Diagnosed with bowel cancer and significant spread to the liver.

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Today, my partner and I found out the devastating news that the cancer in his bowel has spread to his liver and is incurable. All they can offer is chemo to prolong life. We are just devastated, he's only 50 and has only had symptoms in the last few weeks. 

  • I am so sorry to read this news. Wishing him and you every best wish. 

  • Hi Rainbowstar

    Im really sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis, my dad has colon cancer with liver spread. 
    Things are devastating at the beginning but start to get easier once you get a treatment plan in place. 
    There are alot more treatment options these day. 
    Bit of advice, stay off google and stick to this forum only. Youll get plenty of support on here, ive found this forum and the people on it a godsend in the past few months. 

  • https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/advanced-bowel-cancer/treating-advanced-bowel-cancer/

    Hi  Welcome to the forum and hope we can support you as you find your feet .

    I have linked in a booklet above that you can access which is really helpful in looking at the options .

    If you click on my user name you can read my mum’s story with a spread to her liver which was also described as significant. It’s not easy to begin with when you have to wait and see how they respond to treatment but there is a subgroup of patients who do well despite a difficult diagnosis. They have extended my mum’s life by over 14 years so far . She has yet another recurrence but we have largely put it to the back of our minds as treatment has allowed her to become an older lady .

    For now preparing for treatment , keep mobilising where possible and allow those around you to support you . It does feel easier when treatment start .

    You will see people on the boards who are on continual chemo for six and seven years .

    My mum not only had significant spread but went onto have significant shrinkage . The English teachers would love the use of alliteration .

    For now the challenge is to stay focused on treatment , do what is required of you on a daily bases , not the next day or the day after . And keep your head where your body is and not in the worst case scenario. Oncologist are pretty proactive now .

    It is a toe by toe journey but it may surprise you that my mum had many , many good times after diagnosis and travelled round Europe in her 70s despite all that cancer threw at her .

    He is young and strong going into treatment and that helps considerably in tolerating treatment. My mum still would have treatment options if she was not frail now .

    Hold on tight and ask anything you like .

    Take care ,

    Court 

    Helpline Number 0808 808 0000

  • Thank you, I hope your dad has responded well to his treatment. If you don't mind me asking is his curable? I just feel devastated, I had no idea this morning that we would be faced with a terminal diagnosis.

  • They said he was borderline operable. Theyve put him on chemo to see if they can shrink the liver tumours to be operated on. 
    Hes only just started chemo so unsure yet, they are gonna give him 4 cycles and scan to check progress. 
    They said that it all depends on people response to treatment . 
    Your husband should get an appointment for Oncology soon . 
    I wish him all the best , like Court said, he has age and strength on his side. 

  • Hi, my husband was diagnosed with incurable but treatable cancer last November, it's devasting news isn't it! but we are several months on our journey now. He's due to have his 9th cycle of chemo this week, and everything is going well. I try to think of it as the same as any other chronic condition like diabetes, although not curable, its treatable, you'll see on this forum that so many have great responses to the treatment. Nancy x

  • Hello 

    my husband was diagnosed last Tuesday with exactly the same.  He’s 51. Had symptoms in last few weeks.

    sending support, I know how devastated you feel. 

  • Thanks for your reply. I just feel so devastated that nothing can be done in the long term. 

  • It’s so difficult isn’t it. Hard to believe it’s so severe when life was totally normal only a few weeks ago. I feel so destroyed and so alone. I’m so sorry that you are having to go through this too.

    1. You are not alone, I feel the same as you do.  We seem to be on the same journey. I’m here for you and I mean that.  Let’s navigate this together x