Hi All,
I'd posted several weeks ago that my father, who is 86, has rectal cancer, Stage 3 (T3N2 I think it is). There's about a 4.4 cm tumor and it's quite slow growing they said ("well differentiated" cells I think is the term). In any case, the original doctor has suggested chemo-radiation therapy for 30 or so days followed a couple months later by surgery. My father will be getting a second opinion soon, but wishes to say "to hell" with all of it and ride this out until the end without doing anything because he keeps hearing stories about how awful chemotherapy and radiation therapy is and also figures that since it's slow growing he may be okay for a couple more years. However, I understand radiation therapy may not be too bad, and that there are ways to alleviate chemo side effects. I think down deep he just doesn't want to do the surgery which would involve a "bag" for a few months whilst he heals and then have his insides re-attached after that.
My question then is: Can chemo-radiation treatment alone slow or delay the progress of the cancer such that perhaps he can do without the surgery? Can a shrunken tumor stay "in situ" without having it be removed surgically? Any knowledge shared is appreciated. Thanks.
Regards,
ChicagoGeo