Mum diagnosed with secondary cancer in the gall bladder lymph nodes

Hi , I’m sorry to hear about your Mum, has she joined the Macmillan sire as well ? My cancer diagnosis came 5 1/2 years ago, inoperable, incurable. They did not find the primary cancer but a biopsy to my lymph nodes told them what type of cancer it was from the cells. Mine was melanoma that had spread to many lymph nodes in my groin and abdomen, and then my ovary. I expect your Mum has a specialist cancer nurse who is a contact for her at the hospital. I know when I received my diagnosis it was a big shock and as the consultant was explaining things my mind just stopped listening. The nurse gave me her number and they are open to you asking any questions inbetween appointments. There is a group on here Living with incurable cancer forum - patients only, that she might find useful, people with lots of different cancer which are incurable, and many people having outlived there original prognosis due to new treatments coming along all the time, and sadly at times people reaching their last line of treatment, but having had good companionship from the group before that end stage comes and having come to terms with reaching near the end. Once you know what chemo drug your Mum is starting on she might want to talk to others on the same drug to compare any side effects and find out what others have found helps. It seems like your saying the liver biopsy said it’s not liver cancer but a different type that has spread there, and that they think perhaps it’s gall bladder cancer as it was found in the lymph nodes near there? Or have I got that wrong ? Are they still investigating what type it is, to know what the best chemotherapy drug will be to use? 

The macmillan support line 0808 808 0000 might also be a good place to chat to either the information and support staff or to the Macmillan nurses about any questions to ask about her cancer type and treatment. I found it was the most worry time from diagnosis to the first scan results after starting treatment. It helped me to browse through the Macmillan information and support pages and to talk to patients on here to understand more about my diagnosis and treatments, and to prepare questions for my hospital team to answer. I bet your mom feels a bit in limbo until her treatment starts, I know I did.

Thank you KT, I really appreciate the time you have taken to respond.

At the moment, we don’t know where the cancer started, all we really know is that it is in the lymph glands near the gall bladder. I’m hoping my mum will allow us to talk to her consultant directly so that we can get a better understanding of her diagnosis. 

I’m waiting to hear from my sister what chemo drugs they have suggested and will then look for relevant groups so we can see how people felt during treatment. Her oncologist suggested not looking for support groups right now as everyone is different and responds differently but I think she wants to have some idea what to expect from those who have been through it. I’m pleased to hear you are still with us five and a half years after diagnosis.  My mum is 74 and so is worried her body may not be up to chemo.

Yes, she definitely feels in limbo. She has to have another scan before treatment and to have the COVID vaccine before any chemo so just a waiting game with really no idea on the outcome.

Thanks again for your reply and hope you remain well x