Hello before i start i would to say i'm sorry for anybody who is going through having cancer or dealing with a loved one who has cancer and i wish you all the best .
The issue i have is my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer 4 years ago and had a breast removed but did not have any follow up treatment as i feel she refused a chemo course and radiotherapy and i also am led to believe she has not been taking her anti cancer hormone drugs ..Anyway 2 weeks ago my mum had a fall and hurt her neck and x-rays have shown she has bone cancer which thankfully is not in any organ - its in her neck and spine but they don't know yet if its the breast cancer but although im not a doctor and considering she has not been going to appointments etc it most likely is the breast cancer ..now here is where my problem is I worry she will refuse treatment to help shrink the tumours on her spine and neck to prevent future fractures and not only that but i have a brother who believes treatment like radiotherapy kills you 100 percent and she sadly listens to him ..I have a feeling i will not be allowed in the oncologist room to discuss things for the very reason she wont want me to challenge it
will the oncologist tell her the outcome if she does not have treatment and be blunt about it and advise her to have it ?
thanks in advance
Hi trickyricky and welcome to the Online Community but so sorry to hear about your mum’s diagnosis and the challenges you are dealing with.
A cancer journey like this in the family can be such a challenging and stressful time but reaching out to the community will give you the opportunity to ask questions and getting support from others who are on the ‘exact’ same journey.
I am sure that the Oncologist will fully highlight the positives and negatives of all treatment but going into treatment is a personal choice. I had 45 sessions of Radiotherapy a number of years back and it was very effective.
The Community is actually divided into dedicated Support Groups (Discussion Rooms) so can I recommend you consider joining our supportive Breast cancer and Breast, secondary cancer support groups. These groups are safe places to talk to others who may have a similar diagnosis, treatment experience, to ask questions and get support from family members who are navigating the same journey.
When it comes to the practical and emotional challenges of supporting family and friends you may also benefit from joining our Family and friends support group where you will connect with others navigating the same support challenges.
To join a group first click on the “Bold Links” I have created above then once the group page opens click on “Click to Join” when the black banner appears or “Join” under “Group Tools” (this all depends on the device you are using)
You can then put up your own post when you’re ready by clicking “+new” or “+” in the top right next to the group title. You can copy and paste the text from this post into your new post. You can also scroll through other members posts and click “Reply” to get involved.
Our Support Line teams are available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm on freephone 0808 808 00 00, email or live webchat where you will find one of team there to help you out. We also have our Ask an Expert section but do allow a few working days for a reply.
Talking to people face to face can be very helpful so do check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area, do also check for a local Maggie's Centre as these folks are amazing.
Do get back to me if you need further help.
