Consultants view on stopping chemo

My husband has terminal colon cancer which has spread to his lungs and he now has a tumour in his back. This has affected his mobility greatly. He can hardly walk even with his walking frame. Surgeons said they wouldn't operate because he stopped chemo. He gave it a go but he was so ill and they said this was the lower dose it would get stronger plus his blood count kept going dangerously low. He was in excruciating pain with the tumour in his back, he did have a session of radiotherapy which has helped with the pain but why do consultants and doctors not like it if you don't have chemo? We've had no further call for more radiotherapy and I feel medical staff are not too keen to help because he no longer wanted chemo. My husband is in a bad way although as I said the pain has eased which is great. I do understand to some extent but i am generally curious why doctors and consultants seem perplexed when someone has chosen to stop chemo or maybe not start it. I just want to understand their view. Thank you 

  • Hi there and thanks for posting

    I am sorry to hear about your husbands situation, it does sound like this is a difficult time for you both.

    Unfortunately without being directly involved in your husbands care it is hard to be able to comment too much into his situation.

    Do try and have an honest conversation with his specialist team about the reasons why your husband was unable to continue with the chemotherapy. Ask if there are any other treatment options available to him just to make sure all avenues have been explored.

    It will only be the doctor and surgeon involved who can say what is and what isn't possible for him.

    Often chemotherapy helps to shrink the size of the tumour/s and this is often what makes surgery a possibility for a patient.

    A short course of radiotherapy can also help shrink a tumour as well as giving some pain relief when the tumour is pressing on nerves but may only be a couple of treatments. Again do ask the team about this.

    I am sure the team want to give your husband the best possible outcome but they may be limited in what treatment is available to him.

    I hope you can arrange a time soon to speak to the consultant and get a better understanding of the situation and what can and can't be done.

    Wishing you both all the best

    Naomi