Cancer Patients and How they decide their treatment

I tried in a thread that I created, to ask Cancer patients about their feelings on how they decide treatment.  Someone felt the need to change the topic on me, and give a very long sppech to everyone but me.

All I want is to know how you feel as a patient, in making decisions regarding your cancer treatment.

I am a caregiver, and while I have learned to accept, I do not always understand my Mom's decisions.  She is a Stage IV Colon Cancer by the way.

Do you do the research?

Do you let the doctor decide for you?

Do you feel a continuous need for chemo, or do you like to take breaks every now and then?

Any information you can give me on a personal level would be appreciated.

I listened carefully to he recmmendatiions of my doctor and then checked the web sites of Dana Farber, Mayo clinic, Sloane, etc to determine if there was any serious deviation from the doctors recommendation which was the Folfox treatment.  I next checked into the side effects of the drug Oxalipatin {eloxatin] and knew what I probably in for.  I do not have stage IV or I would have checked into Avastin (?) often used for liver problems associated with he cancer.  Remember all you can do is control or eleminate what you have and stop a recurrence of the cancer coming back.  I feel my decision for the Folfox treatment was based upon the best responsible information available.  Above all remember, "Don't quit, don't ever equit"  Good luck.

Thanks.  Mom is Stage IV, and Avastin is not an option.  She tried it last year, and we were in and out of the ER with extreme hypertensive issues.

FOLFOX is what Mom is on.

Thanks and best to you

Beth

 

Hi,

We listen to our Dr.  Do our own research, and use the Moss Reports.

Lynette