new diagnosis

[oldestson]

my father was just diagnosed with plural cancer. He had beaten colon cancer a few years ago and was diagnosed with bladder cancer 9 months ago. He had surgery than but about a few weeks ago started getting very weak and lost his appetite. He had some tests done and was admitted to the hospital with very high calcium levels. The tests show new cancer. THey are telling us we need to start chemo in a week and that they feel they got it early since he was "clean" 2 months ago. We just need a little advice and some more info in this. Can anyone help me here?

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,

Are you sure it is pleural cancer? Mesothelioma? This is a fairly uncommon case and such cases are generally primaries not metastatic disease from the colon or the bladder. If there was mention of it being early disease, was there a mention whether or not it can be removed with surgery? why is chemotherapy being suggested (this is usually the case for patients who have advanced disease)?

I’m sorry if I seem to add more questions than answers, but I think you need to have a thorough discussion with your doctors as to the direction of treatment, what the specific goals are.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

How are you?

Going by the case history, I think that perhaps pleural cancer has resulted as a result of metastasis from the bladder cancer or from colon cancer. Metastasis means the spread of cancer. Cancer cells can break away from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. That is how cancer cells spread to other parts of the body.

Metastatic cancers may be found before or at the same time as the primary tumor, or months or years later. When a new tumor is found in a patient who has been treated for cancer in the past, it is more often a metastasis than another primary tumor

When cancer has metastasized, it may be treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, surgery, cryosurgery, or a combination of these. The choice of treatment generally depends on the type of primary cancer, the size and location of the metastasis, the patient’s age and general health, and the types of treatments the patient has had in the past. The goal of treatment may be to control the cancer, or to relieve symptoms or side effects of treatment.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/metastatic

Pleural cancer is very difficult to diagnose. The disease is most often in an advanced stage when discovered. That makes treatment options limited. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the two means of treatment for pleural cancer. Such treatment is often palliative - meant to relieve the symptoms of the disease, make the patient more comfortable, and improve the patient's quality of life during the months ahead.

Surgery is an option later because the tumors are often large and widespread by the time of diagnosis.

I hope that I have provided you with sufficient information. If you need any more information,pls post us.

Take care and God bless.