Stomach cancer

I am really sorry to hear about your dad’s diagnosis and the difficult situation you now face about treatment.

I had a partial gastrectomy six years ago when I was 60.  Your dad is older but others on this group have been older and recovered well from a full gastrectomy. sueCC may pop on to share her husband’s experience as he was 79 at the time of his surgery l

The medical team would not offer surgery if your dad wasn’t fit enough for surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be hard too, so neither option is easy.

It may help to ask the consultant who is looking after your dad, for more information about the risks and positive benefits of each option.

I couldn’t imagine how I could live a normal life, eating and drinking as before, having had 85% of my stomach removed! 
Sending best wishes and kind thoughts to you and your family! 

Thanks so much for your reply Jacqui x 

Hi Jenks65 im so sorry to hear about your dad, as Jac says my husband had a TG when he was 79, he’s 81 now, he has a few problems but considering he hasn’t a stomach he’s doing fine. He didn’t have chemo as Notts hospital said over 75s  don’t cope so well with it for stomach cancer, so went straight to having the operation, [he was give the choice of palliative care and did think about it[ put pleased to say he decided on the operation, that was 20 months ago. He was in hospital for 7 days when he came out it was hard food wise but you soon find out what you can eat and that’s still the same, some days are good others not so. 
For 81 he’s doing ok.

Whatever your dad decides to do will be the right decision for him. 
Good luck and sending best wishes to your dad xx

Thank you so much Sue xx

Sorry to read about your father-in-law. I am 67 and this year I  have had chemo followed by full stomach removal and I am now back on chemo. My consultant said that this course of treatment was my only option as although the cancer was only in my stomach it would soon spread. If he had found any cancer outside of my stomach he would not have operated.   There is still a 35% chance of the cancer returning  after treatment.  

I have had a couple of complications which delayed the last phase of chemo.  It has been tough 7 months  with the recovery from the operation, the change in eating, losing significant weight, the chemo side effects and the complications.  It will take a year plus for me to be any where near a good level of recovery. 

If the cancer has spread  it seems that stomach removal would not help.  Even if it has not spread is it worth at least a year of recovery and all the side effects? In hindsight I might have made a different decision to give me a year or 2 or 3 of being able to live and eat properly and freedom from major side effects.  

I hope this helps.

David 

Thanks David - what was the other decision?

To do nothing until the cancer became worse and spread elsewhere which would then be incurable.  Maybe take 2 years?  

Ah okay thank you. 

Sorry to hear about your dad. 
What stage is the cancer do you know?

Unfortunately surgery is the only cure for this cancer, chemo and radio won’t cure it although will buy him more time. The surgery actually isn’t too bad, albeit I am 29 so alot younger but there’s lots of older people who come through it. Infact, the chemo may be even worse than the surgery to be honest but everyone reacts differently. Don’t let the thought of the surgery put your dad off, it is possible to eat and live normally without a stomach :) 

Thank you Chloe I have sent him your message if nothing else it will help him to ask the right questions. 

Thank you for taking the time to respond I hope you are doing well now.