Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Is The Life Expectancy With Chemotherapy?
Question: My 66 year old husband was diagnosed in late March with stage 4 colon cancer with metastasis to liver (numerous lesions) and 12 of 20 sampled lymph nodes. He required an emergency colostomy due to bowel obstruction. I felt he was sick for two years due to fatigue, poor appetite, weakness; but would not go to dr.
He was started on 5FU with avastin, oxilplatan in May. He had 9 rounds. His CEA marker has dropped from 5000+ to 114. But his PET scan showed little change in lesion size. His blood work is poor; low RBC, low hemoglobin, low platelets, low albumin, etc. His is also an insulin diabetic Type 2. He has become so weak; sleeps all the time, and can barely eats because of a condition called DISH which affects swallowing. Two weeks ago he fell and broke femur neck. Had a hemi hip replacement. managing lab work was tricky and req'd 2 transfusions. i want to be done with chemo. He is not sure.
Realistically what are the life expectancy ranges with and without more chemo?
He was started on 5FU with avastin, oxilplatan in May. He had 9 rounds. His CEA marker has dropped from 5000+ to 114. But his PET scan showed little change in lesion size. His blood work is poor; low RBC, low hemoglobin, low platelets, low albumin, etc. His is also an insulin diabetic Type 2. He has become so weak; sleeps all the time, and can barely eats because of a condition called DISH which affects swallowing. Two weeks ago he fell and broke femur neck. Had a hemi hip replacement. managing lab work was tricky and req'd 2 transfusions. i want to be done with chemo. He is not sure.
Realistically what are the life expectancy ranges with and without more chemo?
Brief Answer:
average live expectancy is 24months
Detailed Answer:
Chemotherapy in colon cancer has had many recent advances. The average survival without chemotherapy in stage 4disease without any chemotherapy is 4 to 6months. With chemotherapy like 5Fu oxaliplatin and 5FU irinotecan it is around one and half to 2years. With the addition of targeted therapies like Avastin or cetuximab it is a little more than 2years,two to three months more. Quality of life is supposed to be better with chemotherapy.
So certainly there is survival advantage with chemotherapy. If he has issues with side effects,he would need better supportive care and dose adjustments. Stopping chemotherapy will not resolve all his problems because then effects of cancer will be seen. So discuss with your treating doctor also and then decide what would be best.
average live expectancy is 24months
Detailed Answer:
Chemotherapy in colon cancer has had many recent advances. The average survival without chemotherapy in stage 4disease without any chemotherapy is 4 to 6months. With chemotherapy like 5Fu oxaliplatin and 5FU irinotecan it is around one and half to 2years. With the addition of targeted therapies like Avastin or cetuximab it is a little more than 2years,two to three months more. Quality of life is supposed to be better with chemotherapy.
So certainly there is survival advantage with chemotherapy. If he has issues with side effects,he would need better supportive care and dose adjustments. Stopping chemotherapy will not resolve all his problems because then effects of cancer will be seen. So discuss with your treating doctor also and then decide what would be best.
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
