HI
they are now giving my sister palliative care does that mean nothing more can be done for her not that they done much in the beginging, i have asked her MP to look into this now as it is so unfair.
Hi Maryelle
I am sorry I don’t know the circumstances of your sister. I have a incurable regional reccurrance and am triple negative (full details in profile) I always thought palliative just meant treatment for control of symptoms not cure, adjuvant is the first line or original treatment given to try and eradicate all cancer cells.
I hope someone who knows more about this will post a reply to you, and I am very sorry your sister is going through such a terrible time.
Hugs
Nikki
Palliative care or palliative treatment means that the treatment is to alleviate symptoms rather than to cure. In a sense all treatment for secondary breast cancer is palliative although some breast cancer responds so well to treatment that the patient may live with secondaries for a good period of time…even many years.
Maryelle: what treatment is your sister having? Having palliative care doesn’t mean nothing more can be done, but it does mean that the cancer is considered ultimately incurable.
I hope your sister can talk with her medical team about the care and treatment she is having. Its so important to have confidence that she is getting the best care given the cirumstances of the cancer. I’d say have that talk before going to an MP.
best wishes
Jane
it’s been a long time since i wrote as we have been so down about whats happening with her, she is having chemo every 3 weeks this will be her 3rd one at the end of the month. Her hair is very thin but the tumours do not seem to be shrinking as they were very prominent on her neck and still are. She has been told it is now in her liver and stomach so does that mean the chemo isn’t working, she has developed lymphodeoma in her arm but i can’t understand why her foot on the same side is twice the size could she have it in her foot too? The steroids seem to have made her swell up even though she only takes 2 a day and 8 the day before chemo and 8 the same day and 8 on the day after, in such a short time she is huge. The sugeon who performed her op didn’t take all the infected lymph glands out as he said it would be to dangerous so where does the draining go.She has been told she will be fitted with some type of stocking on her arm and a glove, i suppose that will be to stop the swelling. It is so annoying that this is happening when it need never of got this far, the hospital know that they should of given her teatment a year ago, we try to look forward instead of back but it is so hard for us never mind my sister who one day is up and the next really feeling down.Sorry to go on a bit…
maryelle.
Hi Maryelle,
If you feel you need to talk to someone then the helpline staff are here to support you. The helpline are not only here for those diagnosed with breast cancer but also for the people supporting those affected. Lines are open Mon to Fri 9am - 5pm and Sat 9am - 2pm 0808 800 6000
Kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator