What to expect in stage IV stomach cancer with metastases

hgfamily · New User Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 2

In April my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The tumor was 80% of his stomach. After several rounds of chemo the tumor had reduced drastically and all CT scans, etc. had shown no progress of the disease. Last Friday they went in to remove his stomach. On performing the laparoscopy they found that the cancer had spread to his liver, bowels, etc. and therefore they did not proceed with the surgery. He just returned today from the oncologist and they are just going to continue chemo. My question is how much time do we have with him now that it has spread outside of his stomach? He fortunately seems to be doing okay now and in the past handled his chemo very well. Do we have months or years at this point?

Thank you all so much for your answers. This is just so devastating as he is only 59 and has been the BEST dad in the world.

Heather

jennysking

Dear Heather

So sorry to hear about your Dad, and I understand how hard this must be on you and the rest of your family.

The question you ask cannot be easily answered. Everybody is different. Your Dad has responded well to Chemo and is doing okay ‘in-himself’. There is no definitive scale or measuring device. The most important thing is that you take each day as it comes, be strong as a family, enjoy the time you spend together; seek out good memories and laughter whenever you can. Your strength and positivity will fuel your dad’s.

Do not think of the future in terms of time, whether it is 100 days or 100 years it’s the time you enjoy together that counts. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do together today – go for a drive, take a stroll, see a movie, fulfil a life-long wish/desire, whatever makes him/you/others happy – and if you fancy you can do it all again tomorrow and again the day after that! And if after 100 sky-dives you’re both bored – try swimming with dolphins! I think you know what I mean.

I’m sure it will get tough for all of you and there will be sad and lonely moments along the way. Everybody here is here to help, give you support, advice and strength – post whenever you need some.

Love and positivity.

Jenny
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Jenny

hgfamily · New User Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 2

Thank you Jenny so much for your reply. We are all trying to cope with this as best as possible. It just seems to have all happened so fast. A year ago everything was just plain normal. We are all planning on a family vacation in October with my mom and dad, all of our spouses, and all of the grandchilden. We are just praying he is well enough to go. Right now he seems to be doing very well health wise, however I really think his mood is way down. He truly believed after they removed his stomach things would eventually go back to normal. We are all just so clueless as to "what to expect in the future". My sister and I are trying to do as much research as we can so we can expect what ever happens and be able to support my mom in the outcome. I know everyone is different but is this something that we are all going to watch him suffer badly from or will he just not wake up one day? No one in our family has ever had cancer and we have never experienced anything like what we are about to approach.

Thanks again for your very kind words.

Heather

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