Palliative Care

Hi  AnnaC-C                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Hi sorry to hear of your news its such a shock.I think it might be best if you find the bowel cancer site and join, it will i am sure answer some of your questions.You  can also phone the help line number. I dont have the same condition as you,but you can read my profile just press my cloud,it will tell you a little about me. When i came on this site i kinda new mine would be secondary bone cancer,there is a group here for that condition i joined it has helped a lot.My understanding is once it has spread to the bones they can only treat it not cure it, sorry if thats a bit blunt but it is what it is.Now having said that on here you will read a lot of positive stories about all types of people having chemo, immunotherapy and living a normal life for years. do not google as this info is out of date and will scare you they are.I have been told by many on this site its treatable so try not to panic , why dont you go on the secondary bone cancer site and read a few profiles and ask some questions.Keep Calm Xx

Hi

It is pretty devastating to hear it has spread to another organ or site . I am so sorry you have experienced that situation . I remember the reality coming in waves .

However this is not a situation without hope . Palliative care is an umbrella term and very important to understand it is different from terminal . It does however mean your care in scientific terms can not be classed as curative but that does not mean you will not respond well to treatment and that may in fact open up other options for you . We really struggled with the term “ palliative” . My sister felt sick after reading it in her notes . However to put that in context my mum will still be classified under NHS guidelines as palliative eleven years after diagnosis. She is also doing just fine and doing a small amount of decorating with me although adjusting the activities has been required .

What bones are affected . Bowel cancer is a bit more rare in the bones but that does not mean harder to treat . You might like to see how the secondary breast cancer threads are treating it . I think you would find it reassuring.

Did they mention immunotherapy treatment ? My friend has had a great response to a lung cancer spread . Her sternum had fractured and hip . That has all cleared up .

All this is good at finding the right treatment pathway for you as an individual but not for individual outcomes and that gives hope .

Surgery came off the table for my mum initially and that was painful but it ended up more of a delay .
Going straight to chemo was in the end a game changer . Shrinking the exiting spread and preventing others .

Its difficult accepting all of this and we are here for you .

take care,

 Court 

Thank you Court. Yes they did mention immunotherapy with chemo. I am really very disappointed as you can see. I appreciate your responding to my post as it makes me feel better. I will fight this til the very end but the pain on my coccyx and lower lumbar is a bit on the bad side. 

Hi, I am a member of the bowel cancer group. But I just wanted to reach out to more people who are going through dealing with the stages. 

Thank you so much. I will read your profile and reach out whenever I can if you don’t mind

Hi ,

From previous posts it sounds as though your liver is operable or that was the plan so it’s the spread around the primary that is causing the issue? Is that right ? Always hard on the internet to get the facts right ! 
They do like to get chemo going and that is a good plan systemically. However it gives you time to look at second opinions . I know had a primary tumour that one surgeon found inoperable but another thought it possible . Always good to get another opinion.

It is such a hard process but chemo in itself can be very powerful and can change outcomes .

take care ,

 Court