stage 4 gastric cancer

Hi, My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer recently (non-small
cell adenocarcinoma) , non resectable with complete oulet obstruction. I saw
the laproscopy images and the mets on the diaphragm and omentum are
significant. She is on ECF chemo for now. While I am keeping a strong front
for her I wish to hear some reality from anyone with an unfortunate similar
condition...what can we expect (I know everyone is different). Currently she
feeds thru a J-tube and empties her stomach thru a G-tube.

Thanks

"Deck" <u31227@uwe> wrote in message news:6cd226c87ca0d@uwe...
> Hi, My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer recently (non-small
> cell adenocarcinoma) , non resectable with complete oulet obstruction. I
> saw
> the laproscopy images and the mets on the diaphragm and omentum are
> significant. She is on ECF chemo for now. While I am keeping a strong
> front
> for her I wish to hear some reality from anyone with an unfortunate
> similar
> condition...what can we expect (I know everyone is different). Currently
> she
> feeds thru a J-tube and empties her stomach thru a G-tube.
>
> Thanks
>
Hi Deck,
I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's diagnosis. Gastric cancer is such a
nasty disease as so often it is stage 4 at diagnosis. My wife was diagnosed
almost exactly a year ago although hers was at the oesophageal gastric
junction - apparently more common in the UK/US than at the bottom of the
stomach. My wife's oncologist said that it had probably been there for up to
3 years before it caused enough problems to be noticed.

My wife had 6 cycles of ECF, lost most of her hair although some hung on
throughout. It gave us 3 months 99% symptom free although much of the latter
time on chemo there were few obvious symptoms. The obvious difference in
your wife's case is the obstruction which I assume may or may not go away
with the chemo, but it makes things much more difficult for you. My wife
coped well with the chemo, she's back on now and has found that anti
sickness suppositories work well as she has difficulty swallowing, worth
remembering.

You will grow to hate that pump/bum bag. Not because it's so terrible, but
it's always there and has to be remembered every time she gets up. The 5'FU
did not seem to cause too many problems, the Epi/CisPlat and steriods
flattened her for the first 5-6 days of so and then things returned to
normal for 2 weeks.

Don't forget to look after yourself, you can get forgotton in the rush. Tell
her you love her everyday.

If there is anything else I can tell you let me know.

Ian

Thanks very much...we are also adding on erbicin (mono clonal antibody)...
hoping for the best.

take care,

Deck


Bozz wrote:
>> Hi, My wife was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer recently (non-small
>> cell adenocarcinoma) , non resectable with complete oulet obstruction. I
>[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>>
>> Thanks
>
>Hi Deck,
>I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's diagnosis. Gastric cancer is such a
>nasty disease as so often it is stage 4 at diagnosis. My wife was diagnosed
>almost exactly a year ago although hers was at the oesophageal gastric
>junction - apparently more common in the UK/US than at the bottom of the
>stomach. My wife's oncologist said that it had probably been there for up to
>3 years before it caused enough problems to be noticed.
>
>My wife had 6 cycles of ECF, lost most of her hair although some hung on
>throughout. It gave us 3 months 99% symptom free although much of the latter
>time on chemo there were few obvious symptoms. The obvious difference in
>your wife's case is the obstruction which I assume may or may not go away
>with the chemo, but it makes things much more difficult for you. My wife
>coped well with the chemo, she's back on now and has found that anti
>sickness suppositories work well as she has difficulty swallowing, worth
>remembering.
>
>You will grow to hate that pump/bum bag. Not because it's so terrible, but
>it's always there and has to be remembered every time she gets up. The 5'FU
>did not seem to cause too many problems, the Epi/CisPlat and steriods
>flattened her for the first 5-6 days of so and then things returned to
>normal for 2 weeks.
>
>Don't forget to look after yourself, you can get forgotton in the rush. Tell
>her you love her everyday.
>
>If there is anything else I can tell you let me know.
>
>Ian

Deck wrote:

> Thanks very much...we are also adding on erbicin (mono clonal antibody)...
> hoping for the best.

Hello Deck,
There's been a handful of people here who've tried Erbitux, but not for stomach
cancer.
It's considered investigational for upper gastric cancers (see the pdf file I
posted last night).
The dose is sometimes lowered

Keep in touch please.

There've been quite a few stomach cancer posters in the past 3 or 4 months, so
they may be reading and interested.

The ACOR web page has been down for over a week, but as soon as it's up, I'll
announce it for all.
J

Do you have any experience with Gleevec or Taxotere for gastric tumors?
Thanks in advance.

J wrote:
>> Thanks very much...we are also adding on erbicin (mono clonal antibody)...
>> hoping for the best.
>
>Hello Deck,
>There's been a handful of people here who've tried Erbitux, but not for stomach
>cancer.
>It's considered investigational for upper gastric cancers (see the pdf file I
>posted last night).
>The dose is sometimes lowered
>
>Keep in touch please.
>
>There've been quite a few stomach cancer posters in the past 3 or 4 months, so
>they may be reading and interested.
>
>The ACOR web page has been down for over a week, but as soon as it's up, I'll
>announce it for all.
>J

--
Message posted via MedKB.com
http://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...board/200701/1

"Deck via MedKB.com" wrote:

> Do you have any experience with Gleevec or Taxotere for gastric tumors?

Hello Deck,
Taxotere is a chemo.used to treat cancers of the breast and lung and prostate. In
clinical trials, it may be used to treat head and neck, stomach, ovary and bladder
cancers. From: http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=4004

Gleevec is used for a different type of gastro tumor - gastrointestinal stromal
tumours (GIST
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=6161

It is used to treat GISTs that cannot be completely removed with surgery.

How's your wife coping with the chemo regimen?
The reality is that chemo for her type (and stage - extent of spread) of cancer
shrinks tumors but it does not get rid of all the cancer. In other words, it's
usually given for palliation.
Please stay with us and let us know how we can be of help.
J

Thanks. Chemo is hitting her pretty hard. She is very tired and the nausea is
being kept at bay with both long acting Zofran and q8hr phenergan. I am most
concerend with her ability to maintain weight since she is on a pure liquid
diet (peptomin). I am just praying that this is not what the rest of her life
will look like....

J wrote:
>> Do you have any experience with Gleevec or Taxotere for gastric tumors?
>
>Hello Deck,
>Taxotere is a chemo.used to treat cancers of the breast and lung and prostate. In
>clinical trials, it may be used to treat head and neck, stomach, ovary and bladder
>cancers. From: http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=4004
>
>Gleevec is used for a different type of gastro tumor - gastrointestinal stromal
>tumours (GIST
>http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=6161
>
> It is used to treat GISTs that cannot be completely removed with surgery.
>
>How's your wife coping with the chemo regimen?
>The reality is that chemo for her type (and stage - extent of spread) of cancer
>shrinks tumors but it does not get rid of all the cancer. In other words, it's
>usually given for palliation.
>Please stay with us and let us know how we can be of help.
>J

--
Message posted via MedKB.com
http://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...board/200701/1

"Deck via MedKB.com" wrote:

> Thanks. Chemo is hitting her pretty hard. She is very tired and the nausea is
> being kept at bay with both long acting Zofran and q8hr phenergan. I am most
> concerend with her ability to maintain weight since she is on a pure liquid
> diet (peptomin). I am just praying that this is not what the rest of her life
> will look like....

I can't say otherwise, unfortunately.
How or what is the chemo helping?
J

How are things going Deck? I hope things are improving.

Ian