Mil Just Diagnosed Stage 4

My unofficial mother-in-law/son's grandmother was just recently diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. We thought it was gallstones at first, but within the span of 3.5 weeks she's simply gotten worse and now has been diagnosed as having Stage 4 gallbladder cancer. Both the emergency room doctor and oncologist have said it's too far to treat.

She's in hospital battling blood clot infections in her legs and on large amounts of morphine to deal with the pain.

We're all mostly trying to prepare to lose her within the next month or two, is there no hope at this stage at all? No treatment options other then palliative care? Is anyone else going through Stage 4 or know someone who is that can offer any information good or bad?

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law's diagnosis.  Gallbladder cancer is very aggressive, and can move quickly.  It sounds as if she's dealing with multiple health issues.  Are her doctors knowledgeable about this cancer?  If so, then they probably have some reliable information.

I am also stage 4 gallbladder cancer, 9 months post diagnosis, but I was in good health when it was discovered, and my cancer seems to be the rare slow-growing version of this cancer.   I had my gallbladder removed with surgery but they knew they left cancer in my bile duct.  I have just had a recurrence, with a new tumor.  Perhaps if your mother in law can stabilize, they can see if anything can be done.  I'm on chemo now, but all treatments are experimental because this cancer is so rare.

 I wish your MIL and all of your family the best as you deal with this difficult disease.  There is also a discussion board on the Johns Hopkins site, and a separate website at cholangiocarcinoma.org, where you can get a lot of information about people's varied experiences with this disease.

Thank you so much for your reply. This is all very new to me, I have been doing some reading but I have to say, I still have some trouble understanding why some people, even in Stage 4, get treatment while others don't.

I realize there is no real 'cure' in the later stages but surgery and/or chemo seems to make quite a large difference on life span. As it stands right now, at the rate she's deteriorating I really cannot see her living more than two months tops. With surgery it sounds like that could be up to another year.

Her oncologist has not said anything about any sort of treatment. Mostly just palliative care and I don't really understand why. Because it's simply too fast moving? Or has spread too far for even radical surgery to touch? She is older, 65, but in quite good health aside from that.

I suppose this is part of a process that so many of us go through but I simply cannot help but feel so frustrated that we're basically being told all they're going to do is offer her morphine to ease her pain until the end without even trying any sort of treatment. She's going to die either way so I don't understand why they're acting like treatment would make anything any worse than it already is. :-/

If you are concerned that the doctors could be too pessimistic, suggest that
 your MIL geta second opinion.  You don't say where you are, but this cancer is rare, and some doctors have very limited experience with it.  Even the ones with experience may see only 4 new cases a year.  And that's in a busy cancer center in a major metropolitan center.

 Having said that, you should know that the cancer, when advanced is often considered "unresectable" (Medical lingo for "we can't surgically remove the cancer.")  It sounds as if that's what your MIL's doctors are thinking.

In my case, the doctors went in to relieve a blocked bile duct, realized there was cancer there, removed my gallbladder because it was a mess, and also spotted a small growth they felt (correctly, as it turned out) was cancer on my intestine.  Because of the way they calculate these things, that made my cancer stage IV, having metatisized.  So they did not remove the cancerous bile duct, but left it in.  Later pathology tests indicated that the cancer started in the gallbladder.

Through a process I still consider amazing, I had no immediate recurrence of the cancer after the surgery.  Do I wish they have removed my bile duct?  Knowing (now) that my cancer is slow growing, I do, but I can't go back in time.  Had the doctors known I had cancer, they wouldn't have opened me up at all to relieve the blockage, but would have taken other steps (probably a stent).  When I did have recurrence of the cancer this past January, in the area where my gallbladder used to be, I wanted them to go in an take the tumor out.  I completely understand your feelings about that!  However,  they don't do surgery in a situation like this, and even  my highly sympathetic surgeon whom I trust and value, would not consider it.  If the tumor created a blockage in my colon, he said, he would go in and remove the blockage, but he would not touch the rest of the cancer.

 I share my story to empathize with what you and your family are facing.  This is such a hard cancer; it's hard to get information, it's hard to find doctors who know enough, and it's so hard to see otherwise healthy, functioning adults suddenly brought low by this aggressive and dangerous disease.  I do suggest that you learn everything you can, so that you can feel like a support to her and the rest of the family. 

 I just read your post on your MIL and wish you all the best.  In this case the docs may be right but if you want to try something natural here is a website to go check out.  Your mother needs coumadin, pain meds and to be made as comfortable as possible. I was at this stage with bone cancer and no hope.  I took this natural supplement as I had no hope and nothing could be done.  I am now cancer free. It does not work for everyone but check it out anyway.  it is the best I have to offer, better than nothing. It may not work for her but while there is life there is hope.

It also depends on her general state of health before this happened. 

 

www.polymva.com   www.facr.org 

On 2/27/2007 Whirlgigs wrote:

My unofficial mother-in-law/son's grandmother was just recently diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. We thought it was gallstones at first, but within the span of 3.5 weeks she's simply gotten worse and now has been diagnosed as having Stage 4 gallbladder cancer. Both the emergency room doctor and oncologist have said it's too far to treat.

She's in hospital battling blood clot infections in her legs and on large amounts of morphine to deal with the pain.

We're all mostly trying to prepare to lose her within the next month or two, is there no hope at this stage at all? No treatment options other then palliative care? Is anyone else going through Stage 4 or know someone who is that can offer any information good or bad?