Stage IV Rectal Cancer

[GeezLouize75]

My sister has Stage IV Rectal cancer.  She was diagnosed in March of 2007.  She had radiation and the rectal tumors are gone.  It has metastasized to her lung and liver.  She had surgery on her liver and they burned a few lesions off but they returned and I believe with a vengence.  She has had many rounds of chemo and radiation and the doctors say there is no more treatment they can give her. In March 2009 they found a new tumor that had perforated the lining of her vagina.  She has lost 70 pounds all together from the time she was diagnosed to now.  Yesterday she was put in the hospital because her stomach was so swollen that she looked 9 months pregnant.  I read that late stage liver cancer can cause this "asides fluid".  Has anyone heard of this and does it mean she doesn't have much time left?

She has had 5,000 cc's of fluid drained from her since Friday, the 1st of May.  How long do you think she has to live with the fluid rebuilding at this rate?  She is being taken care of by a hospice nurse as far as the draining goes.  Is is common for people to last a long time with this fluid build-up and drainage process?

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY I PRAY THE LORD TAKES HER PAIN AWAY AND GIVES HER PEACE AS WELL AS PEACE FOR YA. STAY STRONG SHE NEEDS YA.

[GeezLouize75]

Thank you so much for your caring. It has been a tough road for the past 2 years.  She also has a spot of cancer on her lung and a new tumor popped up (or at least was discovered) in early March.  It had perforated her vaginal wall and she almost bled to death before they realized what it was.  I just wish she had been treated by MD Anderson Cancer Center from the beginning instead of the small cancer center in the small town she lived near.  I truly feel the outcome would have been much different.  I really shouldn't be thinking about that - but one can't help but say "what if" in a time like this.  My sister is hanging on although her weight is slowly declining.  Her spirit is still strong and she is willing to fight this until the very end.  My mom asked me yesterday to write her obituary, which I did, and sent it to her.  We left some dates, blank, of course but it is a HARD thing to write your sisters obituary.  Thank you all for your support and information. It helps tremendously!

[portann]

I wish someone had told me to try to make every moment together count as if it were the last and not count on a prediction.

My mom (who was more like my sister) had breast cancer that had metastasized to her liver. The last night I saw her at the hospital she wanted me to stay but the attending doctor told me to go home, saying she had at least a year to live.

She died that night and I still beat myself up for listening to the doctor instead of her.

[jacksonblue]

very sorry to here this my wife had liver cancer was told she had about 1 year she passed in 6 weeks turned out cancer was in her lungs and pancreas spend as much time with her as you can i hope you can find some peace

[eureka254]

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family during this difficult time.  As Bill mentioned above, ascites, fluid accumulation, is a common complication of serious liver disease, but the fluid itself can be drained to make your sister more comfortable and less prone to other complications like infection that could worsen the situation.

The presence of ascites is an indication of a liver that's not functioning normally, but in and of itself, it doesn't tell us how much more time the liver will continue to function (cases vary from just days to many months, depending on the circumstances).  My hope is that hospice can make your sister comfortable and as pain-free as possible during this time.  
All my best wishes,
~eureka

[Bill1954]

I’m so sorry to hear of your sister’s problems; from the sound of it, it appears hospice is probably welcome right now. I don’t know much about her cancer, but the fluid accumulation could very well be ‘ascites’; this is a condition that can happen with end stage liver disease.

While the fluid looks bad, it’s not usually in itself fatal. It can be managed to some extent with paracentisis; the draining you mentioned. While the patient is increasingly vulnerable to infection, this can be managed with systemic antibiotics; these are often ordered prophilactically. A reduced/restricted sodium diet is also typically ordered to reduce fluid, along with a diuretic.

I believe the main concern for her at this time is her cancer. If she has difficulty breathing due to ascites, hopefully they can continue to drain as needed.

I sincerely wish both of you peace and comfort--

Bill