Hi all,

My husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer with liver mets in October (T3N1). He has had successful removal of the primary but a pre-op scan showed that sadly the cancer has grown quite aggressively in the liver in this time and he's gone up to 10 mets from 3, and all the previous mets are bigger than the previous scan in late January. Surgery is now unviable at this time, though not sure if this means 'yet' or 'ever'.

We've been referred back for another 6mo of chemo before further scans. I know the doctors are throwing everything at him including genetic sequencing of the tumour as they've been so surprised at this progression. But... they're not telling us what the long-term prognosis is. I know that people aren't statistics and anyone can defy the odds, but I don't know whether we've got months / years or  even if it's actually curable. We've got young children so there's a lot that needs to be sorted if time isn't on our side. 

Am I even allowed to ask the doctors what his life expectancy is if he hasn't asked himself / doesn't want to know? What are the legals / ethics of this? I do have medical power of attorney (and he, mine) if it came to such decision-making. 

Thanks in advance