88 year old Grandmom: To chemo or not to chemo...

mcsushi

Good news for grandmom... Yesterday was her surgery and everything went very well. She's the toughest 88 year old granny on the block. Her SNB was negative which is also great news. I think she'll be discharged tomorrow and I'll go home to take care of her for a week or so. I'm relieved and exhausted; it's quite the mix of emotions. They say god only gives us what we can handle. Well, god obviously thinks much more highly of me than I do myself and sometimes I wish he didn't trust me with so much, but it is what it is. I'm ready to get both of us back on our feet and put this all behind us. Thanks again for all your concern and support!

diana50

:::::::doing happy dance and clapping:::: thanks for posting*

God is watching out for you...your grandmother...for all of us*

Mandy1313

McSushi:  Thank goodness your granny is doing well. You are an amazing person and your granny is lucky that you were able to be there for her.

((((((((((((hugs to both)))))))))))))))))))

Mandy

KerryMac

Great to hear, hope she continues to recover nicely.

mcsushi

Thanks! Bringing her home today. Something tells me tough, stubborn, set in her ways grandmom is going to be a difficult patient. Wish me luck!! 

Leah_S

mcsushi, I'm so glad to hear that things went well and that your grandma is coming home today.

Yep, she's gonna be a tough patient, and you're gonna love it!

All the best.

Leah

karen1956

you're a wonderful grand daughter...your grandma is lucky to have someone so caring to take care of her.

Mominlaw

My motherinlaw is 88. Diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer May 2016. She had 11 lesions in bones and lymph nodes. No surgery or chemo was recommended at time. She had an aortic valve replaced at 85. Her general health is okay, but has severe arthritis so doesn’t get around very well. Also has macular problems and has been getting shots to keep vision.
She now has a new oncologist and her HR II meds have quit working and cancer has spread to liver and is aggressive, plus some new lesions in bones and lymph nodes. She has a very delicate digestive system that was really bad when trying to take tamoxifen and had to quit taking it. She lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks! The dr wants her to start taking Xeloda 1500 mg twice a day.
We are trying to discourage her because of side effects.
Does anyone know what the average benefit of this would be for her?

ShetlandPony

Hello, Mominlaw. Xeloda seems like a good choice for new liver mets. Is that 3000 mg total per day? Many people start with 2500 per day. You could ask if using an even lower dose is an option, to take into acccount that your mil is older with some other health problems. (I started at 2500 and now take 2000 in order to minimize side effects.) She could try it and stop any time if it is too hard. Adjusting the dose or the schedule is easy to do and can make a big difference in tolerability. She would want to make sure to take it with a meal, one that is easy on the digestive system, and have some anti-diarrhea and anti-nausea meds on hand just in case. Another option might be the anti-estrogen Faslodex, if she has not already had that. But I can see why with aggressive liver mets the doctor recommends Xeloda right now. As far as benefit, I suppose you could ask the oncologist how likely he/she thinks it is that the Xeloda will work for your mil and how common various side effects are. But really,in the cancer game sometimes you just have to try and see. Xeloda gets some people to no evidence of active disease, or stable, for a long time, with good quality of life. I think your mil should make sure to get her questions and concerns addressed, and make a decision with all the info available. A second opinion could help the process as well, especially if you can find a geriatric oncology specialist.

Mominlaw

thankyou for taking time to give your input. She has had a second opinion. Both drs are leaving it up to her if she wants to try the Chemo. Really we know it is up to her.