My partner has Oesophageal cancer that has spread to his liver and one lymph node. Do you know how well Xelox can treat this at all? Having 6 sessions which started yesterday. Medical staff are not giving much information on life span. I know that everyone is different but an average would at least help us plan the time that is left
Dear hils1969
Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to our Online Community, I’m Sue one of the cancer information nurse specialists on the Support Line.
We hope you find this a safe and supportive space, having the support of others going through a similar experience can be invaluable.
It’s understandable you are wanting to know how well your partner’s XELOX (CAPOX) treatment for his advanced oesophageal cancer will help him. There are different types of chemotherapy treatments which can be offered and your partner’s consultant and hospital team looking after him will have planned which regime they think is best for him, based on his specific circumstances and clinical research evidence. Even if a cancer can’t be cured people may live for a long time with different treatments helping to control it.
Although you’ve not been given much information on your partner’s life span from the medical staff we would encourage talking to his consultant or clinical nurse specialist as they are best placed to be able to answer your specific questions. As nurses on the Support Line ,we don’t have any access to NHS medical records, so we can only offer general information.
There are lots of different factors that can affect how long someone may live with advanced cancer, including how well a treatment works and how many different ones they have had. Because of this no one can say exactly how long someone will survive but a consultant can usually give an idea based on the type of cancer they have and their individual situation.
Asking about a prognosis is a very sensitive issue but it can be a way of feeling more in control. Planning ahead and making important decisions for the future can also help loved ones know how someone would like to be cared for.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email, webchat or phone. The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial, and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
Sending best wishes
Sue
Ref: BS/SMG
