Life expectancy of stage 4 stomach cancer

[120562]

Hi my partner was diagnosed with stomach cancer stage 4 on 1/6/2017. It is also on the stomach like ning but hasn’t spread to other organs. Has been having chemotherapy for 5 months. Has lost weight. But otherwise doing ok. Can get tired more than usual. Has anyone been cured or how long has the person survived. My partner is 58 years old. Otherwise no other health conditions.

[brucemillar]

I was diagnosed as T3 N0 in 2014 and underwent several months of ECX Chemotherapy before undergoing a Transchiatal Oesophagectomy with Mr James Gossage and his team at St Thomas's Hospital in London. This was then followed by further ECX Chemotherapy, that I did not tolerate and had to have aborted.

I am still cancer free but hesitate (like many) to say "cured". I truly hope I am.

All I can tell you is what I was told by Mr Gossage and his team at that time, that is: We are all different and every case is different and will respond and react differently to treatment and surgery, as will most of the Medical Teams that you meet.

I was constantly offered opportunities to have "second opinions". That may be something that you wish to consider? In my case I was very comfortable with James Gossage, trusting him and (very important to me) liking him. I have never changed my resolve in that sense.

Try everything and speak to everybody. In my experience the Consultants did not view the constant questions, as anything other than 'normal' and 'expected' and were absolutely happy that I would question them and ask others. As James Gossage said to me "It is your life and your body, this your one chance"

I wish you well and hope that you get the outcome that you would want.

Bruce XX

[120562 in reply to brucemillar]

Thanks so much Bruce. Wish you all the best. Xx

[southcoastrob]

Hello, I am 58 and was diagnosed with T4 N3 cancer of the GOJ – gastro-oesophageal junction - on 31.5.17. As you can tell from my username, I live on the south coast and without naming names, was extremely underwhelmed with the opinions and pathways offered by my local hospital and its consultants. Although it was a bit of a fight I did ask for a ‘second opinion’, did some research on the NHS choice website and elsewhere, and got a referral to St Thomas’ and Mr Gossage’s team. From the scans they were not sure if my advanced tumour and its associated infected lymph glands would be operable, and they were very candid and clear about it; but at every stage I have felt informed, supported, and that I am in the best possible place I could be, which meant so much peace of mind, whatever the outcome. I’ve now had six cycles of ECF chemo over the autumn and the oesophagegactomy to remove the tumour and infected lymph glands on the 9th January. I am doing well: eating fork mashable foods and going for walks. There are no givens and as Bruce Millar says, one can only hope to be cancer ‘free’ rather than cured, and I hope that is the case. But doing my own research, and my wife battling for me to get me to Guys/St Thomas’ was, literally, a life-changing decision. From my research I know that there are other centres of excellence in our particular cancer across the country and St Thomas’ may not be practical for you, but just find a consultant in whom you have faith and confidence and the journey will be so much more positive and hopeful.

The very best of luck to you and your partner.

Rob

[Tennisia in reply to southcoastrob]

Hello Rob, i hope you are doing well.... can you please explain T4 N3 staging to me?

[M9b6s2 in reply to southcoastrob]

I'm Bollendro from India, manipur. My wife also under treatment of stage 4 stomach cancer. I want to extend her life more as possible. I love her very much and we have small son also. Please tell me full and correct address of where you were treated. Plz. [e-mail] (my mail address Plz)

[lonestray]

It's almost seven and a half years since I had a Total Gastrectomy and I'm managing fine. I've lived on my own for over ten years after my wife passed away due to Alzheimer's. From the start there was no option but to make my way in life on my own as I had no family or home, until I married. I'm eighty-six year old and well into my 87th. That does not stop me from continuing to complete my half hour early morning run at 05. 00 hrs. The only medication I have is a B12 injection every 12 weeks. I don't even have a flu jab and I can't recall having a cold in over 20 years. Of course I'm still learning how to cope with what to eat and how much as I'm still hoping to regain weight. From 140lbs I went down to 111lbs and am now just over 120lbs. After five weeks in hospital I came home and was left to get on with life. The only support I have are visits from my Daughter. I've had three more challenges in the past 18 months: skin cancer, double vision and Transurethral Prostatectomy (TURP). Each of them I've over come and am doing fine. I wish you and your partner well through these challenging times.

[120562 in reply to lonestray]

Amazing. The best to you and your family. A true miracle xx

[Tennisia in reply to 120562]

Hello,

My 40 year old wife was diagnosed with stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma 5/21/2018 and it has spread to the peritoneum. She has had 2 Paracentesis since the 28th of May, a total of 7,600 cc’s ... the doctors were not clear on life expectancy and will only say this cancer is inoperable and without cure. She began 5fu Chemo therapy 2 weeks ago and will go for a second round this weekend. As i do research i am learning that the accumulation of the malignant fluid is caused by water and sodium build up, but i am unclear why. She was extremely healthy before this diagnosis and i feel uneducated as all this is in rapid motion. I am unsure of the questions to ask, i am not getting clear answers so i can prepare our child if she doesn’t have a lot of time, and i just wish i had more intellectual knowledge to know what to ask, say, or do. Does anyone have information or feedback on this same diagnosis?

Please if anyone is here i ask for guidance.

[Damcancer in reply to Tennisia]

My wife has stage 4 do you know the TNM of your wife? My wife has T3n1m1 and the research I've done it's not to good. We have gone through 9 chemos tomorrow 10, 2 more to go and back to the U.W to see the surgeon. If the tumor has shrunk they will remove her stomach. If not we'll I feel I will lose her.. I wish you the best of luck and pray for both.

[Tennisia in reply to Damcancer]

I apologize for the delay. My heart goes out to you and your family. This is heartbreaking to experience. My wife is on chemo 7 , her TNM is T4n0mX, they say she can not do surgery. The tumor is shrinking, however they have lowered her dosage of chemo. Weight loss has become the biggest challenge now. I am praying for you as well.

[Aizen80]

Hi, my father was diagnosed on 1/4/2016 with stage IV stomach cancer with Peritoneum met. He is still with us today however is nearing the end of the journey --> we have tried all the drugs available, started with ECX, then Taxo, Arino Tecan then Immunotherapy. There were good times and bad times but ultimately the cancer was too stubborn to be kept at bay for much longer.

My advice is to enjoy the good moments, and make sure to take care of yourself so you can take care of your partner.

The usual prognosis for stage IV stomach adenocarcinoma is 6-12 months (thats what most doctor quotes), but everyone is different.

Take care and all the best

[Tennisia in reply to Aizen80]

I appreciate you, i wish peace and comfort to your father. this is definitely a hard pill to swallow and taking care of myself seems to be last on the list. I am so afraid of what is to come, but I do cherish the good days. My mind is full of research, sadness, hope, guilt that i am not doing all the things i read (there just aren’t enough hours in a day), and faith at the same time. I am starting to develop fear that i will be lost if i lose her because every moment of every day i focus on her... i fear that my heart is going to break . Thank you for responding and i will try to accept what this cancer monster will do to my love.

[tejags6 in reply to Tennisia]

Hi, my husband was diagnosed with oesaphageal cancer with spread to top of stomach, lymph nodes and the peritoneal cavity in late December 2017, and confirmed inoperable in January this year. so far he has had three different chemotherapy regimes and none of them seem to have made much difference. He also had 10 sessions of radiotherapy which has left him in so much pain that he describes trying to swallow even soup as "gargling red hot razor blades"... - the hope is still that even 6 weeks after the radiotherapy finished that there will be a reduction in the tumour to allow food to pass more easily.

I hear what you say about struggling to understand the illness, speak to doctors, keep on top of drugs, get to appointments, worry about weight loss ( THE BIGGEST WORRY), and all the time your insides are melting with the fear of what may be to come.. I hear you and feel exactly the same. I said to someone recently that when this disease comes into you life like a damn express train that just won't stop, all you can do is keep on keeping on in the hope that one of the drugs may just flick the switch and your loved one can have some peace and quality for however long, and you want that to be forever!

I used to be a person that was always planning something, holidays, decorating, projects - now I never plan more than a few days ahead as my mind and heart just can't cope with any more than that. A major achievement is now just seeing my husband eat something without whimpering like a baby as he swallows.

[Tennisia in reply to tejags6]

So much of this is exactly my truth. I have changed her diet completely and that has improved her appetite along with cbd oil and edibles with low sodium, little or no sugar, and appetite stimulation. That has helped tremendously, if you’d like any information i can send you some on what i have done to improve her blood work and help her eat.

[tejags6 in reply to Tennisia]

Any information you can give me would be great - thank you. My husband has just been put on a different chemo EOF - and for the last two days he has eaten almost nothing. I try, he tries and all the time the fear of vomiting and rupturing the tumour in his oesophagus is huge.. and so we try, and hope that maybe today will be a better day. The dietician at the clinic that we go to told us how to fortify whole milk with skimmed milk powder (Marvel). 4 heaped tablespoones of powder to 1 pint of milk, or 5 to 1 litre, and using that in everything from breakfast cereal to complan milkshakes has, I think, so far saved my husbands life. The lack of appetite seems to be as difficult to combat as the problems swallowing. thank you

[Aizen80 in reply to Tennisia]

Hey Tennisia, what you are going through is perfectly normal. I went to see a psychiatrist on my father's initial diagnosis and I had trouble sleeping etc.

It's human nature to worry about what's coming next, particularly if you know that it's not pleasant. I can assure you that you will be able to get through this and give out things about yourself that you didn't know you had.

Enjoy all the time you have, don't sorry about getting lost. You will find your new way of living after. In the meantime focus on the present and don't think too far ahead.

I found my pets have been great at helping me through it (as well as family and friends).

Take care. Happy to chat further

Kevin

[Tennisia in reply to Aizen80]

Thank you Kevin for giving me hope. I think the present is the best place for me for sure... I appreciate you sharing your journey with me and I wish you and the fur babies great things 🙏🏽♥️

[Aizen80 in reply to Tennisia]

Anytime. Let me know if u need to talk further. Happy to help.

[foxy62]

I WAS DIAGNOSED STAGE LOWER EOPHAGUS METASIZED TO LIVER LUNGS AND LYMP NODES N0V/2018.10 ROUNDS OFRADIATION.THEN STARTED CHEMO FOR 1 YEAR,NOW ON HERCETON RIGHT AFTER CHEMO.I HAVE GAINED WEIGHT AND IAM VERY TIRED.STILL NO TO OPERATON.I JUST KEEP DOING WHAT IAM TOLD.IAM NOW 58.I REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND IT ALL.NOT SICK JUST CRANKY AND TIRED.I DONT GET STAGE 4 WHEN ITS IN THE STMACH LINING.I WOULD GET MORE OPINIONS.I IVE IN B.C CANADA

[cherrybailey]

I was 47 stage 4 stomach on the join had chemo then op took the stomach, part of the oesophagus, few lymph nodes. Like Bruce says we are all different, I was under the Royal Marsden asked that question 70% chance in 3 years reduce every year after. I am 14 years now looking good for you to from what I have read Good Luck hope so. x