Cancer Treatment Options Forum - March 22nd, 2011 - 13 Comments
If the doctors cannot cure my cancer, why would I put myself through more chemotherapy and radiation?
Small cell cervical cancer has now spread to lungs.
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There are 13 comments for this post.
You need to try to understand the rationale that the doctor is using. If it doesn’t match your rationale, then you need to have a longer conversation with your doctor. Personally, I would not extend my life a month at the cost of enduring the effects of chemotherapy. I’d definitely manage pain, however.
I’d read and apply nutritional therapies as described by Dr. Blaylock. For me, quality of life trumps length of life. Your body has its own ability to fight cancer. If you don’t want chemo, take a look at what you can do from a nutritional perspective.
Because they are assuming that you enjoy living. The chemo and radiation can’t cure the cancer but it can sure slow it down enough for you to live longer. And it could slow it down long enough for them to find alternate treatments that could be just a year away.
Chemo won’t work on my brain cancer. Wrong type of brain cancer. I have maxed out on radiation and I am on Watch&Wait (WW). We are watching the cancer and waiting for the benefits to outweigh the risks before they attempt more surgery. It would be real easy for me to say that I don’t want any more treatment. But I love life, my husband, children and grandchildren too much to give up. I believe that I owe them the opportunity of having me around a bit longer, so fight I will.
Cancer invaded my body. I didn’t invite it. And I sure as heck am not going to sit back and let it win.
Chemo & radiation can sometimes reduce/control the spread of the cancer, allowing a longer remaining lifespan. However each patient is different, and needs to consider the advantages (longer life) and disadvantages (side effects of chemo/radiation, hassle of treatments).
It’s something to talk over with your doctor, and think about carefully.
It’s not about being "strong" or "fighting". Sometimes the decision to do nothing is braver and more difficult. Good luck with whatever you decide.
This is something you should be discussing with your oncologist. It is a very individual choice, which may or may not be right for you, but we have no way of knowing.
God bless you, and I’m sorry this is happening to you.
I understand from where you’re coming, as I dealt with a girlfriend’s terminal brain cancer 4 years ago.
It’s your life, and you get to face your mortality however you choose. If you are comfortable with the choice to forego further treatment, even if it hastens your demise, that is your RIGHT, and I fully support you in it.
Chemo, obviously, could prolong your life. At what quality, for how long, at what cost (not just monetary, but stress and pain on you and loved ones) – no one can probably tell you those things. I know first-hand how hard chemo is, and I wonder how I would face the choice you are now facing. I can see myself foregoing further treatment because the harshness of chemo is so painful.
You are a noble and brave survivor, every day, and I’m proud of you for your courage. Don’t tolerate anyone who says you should do something else other than what is your choice for your life.
As an aside: if you haven’t tried ‘the weed’ for alleviating some of (but not all) the chemotherapy/radiation problems like nausea, sleeplessness, and general malaise, I would see if you could try that. It might bring your life some much needed comfort. It was suprisingly helpful to my girlfriend in her chemotherapy for rest and nausea.
I salute your courage, and your dignity.
Godspeed
It’s an individual decision. I think it depends on the individual’s situation in life. Are you a young mom who is determined to hang onto life. Or are you like my friend’s mom. She was 66, smoked all her life and was diagnosed with lung cancer. She refused all treatment and died within 4 months. Her children were raised and educated and married. She had a good long life and marriage of 45 years. No one can answer that question. There is life and there is quality of life. Do you want your life prolonged with possible side effects such as nausea, and not recongnizing anyone around you and pain . Or would you rather go to Disneyland and enjoy your remaining time. NO one can answer for you. I am a 5 year survivor of breast cancer. If it comes back, I don’t know that I would fight it.
If i was in your situation i wouldnt have any more chemotherapy and radiation because it makes you feel so ill. I would leave it and enjoy the rest of your time
x
Don’t give up. You should try looking up DMSO. I know some Dr.s in Mexico and in Cuba are using it to beat cancer. DMSO comes from a wood pulp. There are several cures out there just, dont give UP!
http://cancertutor.com/Cancer/DMSO.html
Fight Hard!
There is no ‘cure’ for diabetes either . . but they did find ‘insulin’ that allows a diabetic to live and have quality of life. The same could happen for you . . the cancer may not be curable but it may be treatable . . allowing you to ‘live with your cancer’ if you can get the disease under control. Living with cancer often means finding a chemo mild enough to take each day that can effectively slow the cancer down. In the meantime . . you enjoy quality of life and perhaps a real ‘cure’ or better treatment will come along.
Hi I’m not a Dr but do believe that both western medicine, eastern medicine & diet can work together. BRR has help me. So please read the information on this website it might help you. http://www.bioreadyrice.com
For me, the answer would depend on several things. I would want to know an estimate of how much more time it would give me, the statistics on whether or not it would actually give me more time, and how miserable I was going to be with the treatment.
If I could go through a couple of treatments and live the next couple years, Id definately do it. If a couple of treatments was only going to help me live a couple months, I probably would not. Ive been through cancer twice. The treatment for my type is absolutely miserable. I dont want to spend the rest of my life that miserable.
With my lung cancer when I was dx’d in ’06, they told me I would only have a couple of months without treatment, perhaps one year with chemo. I really didn’t know what to do, thinking if its only going to prolong my life by a few months, maybe I wouldn’t want to go thru all that as I felt really quite well at the time. I decided to try the chemo and work on regaining my health. The six rounds I had stabalized my cancer for nine months, then another six rounds was given and I am still doing well. So my "perhaps a year" with treatment has given me an extra two years and am doing better than ever. There could be a cure at anytime, I want to prolong my life as long as I can in case that cure comes along in time for me.
I think we all know when our fight is up, until then we just keep hoping and battling.
Shawna, you have a multitude of answers here and I bet that not many are saying what you want to hear. The news that your cancer was metasized had to be a horrible blow to you. Your question is very logical after such news. I would probably be asking myself the same question in your situation. But you know that no one here can give you the answer that you would really love to hear. We can’t tell you that it’s all going to go away and it’s going to be a cancer free day tomorrow. But you know what I can tell you truthfully? There will be a tomorrow and probably several tomorrow after that. I won’t lie to you.
Shawna, I am very, very sorry. You don’t deserve this. I can say that without even knowing you because no one deserves small cell ca. It’s about the nastiest of the nasty. You do need to have a serious talk with your oncologist and tell him how you feel. If you don’t want to be tortured any more then that is your right and I am one of the ones on here that will certainly defend your right to choose. I do want you to make an informed decision tho, which is why I said talk to your doc. Even in the darkest hours there are clinical trials if you should choose to go that route. Take your time and think about it.