friend has small cell lung ca, tumor in femur. Dr. said the tumors have shrunk by 2/3 since starting chemo. However, tonight her husband told me she is talking "weird"'is a little forgetful'and has been unsteady when walking. I immediately suspected the worst..brain metastasis..(didn't tell him, of course!!!) he thinks its just a side effect of the chemo. could I be right? should i insist he take her for further testing? he has so much on his mind right now, and I don't know how to help.
2006-11-01 15:17:25 · 5 answers · asked by misty827 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
My poor grandfather had prostate cancer, which is supposedly one of the slowest-growing cancers there is. He was in the hospital for something unrelated, and out of nowhere started getting sicker. He lost his appetite, and over the course of a couple of days, started having difficulty walking and talking.
My grandmother questioned the same thing that you did, so she questioned one of the nurses as to whether his cancer had metastasized. The nurse more or less brushed her off and said, "No, prostate cancer wouldn't grow that fast."
Well, to make a long story short, he kept getting worse and worse, until finally his lungs and kidneys shut down. As it turned out, he had developed a secondary, fast-growing cancer that had metastasied all over his body within a matter of weeks.
By the time this was discovered, he was far too sick for any form of traditional treatment, and we unfortunately lost him very quickly after that.
I certainly hope that this isn't the case with your friend... some of what she's experiencing could be the side effects of the chemotherapy. Although I've never heard anyone "talking funny" from chemo, I'm certainly not an expert on the subject.
I just wanted to share my story with you, because it still makes us sick that my grandma questioned his prognosis and was told that it couldn't have spread. I guess we'll always wonder if he could have been helped had they acted sooner.
I certainly don't have any advice for you on how to approach your friend... it's very hard to question others' judgment when it comes to the way they're treating their cancer, especially when you're not the one paying the bills. I unfortunately know this far too well from experience... I guess all you can do is sit down with her husband by himself and discuss your fears. It's hard, though, because you don't want to place any undue worry on him.
I don't know how close of a relationship you have with this couple, but if you don't want to worry them directly, is it possible to pull one of her oncologists aside and talk it over with them? I don't know if she's in the hospital or not, but that might be a good way to go about it. If you feel like there's nothing you can do without overstepping your bounds, I guess all you can do is hope that the doctors notice what you have... but that's not always the case, either.
Sorry if I wasn't more help... at any rate, I wish you the best. If you're at all religious or spiritual, maybe a prayer for guidance is in order. If you're not... just listen to your heart, I guess. :)
2006-11-01 21:59:16 · answer #1 · answered by xxandra 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would take her in for further testing to be certain.... and a possible second opinion ( I never fully trust doctors). However Chemo could very well be the cause, It really depletes a person all over.
2006-11-01 15:22:11 · answer #2 · answered by JustCurous 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mom grew to change into clinically determined with breast optimal cancers in 1999/2000 and grew to change into in remission for more effective or a lot less 5 years contained in the previous they stumbled on it had spread to her lungs. once you concentration on that then it has also spread to her bone, liver, and colon and a 2d diagnoses of breast optimal cancers in between. She also had chemo, radiation and her lymph nodes bumped off. Her 2d diagnoses of breast optimal cancers grew to change into in 2008. She had surgical operation decrease back and severe radiation surely per week contained in the previous she traveled 3 hundred miles to go back to my toddler bathe. :( there is in a lot of situations a chance of it metastasizing inspite of the shown shown actuality that it does not recommend to provide up. My mom has been on chemo and Herceptin per week for over 5 years now or perhaps with if it maintains to be actively spreading, she maintains to be alive and extremely damn healthful in any different case, different than the lymphedema from her lymph nodes not draining good through very actuality of all this yet it really is less than administration. This ailment is so devastating to victims and households inspite of the shown shown actuality that it really is not a lack of life sentence. She needs to save faraway from to her healthcare specialist asap and may want to in all chance be said her oncologist for an intensive study up, in basic terms to be chance-loose. good fulfillment and God bless.
2016-12-05 11:04:38 · answer #3 · answered by geiser 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely the chemo. But the evil little critter moves around in there..
2006-11-01 15:25:57 · answer #4 · answered by Jim P 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, absolutely could have metastisized to her brain. These symptoms should be communicated to her oncologist.
2006-11-01 15:21:39 · answer #5 · answered by carmenPI 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋