Mum and palliative chemotherapy

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My mum began with bowel cancer and it had spread to liver and lung.  She had palliative radiotherapy for the bowel which went went.  She began the palliative chemo and is in the process of having 12 treatments.  Her Oncologist rang her and told her that she would be having another 12 weeks of chemo, which will finish approx August.

Mum who is 90 in July doesn't ask questions, she just accepts what she is told.  This leaves my brother, sister and myself none the wiser to what is going on.  Mum has had no scans during this first programme of chemo to see if the liver/lung tumours have got smaller, bigger or stable.  So, now we are wondering why another 12 weeks have been prescribed?

We don't know what actual chemo she is been given either.  I rang Mum's  McMillian nurse to talk to her, but the nurse had to get permission from mum before she could talk to me.  This went down like a lead balloon with mum.  Now at the moment, the Macmillan nurses have changed and they are based at the hospital where chemotherapy is given.  I know I could call them, but it upsets mum so much when the nurses ring her to ask for permission, that I am dubious about calling them to find out more.  I feel as though I am floating in a cloud of worry and not knowing makes things worse.

Can anyone tell me in their experience as to why another 12 week programme has been described please, and any other advice would be really welcome.  Thank you.

  • Hi and welcome to the online community

    I'm sorry to read that your mum has bowel cancer which has spread to her liver and lungs and I know what a difficult time this will be for the whole family.

    I don't know the answer to your question but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. I hope you don't mind me suggesting that you copy and paste your post from here into a new post in the bowel cancer group, which I can see you've joined, as that way you'll connect directly with others who may be on the same treatment plan as your mum. If you'd like to do this then clicking on the link I've created will take you straight there.

    It would be great if you could pop something about your mum's journey so far into your profile as it really helps others when answering or looking for someone with a similar diagnosis. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

    x

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  • Hi RubyShoo, 

    My Mum is 62 & having palliative chemo for bile duct cancer - spread to Liver lungs & lyphnodes. I can't fully answer your question but I can tell you what Mum has had as seems like a similar situation & she is a bit further down the line. 

    She started chemo in January has had a few xrays & 1 scan since then & she was continuing with chemo even whilst waiting for scan results. She is due to have her last chemo Mid-June so she can have a few months break. She then will be scanned again & every 3 months after that but we're not sure when she will start chemo again or what determines this yet. Information is drip fed on a need to know basis it seems I think its just in case things change but it is frustrating so I completely understand. 

    Bev x 

  • Thank you for your replies.  I will cut and paste the post, that is a brilliant idea.  Perhaps then there will be someone who has been in the same position as me.

    WHMPC1 - Thank you for your reply, it seems that everyone is different and treatments slightly different.  How did you take the news and on-going treatments with your mum.  I was totally blasted by the news of my mums cancer in her bowel and then to hear it was in the liver and lung was even worse.  

    I hope your mum gets the break she needs and won't need to have any more chemo.  It is very frustrating, and mind consuming to not to have the information.  Thanks again, please let me know how your mum gets on. x