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Original poster

Anyone any experience of peritoneal cancer?

10 replies

Eve · 04/07/2016 11:46

My DM has been told yesterday she has this after being admitted to hospital last week with abdominal swelling, immense pain and difficulty breathing.

The consultant is taking about a biopsy this week, then a treatment review this week.

She is 77 and otherwise well, could she cope with chemo?

OP posts:

superking · 04/07/2016 11:53

My mum had secondary peritoneal cancer. She was much younger than your DM and it was successfully held at bay for several years with chemo (but she was very lucky in that sense, the drug she was given just really worked for her).
Without wanting to sound patronising I think it is very hard to know how your DM would handle chemo, it is so dependent on the stage of the disease and the type of drug being proposed. I would try to keep an open mind until you know more. Because it was secondary disease my DM's cancer was incurable from the outset but even once she took the decision to stop chemo she had many more months of fairly good quality life with palliative care.
Hope you have positive news this week.

blackteaplease · 04/07/2016 11:57

My mum had primary peritoneal cancer, she didn't get on well with chemo and only had reduced doses for palliative reasons. She was then put onto observation with no chance of surgery as it was too spread.

Mum had 15 months after first diagnosis before secondary lung cancer developed and she passed away.

It all depends on the spread and how your mum reacts to chemo. People can live for years with this type of cancer. I wish you all the best x

Zadocthepriest · 04/07/2016 13:08

Hi. Sorry to hear your mum's news. Have a look at the 'Beating bowel cancer' website and forum. Lots of info and also nurses to message or phone.

Original poster

Eve · 04/07/2016 13:11

thank you both - at least you are saying there is a few more months possible which gives me hope.

My dad had bowel cancer which metastasized into peritoneal cavity but he got a chest infection and passed away in a matter of weeks.

OP posts:

Noitsnotteatimeyet · 07/07/2016 07:06

My mum had primary peritoneal cancer which was already very advanced by the time it was diagnosed. She could only cope with three cycles of chemo and had to stop after the drugs caused a brain haemorrhage. With hindsight we should have pushed much more firmly for a prognosis with best case and worst case scenarios. After the brain haemorrhage they told us that at best we'd only have been looking at an extra year. After she'd recovered from the haemorrhage she had one lovely month with no chemo before the cancer took hold again and she died 8 months after she'd been diagnosed. It was a horrible time made worse by the chemo - I'm so sorry you and your mum have to go through this too

Original poster

Eve · 08/07/2016 18:25

Unfortunately heard today it's aggressive spread of ovarian cancer and without chemo 4-6 weeks, with chemo , which will be tough maybe a few months.

Heartbroken today.

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 08/07/2016 18:33

Ok that's awful news. I'm very sorry to hear that. Have you any sense of what your mum might want to do?

DramaAlpaca · 08/07/2016 18:36

Sorry to hear that. Wishing you & your mum strength

Noitsnotteatimeyet · 08/07/2016 18:51

I'm so sorry - it's a hideous disease

blackteaplease · 09/07/2016 08:45

Really sorry to hear that. I am thinking of you. Chemo can be very rough, my mum described it as worse than the cancer. But then it does give you a bit longer with your family. Has your mum made a decision on which path she would prefer to take?

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