My Husband's Cancer

[DANAS68]

My name is Dana and my husband has been diagnosed with stage two liver cancer. He is having surgery tomorrow to remove the tumor, but the doctors told us his chance of survival is not great. They said he's have to have chemo and radiation, but what I'm wondering is, if they say the chances are remote for his survival, why put him through that torture? He wants to do what he can to fight this and I'm behind him all the way.

What I want to know, from people that have been there or can understand is what can I expect? What side effects will he experience most likely? Will he have pain? How will this effect our marriage?

His will to live, I'm not worried about, I'm having a baby in January and he wants to hold on for that. He wants to be a Daddy to his little girl, and I hope this treatments will work. I just don't want to be blind sided, please help me to get a feel of what might happen.

Thank you

[This message has been edited by DANAS68 (edited 11-13-2002).]

[SamQKitty]

Dana -
My heart goes out to you and your husband. Not that there's ever a "good" time to be diagnosed with cancer, but it must be particularly hard for you since you're expecting a child.

As far as chemo/radiation goes...the reactions vary. Radiation usually causes less of a reaction, but that depends on where they need to radiate...if they can avoid the stomach and intestines, then there's usually no nausea. I had five weeks of radiation to the left groin area, and I had no side effects at all. Sometimes it can make you tired, but many people say they don't even notice that.

Chemo is a whole different story. The good news about chemo is that there are so many anti-nausea medications on the market now that with a good regime, you're much more likely to avoid nausea. And some chemos don't cause nausea, but can cause aches and pain. That can be handled with painkillers.

Also, a lot depends on the regimen...how often the treatment is given. Some treatments are constant, some are weekly, and some are once very few weeks.

The questions I would ask your husband's doctor are as follows:

What type of chemotherapy are you planning to use?

How is it given (how often, IV or pills, etc.)

What are the likely side effects and how will you treat those?

If he doesn't have treament, what's his prognosis? How will treatment possibly improve his prognosis (i.e., do you think you can get him another six months? A year? More?)

How many treatments will it take to tell if the chemo is working?

Also, there are some other places to get info: [url="http://www.medlineplus.gov"]http://www.medlineplus.gov[/url]

I will keep you and your husband in my prayers.



[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 12-31-2002).]

[Fergie]

Dana, I noticed your message was posted on 11/13 and your husband was scheduled for surgery the next day. How is he doing? My husband has had 3 liver resections because of cancer, which was a spread from colon cancer. They didn't just remove the tumor, but part of the liver each time. He had chemo (no radiation) after the first 2 liver resections but has not had any treatments for more than 2 years. He looks great, just the picture of health and his oncologist and surgeons are just amazed at how well he has done. His colon cancer was discovered 10 years ago so this has been going on for a long time. He did have the cancer spread to his left lung and had the upper lobe of his left lung removed in April, 2001. We are thankful for each good report as we are well aware that the next one might not be so good. God bless you.

[DANAS68]

Thank you for replying to the message. I spoke to My husband's doctors yesterday and asked them some similar questions. His chemotherapy is given in what I consider and abnormally large does. They call it systemic chemo. It contains a cocktail of chemicals with long medical terms that I can't spell or pronouce. It is administed for one week once a month via IV and for every other week in the month once a week through injection. The doctors said that this course of treatment will be continued in combination with radiation for three months.

After the three months, they will try and remove more of the tumor. It was too large to get all of it with the last resection. Then they'll do the same regimen again for three more months.

He said the side effects could be anything from extreme fatiuge and weakness, to nausea, vomiting, and aches and pains. My husband has them all, and for extra fun, the external radiation they're doing caused a quite unsightly skin irritation that is quite painful to the touch.

The doctor says with luck he'll be able to survive for five years or more if the treatment works. If it doesn't work or if we discontinue it, he'll die within a year. He doesn't want to stop the treatment, but I see him suffering and there's nothing I can do.

The antinausea pills make him feel achy and the painkillers make him feel drowsy, so he doesn't like to take them. I don't blame him, but I feel like saying, the doctors are trying to help and you won't let them.

I brought my husband home last night. He was asleep most of the time, and when he wasn't he was grouchy and short tempered. I could tell he was in pain and feeling lousy, but he won't level with me about it. He says that with Jakey and the baby coming I don't need the hear his moans and groans. This cancer is all ready affecting the balance in our marriage. I just hope that when it's all over, we have something to show for it.

Thank you for your concern and input. It feels good to know there's someone else out there that knows what going on.

I look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Dana Simmons

[SamQKitty]

Hi Dana -
Well, it sounds like you are both certainly going through hell. Unfortunately, cancer treatment can be like that, but if they can get your husband another 5 years, then it's definitely worth it. And who knows...by that time they may have a cure!

At any rate, let me address some of the things you mentioned in your two posts today. First of all, ALL chemo is systemic...it goes through your blood stream to all parts of your body. Ask your doctors to write down the names of the chemo medications for you. Also, ask them to write down the names of the anti-nausea medications and painkillers as well.

I've never heard of anti-nausea medications causing pain, but I'm no doctor. Are you sure it isn't one of the chemo meds that's causing the pain? Some of them do (Taxol is especially noted for causing pain).

As far as your husband "sucking it up", please tell him for me that it is not necessarily a good way to deal with cancer. It's far easier on your body in general, and far healthier to your immune system, if you can get enough rest and eat some of the right foods. If food is a problem, try Ensure or one of the other liquid nutritions that are available. Also, even though painkillers might make him groggy and sleepy, he probably needs the rest.

I'd also highly recommend a support group, if he's able to attend (and you may want to attend one for caregivers.) To find one, ask your oncologist, call all the local hospitals, and/or see if there's a "The Wellness Community" located near you...it's an organization that does nothing but support for cancer patients and their families.

Believe it or not, if your doctors are telling you he may get another five years with the treatment, that's pretty good. My mom (who passed away several years ago) had been diagnosed with third stage breast cancer. No one thought she'd live more than a year, but she lived 8 1/2 years, and they were all good years until the last 3 months of her life. She was on and off chemo almost constantly, but only missed two weeks of work(when she had surgery after first being diagnosed). If the will to live is there, that can be the most powerful medicine, and it sounds like your husband has a very strong will to live.

I'll keep an eye out for your posts, and meanwhile I'll keep you both in my prayers.

Ruth