don't sugarcoat it....
 

ok, so, heres the situation. My uncle was diagnosed with cancer last summer, in his lymph nodes, they did some surgery I think, some chemo, he seemed like he was gonna be ok...

now, about a week or two ago, his back started killing him, like he had less and less positions to sit in to be comfy, so he went to the doctor...

apparently they found lesions on his spinal cord and he is moving to boston to get radiation treatment...


he hasn't told me personall about the lesions yet, he never even really said much the first time around, he doesnt like to worry anyone..

so can someone come to any conclusions based on what I have said? what exactly does this all mean?

I am not an M.D., but I have a lot of training in cancer biology. Most cancers metastasize (spread) through the lymph system, so the fact that your uncle had it in his lymph nodes is a bad sign. Now it would seem that he has some sort of neurofibroma. Again, very bad news. The tissues of the CNS (spinal cord) do not regenerate well. So if they are damaged by radiation, there isn't much hope of the tissue rebuilding itself. That is, he may survive the radiotherapy, but may have some paralysis. The good news is that there are some stellar radiation oncologists in Boston. He should be in good hands. If they are able to irradiate the lesions without directly affecting the spinal cord, his chances are much better.

I hope that things go well for him. It probably would be a good time to reach out to him if you are close at all. People who "don't want to bother you with their troubles" are often the ones who most need a friend to talk to at a time like this. I can only imagine what he and your family must be going through.

so basically your telling me best bet hes gonna have some paralysis, and worst bet hes gonna die?

gimme some odds here :(


my uncle and I are close. very close.

Where was the cancer centered? Like braislar said, the nodes transport the cancer but usually there is an area or areas which cluster. Knowing the type of cancer,..pancreatic, liver, stomach,..etc usually gives accurate odds within a timeframe, but the bottom line is, it is unpredictable.

Everyone in my family (parents, grandparents on up) have died of cancer. If your uncle is experiencing pain and needs relieve (morphine) that is not a good sign. Support him and find support yourself. Cancer is difficult to deal with from every aspect. Good luck and be strong.

Boston is the place to be for treatment. You have so little information to really draw any correct conclusion. So don't draw the worst. Again Boston is the place for him to be for world class treatment.

Not to scare you or anything, but this sounds almost exactly like what happened to my grandfather. Had non hodgkin's lymphoma, had some chemo + surgury. Felt fine for about 1-2 weeks afterwords- then his back started killing him. Doctor's use a scale of 1-10 to judge pain- he was screaming "10 10 10 10!" to the nurse. :(

Anyway, the cancer took over soon after that. They didn't do radiation- it was too late. He ultimately died in hospice care from pneumonia while in a drugged up coma from all the pain killers. :(

I hope everything goes fine- I hope I didn't scare you, I just didn't "sugar coat it". Good luck with everything. You have my best wishes.

With the opposing view:
I beat esophogeal cancer 10 years ago. I told very few people while I was fighting it and didn't like the response I got from the people that I did tell. Guy's that were giving me shit a few days earlier told me that they would pray for me. Good friends got really wierd. While I realize that everyone had good intentions, I didn't want to be treated differently and I certainly didn't want to be treated like I was going to die any day.

Let your uncle call the shots, it's his right to do so.

Just be on the safe side and do something really good with him *just in case he passes away*.

we've done all sorts of great stuff together Astro, so theres no need to cram anything in now...

and Stan, thanks for the heads up.

ziadel, I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you. It doesn't sound good, from what you describe, but then people have beat the odds before. Make sure you're "complete" with your uncle and do your best to support him through whatever comes.

so I talked to him last night

hes in a wheel chair for now, hes gonna start radiation now...

typical uncle brucey, he filled me in on what he remembered, which is not much more than I already posted, its in the lower lumbar region, he mentioned the number 5, is that the vertebrae its closest to mebbe?

anyways, he told me, then started asking me how I can fix his snowblower :lol:

typical uncle bruce

talked to my auntie norma, who was a nurse for years and still authors nursing textbooks...

the word stage 4 melanoma came up, that doesn't sound good...

If the cancer started in his lymph nodes, then I am guessing it was a lymphoma?

If it was, that is good, because lymphomas are some of the most treatable cancers around. Relapse rates can run as high as 40% with some of them, although as treatments advance it is decreasing.

The key thing to remember is relapse does NOT equal the end of all things. As stated, if it's metastasized in his spine, the treatment can result in some paraylsis I think, but that's not definite. If all you know is that it has relapsed, there's really not a lot to be said right now. You need things like how much it has spread, and where to and all that before a real prognosis can be made. Remember, relapses are fairly common, but can still be treatable.

I guess it started out as melanoma, metasticized into his lymph nodes, and is now in his spine... the lack of all the info is frustrating me, I dun wanna push tho

but my auntie norma said stage 4 melanoma... :(

Sorry to hear about this. I haven't a lot of help For sure but wanted to let you know your Uncle will be in my prayers. Get his snowblower fixed and then go tell him you got it done. That should tell him without saying the words that you are expecting the best and not thinking this is the end of all things.

Cancer can be such a confusing thing. I've met several people who've been treated for different types of cancer (such as breast cancer) and are pronounced cancer free. They all tell me that they live in fear of it coming back though. You can never be sure if IT or something else will be the end of you. They tell me that you can't worry about what your chances are. Just do what you want to do with your life before it's gone. Glad you are in touch with your Uncle.

I wish you both the best and my prayers are with you.

update:

cancer has spread to his liver and his blood stream...

he is considering what kind of treatment he wants to pursue..... :(

Sorry to hear this ziadel.
*hugs*

Since you say not to sugarcoat it, here's my story.

My father had colon cancer. He had one operation and chemo. He was doing well. There were a few microscopic clumps of cells left. About a year and a half after his first operation, he had another one. Again, there were a few microscopic chunks left that they didn't get. He started to have trouble standing or even sitting for longer than a few minutes. He went in for a third operation a few months later. He went for chemo again. He went in for a third operation, and the surgeon who had been treating him for close to two years came out of the operating room visibly upset, and told my mom whatever it is that he said to her. She never told me exactly what he said to her, all she said when I asked how he was doing was "not good." (Adding to a shitty day, she told me this when she picked me up from a memorial mass for a friend who had killed himself a few days earlier.) After a few months, he got a lot worse, and he spent the next few months on a hospital bed in the living room, and if we were lucky, he would be consious long enough each day for us to say "good morning," or "good night," or "I love you, dad." After lying on the hospital bed for a few months, he stopped breathing. Apparently the cancer had spread along the entire muscle wall of his stomach and completely covered his intestines.

Within 6 months, three other family members had died of cancer, and about 10 family members or friends of the family had some form of cancer.

edit: I just saw your update. I'm really sorry to hear that . I know what it's like to go through this. I don't think there's anything I can say to make it easier, but miracles do happen. One of my mother's co-workers was given a less than 5% chance of surviving past three years, and he made an amazing recovery and still works full-time. With new treatments becoming available, even patients diagnosed as terminal have recovered.

Really sad news. Best wishes for you and your family.

based on what I've told you all...
again, Melanoma, spread to his lymph nodes, spread to his spinal cord, and has now spread to his liver and is in his blood, can someone tell mehow much time hes got? :(