Do people who get chemotherapy usually die of cancer within a few years? Is chemo a hell of pain for no gain?

Question

Is chemo sometimes part of a cure for a cancer or just a very painful way of holding back a terminal cancer for some months or at most a few years? Please say which country's experience you are answering from.

Answer 1

My teenage son was diagnosed 20 months ago with a rare stage IV abdominal sarcoma. He had multiple masses within the abdominal cavity and tumors throughout the body. His primary tumor was the size of a volley ball that had 'seeded' hundreds of small tumors onto his diaphragm. His doctors gave him a choice. Go home or stay and fight his cancer . . no guarantees. He chose to fight. He underwent eight months of high dose chemotherapy (Doxirubicin, Cytoxan, Vincristine, Etoposide, Ifosomide). By the third month he had a 20% response . . the tumors literally started to shrink and disappear. If he had not had chemotherapy he would not have survived at all. He had a few more rounds of chemo and his primary tumor reduced by 50%. Because of this response he underwent immediate surgery and they were able to remove 75% of the tumors.

During this entire time he had excellent quality of life. He was ill during chemo but he learned how to cope with it. He also managed to recover quickly from his surgery which allowed him to continue with the chemotherapy.

None of this was easy. It was hard and heartbreaking and overwhelming, but he kept at it. We found out about an experimental procedure called hyperthermic chemoperfusion. The idea was to have the surgeon remove all visible tumors and than pour heated chemo directly into the abdominal cavity to kill off all microscopic implants (diaphragm was caked with them). The surgery worked for him. He recovered quickly and was home within 8 days.
He continued chemotherapy for the next 8 months at home. He was able to go out, visit friends, complete high school, and graduate with his class.

He still is fighting. He has a few nodules left and we'll find out next week if the chemo has eliminated them.

Has it been worth it. Absolutely. You see . . time for a cancer patient and his family is different than time for the rest of the world. My son has had quality time for the last few years . . and hopefully it will continue. He is currently taking college classes at the local university but wants to go away to school next fall. No one knows how much time they have . . but it is certain that without chemotherapy there would have been no more time.

But, I do agree that quality of life should always be considered, cancer patients and their caretakers need to do the research and find out what is realistic and what is not. Chemotherapy is effective. It can work quickly, and it means the difference between life and certain death. But, chemotherapy also comes at enormous risk, but it is worth it if it improves quality of life and offers a chance for a cure.
No one knows the outcome, the story is still being written. In the meantime, my son is enjoying his life and we are happy he is here.
That's all any of us can ask for.

Responding from the USA.

Answer 2

HI,

When you have a choice of chemo or dying, I will bet 100% will take the chance the chemo will do something and give them some more time, even if it is just a month or two.

Everyone thinks they Will live forever and as they get older they think they they will live to 80 or 90. Then a guy in a white coat tells you that you will not be around in 2 or 3 or 5 years and your life is changed.

You can't help but think about it, first you are mad then you are sorry for your self then, you accept it and move on.

With all the advances in the last few years (look at the survival rate for breast cancer in the 60's and now) if the chemo can keep you alive for even a year, a better treatment may come along and give you another year etc.

So you do the chemo and hope and try to enjoy life and fight the cancer till you can't.

Jewells,
34 months and still here

Answer 3

I'm from the United States (California) and have survived chemo and radiation for stage II breast cancer. My prognosis is very good that I will many more years, which is fine with me because I'm still young. If I didn't do chemo I'd probably be dead by now. (Scarry thought) My cousin's daughter had kidney cancer when she was a toddler and is due to give birth to her first child any day. My aunt just completed chemo (breast cancer) for the 2nd time in 9 years.

For some people chemo can give them a second chance at life and with a husband and two sons at home and too many things I want to do before I pass I chose life.

Answer 4

Locatin-USA-Chemo has advanced tremendously in the last 5 or so years. It has the ability to kill cancer cells, greatly aid the cure & some of the new fast track meds are miracules. Terminal, is a terrifying word, but not always the case.

Needless to say, a lot dependes on the health of the patient, the type of cancer & how far it has spread(metastastized) to other areas of the body if at all. With radiation in some cases & surgery, a lot of good things can happen. I'm a living example. I've had colorectal cancer that spread to the liver. My first surgery was in august & my next is tommorrow. I also had 9 months of chemo & a month of radiation. Who your oncologists are & surgeons are extremely important. Better a specialized surgeon than a general one. Chemo is no bowl of cherries, nor is surgery, but technology has vastly improved. Each case & person is different...Godspeed & the best of luck.

Answer 5

Chemotherapy has been an important part in many sucessful cancer treatments. For most tumors, chemotherapy is adjuvant (supplemental) therapy to surgery. Only in blood cancers and lymphomas is chemotherapy the primary (or only) treatment. The effectiveness of chemotherapy depends on many factors including the patients overall health and the stage and histology (type) of tumor. Since chemotherapy kills actively dividing cells, it kills rapidly dividing cells such as red and white blood cells, hair, mouth and intestinal lining, the side effects can be intolerable. In addition, many chemotherapies are cardiotoxic (Adriamycin/Doxorubicin) and have other side effects.

In advanced and difficult to treat cases, chemotherapy is palliative slowing the cancer growth.

Most cancer cells adapt and acquire resistance to chemotherapy. So, oncologist often use a multi-drug regimen when treating chemotherapy. The fewer the cancer cells the less likely cancer cell will get resistance.

If a cancer has been diagnosed as terminal, chemotherapy usually just prolongs life. In rare cases, remission has occurred. Clinical trials may be an option. Many newer (targeted not chemotherapeutic) drugs are currently in clinical trials, While most clinical trials do not produce cures, valuable data can be collected to help others. One notable expection are the targeted drugs for CML, Ph+ ALL and, GIST which showed such remarkable sucess that clinical trials were called off early and approved to allow as many patients to receive the drugs (Gleevec, Sprycel) as possible. Check the cmlsupport.com website for details.

I'm not sure what you mean "which country's experience". The information I have typed in can be researched in various major cancer websites (NCI, MDACC, MSKCC, etc.).

Answer 6

Can You Die From Chemotherapy

Answer 7

Hey...ok, I'm from Texas. I think chemo has no proof that it DOESN'T work. It's tough, but if it could potentially save your life, what do you have to lose? My mom died in April of a rare cancer after chemo for a year and a half, but I truly believe that her life would have been cut even shorter without chemo. Ultimately, it's the patient's decisions, and one would have to really weigh the pros and cons, but I have seen it, at the very least, extend my mom's life.

Answer 8

Well, first of all, take in to consideration that shes an 18 year old, im a 21 year old guy and trust me from 17 onwards we want to be looked at as adults, and do mature things. So its important to take this into consideration. Does she have cousins, brothers or sisters who are older who can do things with her? it also depends on what kind of person she is, If shes intelligent, then something historical, Maybe a nature reserve, something like that. If you want to do something with her, how about something educational, like a summer class at a local college, there is usually alot of Art and Design summer classes here in the U.k but i dont know about there. Maybe take a class learning a new langauage together, give her something to look forward to when she is given a good bill of health taking her away to a country that speaks that language, (learn french, go to france or Quebec something like that you know?) I know the reply was long winded, but i hope some of my suggestions are to your liking. My best wishes go to her and her family! EDIT: just saw your Edit comment, about her being legally blind. a language class would defiently be something to consider.

Answer 9

It often depends on the type of cancer and how far it has progressed. Age and general health can be a plus too. If the person is young and generally in good health it can do wonders. My grandmother was 85 and it had spread a lot. Wouldn't have done her any good. If the oncologist thinks they have a good chance...go for it. Better to endure a little suffering and have the chance at many more good years. USA

Answer 10

I live in the US and my mother recently passed away from lung cancer. I wish the doctors would have told us her cancer was terminal. I feel bad because I made her go everyday for her radiation treatment and chemo once a week (which was an hour away).She made it through 2 chemo treatments and her cancer started spreading real fast, all over her body to her vital organs. It almost seemed like the chemo triggered it.