CancerCompass message board discussion started by Chris1979 on 5/23/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,12304,0.htm Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My mum has just been diognosed with having wide spread cancer on the skin of the heart and the lining of the lung and also the liver i believe that this cancer has spred from some unown primery cancer site she has been in intensive care for 2 1/2 months now with recurrent plurel & pericardial effuisions she's had a drain in left and right side now for about 3 weeks and shes on ventilator but she is awake they will not give her chemo untill they say she is strong enough i dont now why they wont give her the treatment i'd rather she had the treatment rather than just sitting and waiting for this cancer to spread further and it is spreading fairly quick within 6 weeks of having a ct scan saying they coudln't see anything and now saying its clearly visable i just dont now what to do she's only 56 if any one has any help or advice i would be very gratfull Chris1979 Wed, 23 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT You need to ask the doctors these questions but chemotherapy takes a MASSIVE toll on the body.  I don't know how much you understand of what it does but essentially it targets any fast growing cells, i.e cancer cells.  However chemo is indiscriminate, hair cells grow quickly, that is why chemo patients lose their hair. Chemo also destroys your white blood cells - those that fight infection so your risk of infection is greatly increased and blood platelets are also affected, preventing blood from clotting properly. If your mum is already ready weakened they cannot give her chemo because her body will not be able to withstand it. Even if she did still manage to have it, if she got an infection, in a body weakened by cancer, weakened by complications and weakened by chemotherapy it would be a total disaster. I'm afraid I think you have to accept the doctors advice in this instance, concentrate on getting her stable and well enough to endure chemotherapy.  It is not an easy thing, and in my opinion an appauling way to treat cancer. The idea is to kill the cancer before the chemo kills you. I'm sorry I could not give you better news but chemotherapy is very difficult, and you MUST not be afraid to ask her doctors these questions, you have every right to know. Very best wishes to both of you and your family x Lisey07 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT