How long can you live with stage 4 rectal cancer?
A growing number of people with stage IV colon cancer live longer than 2 years. And for a small group of people with cancer that has only spread to your liver or lung, surgery might even cure it.
Is stage 4 rectal cancer always terminal?
Stage 4 colon CANcer free “Stage 4 colon cancer isn't always terminal,” Gupta says. “A proportion of patients, especially those with limited liver disease, do very well and can be potentially cured.”
How many rounds of chemo is normal for Stage 4 colon cancer?
These regimens all use Eloxatin chemotherapy and can be associated with significant side effects including diarrhea, fatigue and damage to the nerves (neuropathy). Many colon cancer experts are now limiting the use of this medication to no more than 3-4 cycles and patients should discuss this with their physician.
How long does treatment for rectal cancer last?
After surgery, chemo is given, usually for about 6 months. The most common regimens include FOLFOX (oxaliplatin, 5-FU, and leucovorin), 5-FU and leucovorin, CAPEOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin), or capecitabine alone. Your doctor will recommend the one best suited to your health needs.
Can you go into remission with Stage 4 colon cancer?
It often spreads to the liver, but it can also spread to the lungs, brain, peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), or lymph nodes. A cure where the cancer is totally eradicated and will never return is rare at stage 4. However, remission, where symptoms are reduced or gone for a time, is possible.
What are the signs of end stage colon cancer?
What are the symptoms of end-stage colon cancer?Dark blood in the stool.Constipation and/or diarrhea.Long, thin, pencil-like stools.Fatigue.Weakness.Abdominal pain or bloating.Unexplained weight loss.Nausea and vomiting.
What are the end stages of stage 4 colon cancer?
Stage IV colon cancers have spread from the colon to distant organs and tissues. Colon cancer most often spreads to the liver, but it can also spread to other places like the lungs, brain, peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), or to distant lymph nodes.
Is chemo Worth It For Stage 4 colon cancer?
If the colon cancer has spread too far for surgery to be effective, chemotherapy is the primary treatment option. Most people with stage 4 colon cancer will receive chemotherapy or specific targeted therapies to help control the cancer progression or symptoms.
Is there a limit to how much chemotherapy you can have?
How long can treatment go on? This is a very good question to ask, but one that's very hard to answer. There's no way to give an exact time limit.
How many cycles of chemo are needed for rectal cancer?
How often do you have it? You usually have chemotherapy every 2 to 3 weeks depending on what drugs you have. Each 2 to 3 week period is called a cycle. You may have up to 8 cycles of chemotherapy.
What is the success rate of radiation therapy for rectal cancer?
RT is effective for advanced or metastatic rectal cancers when palliation of symptoms is required locally. A retrospective study of 99 patients demonstrated a response rate of 62.5% to 86.7% with median duration response from 4.2–5.4 months.
How quickly does rectal cancer progress?
In most cases, colon and rectal cancers develop slowly over many years. Most of these cancers begin as a growth of tissue called a polyp in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Usually polyps bulge into the colon or rectum; some are flat.
Treating Stage 0 Rectal Cancer
Stage 0 rectal cancers have not grown beyond the inner lining of the rectum. Removing or destroying the cancer is typically all that's needed. You...
Treating Stage I Rectal Cancer
Stage I rectal cancers have grown into deeper layers of the rectal wall but have not spread outside the rectum itself.This stage includes cancers t...
Treating Stage II Rectal Cancer
Many stage II rectal cancers have grown through the wall of the rectum and might extend into nearby tissues. They have not spread to the lymph node...
Treating Stage III Rectal Cancer
Stage III rectal cancers have spread to nearby lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body.Most people with stage III rectal cancer will be trea...
Treating Stage IV Rectal Cancer
Stage IV rectal cancers have spread to distant organs and tissues such as the liver or lungs. Treatment options for stage IV disease depend to some...
Treating Recurrent Rectal Cancer
Recurrent cancer means that the cancer has come back after treatment. It may come back near the area of the initial rectal tumor (locally) or in di...
What Is Stage 4 Colon Cancer?
Stage 4 colon cancer is the most advanced stage of the disease and may also be referred to as metastatic colon cancer. Before saying anything else...
Making Important Decisions About Your Stage 4 Colon Cancer Care
Unfortunately, for most people, stage 4 colon cancer is not considered curable. However, it can almost always be treated. People can live many mont...
How Much Information Do You Want About Your Stage 4 Colon Cancer Prognosis?
Among the first things, you will discuss with your health care team is how much information you want about your prognosis. Prognosis refers to the...
What Does Your Family Want to Know?
When making your decision about details, of course, it can be important to think about those who love you and may help care for you. Many family me...
How Long Can You Live With Stage 4 Colon Cancer?
Predictions about survival with stage 4 colon cancer are based on statistics, and people are not numbers.In addition, survival statistics are, by d...
When Should You Stop Treatment With Stage 4 Colon Cancer?
While we have better treatments than in the past, and sometimes can even treat metastases, we know that many people with stage 4 colon cancer will...
Coping With Colon Cancer When Treatment Is No Longer Helpful
If you've decided to stop active treatment for your cancer, what is the next step?Just because active treatment of your colon cancer ends, it does...
Making A Decision About Hospice Care
Nobody wishes to bring up a discussion about hospice care. Cancer patients and their families both hope to protect the other by ignoring this discu...
Bottom Line on Coping With Stage 4 Colon Cancer
Stage 4 colon cancer is frightening, and until very recently had a very poor prognosis. We have many more treatments available at this time, with e...
What is stage IV rectal cancer?
Following clinical evaluation of rectal cancer, the cancer is referred to as Stage IV rectal cancer if the final evaluation shows that the cancer has spread to distant locations in the body, which may include the liver, lungs, bones, or other sites. Certain patients with stage IV rectal cancer can be cured of their cancer ...
What are the two groups of patients with stage IV rectal cancer?
Patients with stage IV rectal cancer can be broadly divided into two groups: those with cancer that may be possible to remove with surgery and those with more extensive widespread cancer.
What are the treatments for liver cancer?
These other therapies include radiofrequency ablation (use of heat to kill cancer cells), cryotherapy (use of cold to kill cancer cells), delivery of chemotherapy directly to the liver, and radiation therapy .
What is the most common site of metastasis for patients with rectal cancer?
If the cancer in the rectum responds to treatment and decreases in size potentially curative surgery can be considered at that time. Treatment of the liver: The most common site of metastasis for patients with rectal cancer is the liver.
What is the best treatment for MSI high rectal cancer?
MSI-High rectal cancer can be more effectively treated with the precision cancer immunotherapy drugs called "checkpoint inhibitors.". Keytruda, and Opdivo have both been demonstrated to improve treatment of individuals with MSI-High disease. (7,8)
What is the treatment for cancer that is not causing symptoms?
If the cancer is extensive but not causing symptoms, treatment may consist of chemotherapy, precision cancer medicines, and immunotherapy or some combination that is often determined by genomic - biomarker testing of the cancer. Some individuals are only treated with precision cancer medicines or immunotherapy and can avoid chemotherapy all ...
Where does rectum cancer spread?
Rectal cancer may spread (metastasize) to the liver, lung or other locations in the body. When the site of metastasis is a single organ, such as the liver or lungs, patients may benefit from local treatment directed at that single site of metastasis and are still potentially curable.
What is it called when you have only a few metastases?
In medical lingo, a single or only a few metastases are referred to as "oligometastatic" with the term "oligo" meaning few. For those who have metastatic colon cancer with only a few metastases to the liver or lungs, removing the metastases can sometimes result in long-term survival. 3 .
How long can you live with stage 4 colon cancer?
People can live many months and even years with stage 4 colon cancer. 1 . How long a person lives after the diagnosis depends on many things, including how the colon cancer cells behave, where the cancer has spread, and how the individual responds to available treatments.
What is the prognosis of colon cancer?
Prognosis refers to the possible course of the disease and how much time you have. Some people want very specific information regarding how long they might live with stage 4 colon cancer. Other people prefer not to know these details.
What is the first thing you discuss with your healthcare team?
Among the first things you will discuss with your healthcare team is how much information you want about your prognosis. Prognosis refers to the possible course of the disease and how much time you have.
Is stage 4 colon cancer treated the same as stage 4 colon cancer?
In the past, stage 4 colon cancers were all treated the same. Treatments were directed at cancer in general, no matter where the cancer had spread. This has, thankfully, changed. Now, when a person has only a few or small areas of metastases, say to the liver, treatment of the metastases may be considered.
Is colon cancer better than two years ago?
When people comment on others who have had the disease—which will almost certainly occur—you may want to gently remind them that treatments are changing. Better treatments are available for colon cancer than we had even two years ago, and long-term survival rates—even with stage 4 disease are improving.
Is stage 4 colon cancer bad?
Stage 4 colon cancer is frightening, and until very recently had a very poor prognosis. We have many more treatments available at this time, with even more available in clinical trials. This is wonderful in many ways, but unlike the past, people need to be a very active part of their cancer care team.
Overview
Following clinical evaluation of rectal cancer, the cancer is referred to as Stage IV rectal cancer if the final evaluation shows that the cancer has spread to distant locations in the body, which may include the liver, lungs, bones, or other sites.
Treatment of Extensive Stage IV Rectal Cancer
While some patients have a single site of metastatic cancer that can be treated with curative intent, the majority of patients with Stage IV rectal cancer have more widespread cancer that cannot be completely removed with surgery.
Treatment of Metastatic Rectal Cancer to a Single Site
Rectal cancer may spread (metastasize) to the liver, lung or other locations in the body. When the site of metastasis is a single organ, such as the liver or lungs, patients may benefit from local treatment directed at that single site of metastasis
Strategies to Improve Treatment
While some progress has been made in the treatment of Stage IV rectal cancer, the majority of patients still succumb to cancer and better treatment strategies are clearly needed. Future progress in the treatment of rectal cancer will result from continued participation in appropriate clinical trials.
What is the end result of chemotherapy?
The end result means such protocols are moved through the FDA with quantities of sales pre-approved and guaranteed by Medicare. As a result, chemotherapy drugs are often miss-matched to the patient's actual tumor.
How effective is chemo for cancer?
When accepting new treatments, most patients are not aware that chemotherapy is just 2 percent effective in late stage cancers after a five year period. Despite the National Cancer Institute's forty years of scientific research (which now costs upwards of $4 billion annually), stage 3 and 4 chemotherapy-driven cancer treatments have not progressed ...
What does it mean when a cancer patient shrinks?
By and large cancer growth response, or "shrinkage," remains the primary focus of cancer treatment. Unfortunately, research demonstrates that such responses do not often correlate to elevated survival in patients. When traditional cancer treatment reports a 20 or 30 percent effect, it simply means that the patient's tumor shrunk by 20 to 30 percent.
Is chemo effective in late stage cancer?
Chemotherapy is Only 2% Effective in Late Stage Cancers. Many late stage cancer patients have endured unforgiving chemo treatment regimens only to realize minimal benefits, or worse, to discover their cancer was completely unresponsive. When accepting new treatments, most patients are not aware that chemotherapy is just 2 percent effective in late ...
Is cancer treatment black and white?
When an oncologist explains whether or not a therapy is "working," the reality might not be so black and white. Such conventional cancer treatment protocols are laden with "let's wait and see language." In simple terms, if an individual lives five years or more from the beginning of treatment, than that treatment for cancer was considered a success, or that "it worked."
Can stage 4 cancer be treated with chemotherapy?
Many have been faced with the all-too-common dilemma that arises when the oncologist orders a standard regime of chemotherapy to treat their advanced or stage 4 cancers, even after chemotherapy had previously failed. Patients often feel that the course of treatment can be worse than the disease itself. What's more, there is seldom time to seek other specialized treatment options or to make a truly informed decision. Feeling rushed will likely amplify stress for the mind and body already overwhelmed by circumstance.
Stage IV Cancer Survival Without Chemo
Hi All, My mother has been diagnosed with Stage IV Gall Bladder Cancer metastatized into Liver and few lymph nodes. Oncologists told me that Palliative Chemo is the only option available which can only improve the quality of life to some extent.
Stage IV Cancer Survival Without Chemo
I'm not a doctor or anything, just another cancer patient, but it would be worth asking your mother's oncologist for advice. I was on a similar chemo regime (EOX in my case), but there was a debate at the time about how many cycles were most effective.
Stage IV Cancer Survival Without Chemo
I’m sorry to hear about your dad,I’m glad he got to enjoy time with his grandson, my mom has decided to stop chemo, she has uterine cancer that has spread to her lungs and back, she has decided to stop Chemotherapy, she says she wants quantity over quality, I don’t want her to suffer in pain and I don’t want to be with -out her. Im heart broken.
Stage IV Cancer Survival Without Chemo
well this is not easy.my chemo has been stopped after 4 sessions.mixed with oral meds.got another pet scan mid jan to see how bad my liver has got,started in upper colon had it removed,got temp bag,oncologist just gets his clinical nurse to phone me,im ok with it,just wish they could be abit more honest with the whole thing
