could this be cancer of some sort? - Cancer Message Board

saraberry · 08-05-2003, 01:42 PM

Hi, my name is Sara and my grandfather is suffering from what I think is cancer (as does everyone else). He vomitted blood about a month and a half ago, has lost almost 40 pounds, has no appetite to speak of (with the exception of an occasional sugar craving which then he'll eat a few cookies or a piece of pie), He has 6 lumps in various locations on his back, four of them surround what looks like pitted black spots in the middle, two of them are on either side of his lower back and are about the size of baseballs. Those two are actually under the skin though you can feel them. Touching them evenly lightly brings him excrutiating pain. I know that he has had blood in his stool, and can hardly walk, he is sleeping at his kitchen table with his head on a pillow because it is the only position in which there isn't a lot of pain. And even when awake he can barely hold up his head. I know that he is going down hill fast. His skin is a gray color and his stomach is bloated looking but from behind you can see his ribs.
Unfortunately, noone in my family can convince him to see a doctor. He told my Aunt yesterday that he will die soon. He is 75. Is there any hope at all for him? Please let me know what you think, and thank you in advance for taking the time to respond.

Sara

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" Happiness is a path not a destination."

projapoti · 08-05-2003, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by saraberry:
Hi, my name is Sara and my grandfather is suffering from what I think is cancer (as does everyone else). He vomitted blood about a month and a half ago, has lost almost 40 pounds, has no appetite to speak of (with the exception of an occasional sugar craving which then he'll eat a few cookies or a piece of pie), He has 6 lumps in various locations on his back, four of them surround what looks like pitted black spots in the middle, two of them are on either side of his lower back and are about the size of baseballs. Those two are actually under the skin though you can feel them. Touching them evenly lightly brings him excrutiating pain. I know that he has had blood in his stool, and can hardly walk, he is sleeping at his kitchen table with his head on a pillow because it is the only position in which there isn't a lot of pain. And even when awake he can barely hold up his head. I know that he is going down hill fast. His skin is a gray color and his stomach is bloated looking but from behind you can see his ribs.
Unfortunately, noone in my family can convince him to see a doctor. He told my Aunt yesterday that he will die soon. He is 75. Is there any hope at all for him? Please let me know what you think, and thank you in advance for taking the time to respond.

Sara

To be honest Saraberry, it sounds more like chronic liver disease to me (and yes, one can have liver disease without being jaundiced). I'll tell you why I think this.

weight loss
big belly
vomiting blood (esophageal varices)
loss of appetite.

It still could be cancer, but from reading it, I got the impression of liver disease!

saraberry · 08-06-2003, 06:14 AM

Thank you projapoti. I looked up liver disease on the net and got some information for my mom. I am hoping that they can convince him to see a doctor so at least we know what is wrong. I didn't mention before that he is a huge drinker, has been all his life. So the liver disease would make sense.

Sara

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" Happiness is a path not a destination."