I was diagnosed with stage 4 peritoneal and omental mets. Offered chemo but surgery not option. Is this usual procedure, is surgery doable if good response from chemo?
I think it’s always really tough when you’re told surgery isn’t an option. Others in this group have sought a second opinion and done research to find more information. If there’s a good response from chemotherapy then it may be other options will be possible. Hopefully others will share their experiences of a Stage 4 diagnosis and the options available.
Good luck!
Jac
Life is what happens when you are making other plans!
I was diagnosed in October with stomach cancer told it was not possible to operate the prognosis was no treatment I had six months but chemo was possible to give me a possible 15/18 months. I had five sessions of Capox which we stopped as I couldn’t tolerate I then started a course of folfiree due to have sixth session next week and then a scan to see what is happening. Just staying positive but do find the chemo gruelling. I do hope you are able to have some treatment, have you asked for your prognosis!
Prognosis was months and slightly more with chemo. Starting treatment on Tuesday. You’re right being positive is the only way sometimes. All the best with treatment and scans xx
I recall reading on the forum that a surgeon called Mr Asif Chaudry at the Royal Marsden managed to help with omental metastasis. He is my mums surgeon too and was very good and aggressive with surgery, we had been told it was inoperable and went to him for a second opinion, we are still waiting on histology but we’re hoping it’s all ok and he was very honest and open about the difficulty of the operation and the risks. There’s also some chemo caked HIPEC for peritoneal metastasis and they may offer that- it is also worth looking at clinical trials if you are interested in that. I think surgery is possible for a good response to chemo it’s called conversion therapy I believe, you may be able to ask for a second peritoneal lavage after chemo/ more scans. What is your treatment plan? Is it FLOT or immunotherapy + chemo or is it immunotherapy alone? this would depend on:
immjnotherapy alone- if your biopsy showed the tumour was mismatch repair deficient
immunotherapy + chemo- if it’s PD1 and mismatch repair proficient
chemo- if it’s PD1 negative (or you have autoimmune diseases which preclude immunotherapy) and MMR proficient
you may also have a HER2 monoclonal antibody if it expresses HER2
i apologise if im giving you information you already know, I hope you are doing as well as you can and I’m giving you all of my best wishes and love
Thank you so much. I’m having FOLFOX due to nausea and vomiting so have to be all IV. Possibly having immunotherapy just awaiting results. I was HER2 negative. Clinical trials were going to take a while to get enrolled etc so opted to start chemo ASAP. I will have a look at Dr Chaudry too, had a consultation with Prof Hanna and surgery wasn’t an option with him. Xx
