her bones, we knew it wasn't good. She gave herself a day to cry then went on and faced each day with courage and laughter. When it appeared in her liver the dr's wanted to do radiotherapy and more chemo, she said no more (she was a cancer nurse for over 20 yrs). She wanted to enjoy what was left of her life to the Dr's surprise she lived 2 yrs, she did it with attitude, laughter and a lot of love. Never, Never give up hope, but enjoy the time with your dad as much as you can. The Cancer Centres of America are wonderful. Discuss everything with your dad and the Dr's, but listen to what your dad wants too, God bless
9 :
Cancer always starts in one part of the body, and if you can discover and remove it while it's still in that one organ, you have a reasonable chance of beating or containing it, at least for a while. Unfortunately, once the cancer has "escaped" from that one organ and started to sprout in other parts of the body, it's very hard to get the better of it, because it will keep on spreading. Before embarking on treatments, your father MUST make sure he understands what those treatments will do for him. Have a look at the link below, and read the section on "Assessing Treatments". Most cancer treatments make you feel sick, tired and generally miserable. The risk is that if his cancer is too far advanced, he will go through all that pain and misery, and still die at the end of it. Whereas if he says "no" to the treatment, he might have time to go on a last special holiday with his family, or visit long-lost relatives, or fulfil some of his other dreams. For instance, say he has to have six months of treatment, and that will buy him another three months of life. If the treatment is going to make him too ill to enjoy life, or if it prevent him doing things he loves to do, then there wouldn't be much point, would there? In fact he would be worse off. Of course, if the doctors are saying they can give him two or three more years, or even more, then that's a different story. But you need to understand how much more time the treatment will buy him. Having said all that, there are lots of stories of people who have survived far longer than anyone expected. Browse the Gawler Foundation site: their recipe of special diet and meditation really seems to have worked miracles for some people, though I have no personal experience of it.
10 :
My aunt is facing the same thing, except her colon cancer has only spread to her lungs. There is a new procedure called the "CyberKnife" procedure. My aunt may be trying this. CyberKnife involve using radiation to remove tumors. This has had a lot of success. Check out the website for the procedure at http://www.accuray.com/. You may also want to contact other hospitals. I called American Cancer Society. They told me the best hospitals for this type of cancer are John's Hopkin's and Vanderbilt (Nashville). They would be able to give you the best treatment options. My aunt is currently going to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. They are also very cutting edge, and they are giving us a lot of hope. Hang in there!
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