My friend has cancer and had the cancerous tissue removed at Sloane Kettering...?

Question

So that's a really good place and it's been removed...why is my friend so weak and pale? Are they still doing chemo? Why?

Answer 1

It is good that they were able to remove the cancer. Sloan Memorial Kettering is a top cancer facility. But, cancer is a complicated disease.

In order to answer your question it would help to know what type of cancer your friend has, what stage the cancer was in (one tumor in one area or multiple tumors within the body) the rate of tumor growth (aggressive or slow growing), and the grade of the tumor (low means almost normal, high grade means very abnormal looking cells)

Outcome of surgery and overall prognosis depends upon your friends general health, age, and ability to undergo further treatment. It is not enough in most cases to just remove the cancer. Cancer has the ability to metastasize or spread out tiny, microscopic cells throughout the body.

Depending upon the stage and grade of the tumor will determine what type of treatment that will be offered.

If the doctor was unable to resect the entire tumor and some tissue was left behind further treatment is necessary. This leftover cancer has the ability to metastasize. In order to prevent this an oncologist will recommend chemotherapy or radiation or both to try and kill off any remaining cancer cells.

Your friend may also have secondary health issues that have become complicated by having cancer too. It's hard to speculate without knowing all the facts in this case.

Hope your friend feels better soon. She just may need time.

Answer 2

they are probably doing chemo to make sure all of the cancerous cells are gone.

Answer 3

probably because of the chemo