Trying to grasp what might be ahead

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A family member was just diagnosed with IDC.  I don't know anything more except she's getting an appointment with a surgeon and that the tumor is quite large.  Sorry if this seems a bit disjointed, but I just found out and my head is a bit jumbled up.  I have a few questions and if someone could direct me to a place to find out more about my questions, I'd appreciate it.  Thanks in advance.

1.  If the person absolutely does not want chemo/radiation, will surgery still be performed.  If not, what other options are there?

2.  If the person gets surgery and radiation is performed before/after, does someone need to be there around the clock to help care for the person?

3.  How long will side effects last for radiation or for chemo?

4.  If the person is both a smoker and alcoholic, how do these factor in with the effectiveness of treatment and are there any special complications (like the liver can't process the meds for instance)?

That's a start for now I guess.  Thanks again.

konakat

I'm pertty sure the surgery will still be performed.  I would ask the implications of not getting chemo/rads though -- might not be a good idea to refuse them if it's recommended.

No, someone doesn't need to be there after surgery -- I didn't have one.  My surgeon did, however, have a nurse visit me at home to check up on me.  Radiation is no problem -- you can drive yourself there and back, and work fulltime too.

Radiation side effects depend on the person's skin.  It can be like a very bad sunburn, or less, or more.  For chemo, it depends on the type of chemo -- the worst side effects happen within a couple of days of receiving the chemo and then subsides.  You may feel a bit nauseated throughout or have some aches, but the doctors are good about giving you medicine to combat the side effects.

I don't know about the alcohol, but several people smoke throughout treatment.  This would be a question for the oncologist.  The surgeon needs to know about this too.

I would recommend that you browse around this site where you can find some general info.  These are also good questions to take to the doctor.

I hope your family member will be OK.