Chemo for terminal secondary lung cancer

Hi, my mum was diagnosed with a uterine sarcoma stage 1 in November and had a full hysterectomy in December to remove it. Unfortunately, tests came back and it had spread to her bowel and lungs. She was told that the cancer is now stage 4 and terminal.

She has been on chemo for around 6 months and the cancer has shrunk quite a lot but the diagnosis still remains the same so she is having chemo just to prolong her life. She is on her last round of chemo and is feeling extremely tired, not eating or drinking much and vomiting black sick.

Myself and my sisters think that she would be better off not doing the last round of chemo as she is feeling so poorly. Is feeling so sick normal or should she be stopping the treatment now? 

  • Hello and thanks for your post

    It’s very difficult to say how long side effects will last in an individual person as people vary so much in this.

    I think it's a good idea to let your mum’s hospital team know about how she is feeling at the moment. Sometimes if the side effects are too great for someone to cope with, chemotherapy is stopped or postponed until they improve.

    There are a number of different anti sickness medications that may help and these are available as tablets, oral liquid, suppositories, and injections. Sometimes it’s trial and error to get the right combination that will work. We do have some tips on our website about managing nausea which you might find helpful here.

    I hope this is of some help. Give us a ring if you would like to talk anything over. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Kind regards,

    Celene