Question about "inoperable" stomach cancer

I promised myself I would stop scouring the internet for cancer info, but nobody can give me an answer on this question.

The backstory is my father was diagnoses with stage IV stomach cancer in November of 08.  It HAS NOT spread to any other organs, and the doctors did not locate any precense of cancer in his lymph nodes.  Initially we figgured they would removed part or all of his stomach, followed by some Chemo to clean everything up so to speak..However the doctors advised us that the tumor had gone through all the layers of his stomach and formed what they calls a plaque of sorts surrounding the stomach. 

  Well..that did take the wind out of our sails, but he has been dealing with some really aggresive treatment, his doctor is known for going full force against cancer, and has said there are a million things they can try.  So far so good..He is now eating solid foods again, and has increased his wieght about 8 pounds .  As far the tumor goes, I know the cell count is less than 1/4 of what it was, and at his last endoscopy(?) the doctor said there was a dgreat deal of shrinkage in regards to tumor size.  Basically the doctor has told my dad he is in excellent health...if you excuse the stomach cancer (sorry for the gallows humor)...So my question is, when he kills off this tumor, yes when he does..there is no if involved..will the doctors then go and removed his stomach?  Or no?  Like I said from all indications the cancer is only in his stomach...so if they can get rid of it, will there be preventitive measures taken?

  Anyway thanks for any answers you may have..surgery or not I know that this is just a bump in the road for the old man.

Dear EPeter,

Sorry to hear about your Dad joining this very exclusive club (yes, gallows humor will help get you through this). My partner Rick has been battling with stage IV, inoperable gastric cancer (adenocarcinoma) for two years now. We are now of the opinion after watching all of the info posted on this site (and this is only our opinions, not being doctors), that the longest lasting people with this disease still have their stomachs intact. I believe that it is much easier to digest food and maintain a fighting weight with a stomach.

Like your Dad, Rick was scheduled for a total gastrectomy in March 2007, they performed a laproscopic look around first and found what we like to call floating cotton seeds blowing all around the peritoneum cavity (we have cottonwood trees here in Colorado) that were not visible on any of the CT scans (the cancer had penetrated all of the layers but had not metastisized to any other organs). At that point, our surgeon decided to install a G-tube and close him back up with his stomach still intact. We are now very thankful for his decision.

Since starting chemo in April 2007, he has had 33 chemo treatments and was able to very quickly put back on thirty pounds due to being able to eat again. While I think we are starting to see some signs of cumulative chemotherapy side effects, now on his second regimen, his quality of life has been excellent.

I hope this has at least partially answered your question. I know there is a lot of horror stories out there, but attitude and support systems and faith go a long way to fighting this battle. There are a couple of long term stomach cancer fighters posting on this board and I am sure there are others that are out there that don't post here.

As questions come up, please feel free to ask as there are lots of answers available here from people who have gone done this road ahead of you. You know, only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask.........

Hang in there and give our best wishes to your family and especially your Dad. He can beat this devil back down.

Respectfully,  Scott.

Thanks for the reply..It's been a  tough few months for me and of course my parents..., mostly the fact that I am 1200 miles (give or take) from my father, and only have the oportunity to visit every few months.  I don't know if anybody else is dealing with a similar situation, but I just feel guilty about that all the time.  Granted we talk a couple of times a week, more than that when he is having a "down" week.  Thankfully my mother is being really strong...I would love to have seen the argument they had when he would not call the doctor to let him know he took a fall (I guess my mother can use the "F" word!)

  I know he is going for another checkup Wednesday, and is having his stomach stent removed, since the tumor has shrunk so much the stent is not needed anymore.  I was overjoyed that he was removed from the bag o chemo as I call it..and placed on a pill that I guess does the same job.  I know he is overjoyed because he did not like the visiting nurse all that much.  I know that people do beat this..and I know that he is going to..Like I said aside from the satge IV cancer, he's in great shape..

  As far as gallows humor I think my uncle had the best..He is recovering from some obscure sinus cavity cancer, that nobody seems to get..well upon hearing the news of my Dad's condition, my uncle replied "You had to go and one up me".

 

Scott,  I just wanted to say thank you for posting such a positive response.  It's actually the first positive response I've seen and it was very uplifting. 

My husband was diagnosed with inoperable Stage IV Gastric Adenocarcinoma with metasteses to the liver last Nov. and his been in a clinical trial at Sloan Kettering since Dec. 1.  His treatments are fairly aggressive but he is responding well.  Each scan has showed continual improvement and after 6 treatments his liver was rated as returned to "normal appearance".   The doctors at Sloan were against any type of surgery for this cancer because they felt it was not beneficial.

We believe also that attitude, faith and support are also key, along with healthy diet choices.  My husband has an amazing positive attitude and I know that this has and will continue to help the healing process.  The only thing he finds difficult and frustrating is the fatigue, but he tries his best to "work with it", knowing its only temporary.

As harsh as this disease is, we are extremely grateful that we were given the opportunity to help him heal, as opposed to the alternative.  Our hearts go out to everyone that has to deal with this.

Sounds like you and your partner are on the right track and I wish he and you all the best for continued good health and recovery.   

Karen

Karen,

Thanks for the kind words, we all do the best we can to help the ones we love. I am so glad to hear your husband is responding well to treatment. Rick really did not experience much in the fatigue department, aside from a couple of days after each treatment. Dosage of drugs could have something to do with that, type of chemicals being used, and of course just the fact that everyone responds differently. I would just make sure your oncologist knows EXACTLY what fatigue symptoms your husband is experiencing.  They do have the ability to adjust the dosages (Rick is now @ 65% dosage of the 5FU, and seems to have done much better at that level, now about a year on that FOLFIRI regimen). Sometimes us stubborn headed men don't really share what we are experiencing, I know what a surprise, lol.

Hang in there and make sure you enjoy every day that you have with each other. It truly is what's important.

Best thoughts to you both,  Scott.

My husband had a total gasterectomy (complete stomach removed) Feb. 9, 2009. He is 54 years old, never smoked or drank. Healthy diet and in one month he went from working 12 hrs a day manual labor to now he can walk around in the house and on a good day 250 feet to the mail box. My advice from watching Steve waste away. do everything you can and then surgery last. If they could have saved a 1/4 of his stomach he would be much better. He has problems eating it hurts to eat. He has to take 3 diff. meds for acid refluex The tube feeding are going better now. But he may eat a total of 5 bites a day and only enough liquid to take his meds. Hind sight would be great. We would have had chemo then surgery. We found out today that his cancer is now in his liver. But because he has been unable to tolerate the feedings or eating for so long he is not strong enough for chemo.

I had chemo then surgery, then more chemo and radiation.  My tumor covered the top of my stomach and was growing into my esophegus.  It had also grown through the stomach wall and grown toward my liver and my spleen.  After the first round of chemo my tumor disappeared.  My doctors still wanted a total gastrectomy because my stomach had a lot of scar tissue.  Scar tissue is what cancer loves to grow in.  In total I lost 65 lbs., but I've gain back four pounds in the past two months.  I'm glad I had the surgery.  Yes, I do have problems with digesting, but I've learned what foods I can eat and drink.  I'll be in remission two years in May.  I'm back at work full time and I can go on walks with my husband and kids.