To ask how long with stage four bowel cancer?

[Scarlettjones24]

Someone close to me has just been diagnosed. It’s terminal and they’re not taking treatment. Doctors and consultants won’t comment.

These things vary a lot between people so it is hard for them to say. Even if they guess it could be very wrong - a relative of mine with terminal lung cancer was told she would have less than a year but ended up with more time than expected (i think it was about 3 years!).
How many places has it spread to will be a factor. I'm afraid people online won't know more than the doctors though

Good advice. Thank you.

Having recently lost my Mum to bowel cancer, you have all my sympathy. It's frustrating, we found the same. They won't tell you because it can be anything from days to years. There is no way to know. With my Mum it was just short of six months. She wanted treatment but for various reasons was unable to have it. She deteriorated very quickly in the end-it took us all by surprise, including her. My best advice is for them to do any bucket list stuff sooner than later. Have honest conversations, don't have regrets later by not saying all you want to say. I didn't realise until almost too late that my Mum wanted those conversations, as I had been scared of upsetting or frightening her.

My mum died from bowel cancer. She stopped treatment as she couldn’t cope anymore with it. She died, peacefully at home, one month later.

im so sorry you are going through this.

Also don't be surprised or upset if they withdraw into themselves. For many people it's a natural part of end of life.

I’ve lost 3 family members to bowel cancer. It varies so much between people I doubt they could give you an accurate time even if they wanted to. Some people live quite a long time with terminal bowel cancer if it isn’t growing as fast as they anticipated. My Gran lasted for 6 months after her terminal diagnosis and no treatment, my Mum died 6 weeks after being diagnosed. I’m sorry, it’s a horrible disease.

Sorry about your news. My relative in their late seventies lasted 10-months. He had surgery, but no chemo.

Terminal cancer doesn't mean an immediate death sentence, there are many people who live with it & are still able to lead a fairly normal life. You need to speak to your loved one's oncology or hospice nurse if they have one, they will be able to tell you what you want to know & also if there is any treatment to make them more comfortable.

@Scarlettjones24
I'm so very sorry to hear this.
I've lost 2 relatives to bowel/ rectal cancer.
Both got a stage 4 diagnosis with very mild symptoms
1 family member unfortunately died from a stroke 7 weeks after diagnosis - had a massive seizure and bleed on the brain that was such a shock it was so hard
The other lasted another 18 months with palliative radiotherapy but the last 9 months or so weren't great for them unfortunately it seemed to prolong the agony a bit
If it happens to me at stage 4 I won't have palliative radiotherapy seeing my aunt like that has put me off.

It's a horrible situation but please speak to McMillan and your loved one and ask them what they want, to be at home? Or a hospice and what their wishes are and have those conversations

Sending big hugs 🤗

Younger people go downhill faster. My nephew lasted 2 months from the terminal diagnosis and it was a rapid decline.

I'm so sorry.

My DH lived 2 years 3 months after stage 4 bowel cancer diagnosis, but he did have a few rounds of chemo/radiotherapy. After the final oncology appointment when they said there was nothing else they could do, he lived 5 weeks.

You are in my thoughts. ❤

Completely different cancer, my mum had ovarian. She was given weeks and lived 7.5 yrs.

A relative of mine was told they wouldn't last more than a year, 10 years later they're still alive and kicking.