Stopping treatment for small cell prostate cancer

[Peach201]

Has anyone got any experience with small cell prostate cancer please? A close relative is very poorly at the moment. It’s such a rare cancer and I’m trying to find out what we might expect going forward as he’s thinking of stopping treatment. I’ve tried rare cancer alliance website but haven’t heard back about my application to join. I’m not sure where else to look. Thanks

Anyone? :(

Anyone? :(

I don't have any experience of this, but didn't want to read and run, so just wanted to say how sorry I am that you're going through this. Hopefully someone will be along with some advice soon x

He should be in touch with a specialist prostate cancer nurse at the hospital, they will be able to answer all your questions and signpost to support.

Small cell is a type of aggressive cancer which can respond well to treatment but if treatment is stopped then normally this means the patient is palliative.

Sorry your family is going through this op

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately since I first wrote this post back in March, treatment has now stopped.

He feels quite weak and tired and is experiencing blood in the catheter bag again. Was checked for infection and nothing was found.

Anyone have any advice please?

Unfortunately he insists on seeing all doctors/nurses alone so as a family we have been unable to get very much information. Thanks for your help

I would suggest speaking to the palliative care team in your local area. If he doesn't want anyone to help/talk to him about his diagnosis maybe it's best if you left it to him for the time being. Denial may be his way of coping with his diagnosis

Macmillan online has a lot of information which may be useful.
Your local area will have a cancer support centre too which might be helpful for support.

My husband had this, diagnosed too late for any treatment. He also had blood in his catheter, apparently due to the cancer.

The palliative care team are probably your best option as they will sort out his care, whether at home or hospice. Very difficult if he’s not discussing things with you though.

Contacting McMillan will give you a better idea of what’s happening, but you should also be able to make an appointment with his consultant if he’s in hospital? If he’s at home I can’t see why you couldn’t at the very least get a phone appointment with either his consultant or specialist nurse.
Prostate Cancer uk have a pretty informative website too, but obviously not personal to your relative.

So sorry you too are going through this.

If you look up Prostate Cancer UK they have a nurse led helpline which is very useful.

I am so sorry, but before you any members of the team, you need your relatives consent.

@Peach201 if he wants to see the nurses/doctors alone, I suggest you comply. It must be very difficult for you, but keep in mind it's not easy for him either.

seeing these people alone maybe the only autonomy he has left. When he gets/has got the really bad news, perhaps he just needs/needed to face it alone, before he shares it, if he ever does.

I'm so sorry if this sounds harsh, I'm a long term survivor of three rounds of different cancers, so I say this with a deep sympathy for all your suffering.

each time I got my diagnosis, I insisted I heard it myself, alone at first, although my adult child had gone with me. I wanted to hear the diagnosis alone, not because I didn't love my child, but because I did. I needed maybe a few minutes to concentrate on how I felt, without worrying about my child's needs.

I'm sorry you and your loved one are going through this.

Thanks everyone and so sorry that others are going through this too. It’s really tough. Unfortunately I live 3 hours away and I’m struggling to know how to support him.