Stage IV Uterine cancer - queries

[aquilotta]

Hi. My mother was told today that she has Stage 4 uterine cancer, with
metastases in her liver, lymph nodes, and stomach. She is a VERY frail
85-year-old who's just spent the past 7 months in 5 hospitals after
complications from heart-surgery, including collapsed lungs and then -
thanks to hospital negligence - also a broken pelvis. Not ONE of the
hospitals picked up the cancer despite us asking for the past two months
why her stomach was so distended (they kept on poo-poohing us and telling
us it was just air...).

She wants surgery simply because she's hoping to not wake up from the
anaesthetic (she's a medic, so knows what secondaries in the liver are
likely to mean), but has been told that she wouldn't get surgery until and
unless she first undergoes 2 courses of chemo...

Given that the outcome is likely to be the same whether she goes via the
surgery route or lets it take its course, may I ask... does anyone know:

1) How does the likely pain & suffering compare between a) the chemo and
b) the "normal" course of (ie., death by) this particular cancer? ie., is the suffering from the chemo as bad as /better /worse than the suffering she will go through if she simply refuses further treatment?

2) Given her age/frailty/advanced stage of cancer, what might you estimate
her remaining time to be assuming no treatment?
Huge thanks...

[anneasquith]

im so sorry i am not a doctor, so would not be able to answer your questions, but i hope your mum is pain free and comfortable.

[bednobs]

hi, doctors don't shy away from telling the truth so if she wants to know, she should ask/discuss it with the consultant

[Sqad]

In my opinion, the outcome would be exactly the same whatever the treatment.

Woman aged 85 years old,with widely metastatic Ovarian Cancer is unlikely to see this Christmas.

Pain and suffering can be controlled until the end.

From what you say, an operation is out of the question.

[cassa333]

I am so sorry to hear of this.

I have no first hand experience of this (other than my 88yr old mil dieing of breast cancer that spread to most other parts of her body last year). She clung on for about 3 months. She was in hospital for about a month and the last few days perhaps a week was so doped up she might just of well have gone the previouse week.

I would not dream of saying what anyone should or could do in these situations. I only know that if I were in her situation I would do my utmost to stash away as many pills as I could and when I could cope no more I hope I would have the courage to take them. I would hope also that my loved ones would help me come to terms with this and make sure I said my goodbys. If it weren't illegal maybe even help me onwards. But that is another topic altogether.

Treatment for a relativly young person who was otherwise in good health would be hard pressed to cope with all this but an 85yr old not in the best of health I am afraid has little chance.

I wish your mother a swift and painless onward jurney and you and the rest of her loved ones peace.

[Sqad]

In my answer, please replace Ovarian with Uterine............my mistake, but the opinion remains the same.

[rowanwitch]

I would be surprised if any anaesthetist would accept the risk of taking your mother to theatre...Help her in trying to push for the best palliative care package you can...I would contact Macmillan and see what extra help they can provide. One thing that might be considered for pain control even at the end stage is radiotherapy..usually a very short course they do that a lot at the centre where I work especially for the older ladies too frail for more radical treatments so if that is offered at some point it might be worth considering.