Hi Paula,
Keep you chin up! My husband as you know is pretty much in the same EXACT situation as you are. He does not have many options eitehr in fact so far just pallative chemo. Yes the peri mets are hard to get control of.
I'm not sure why more surgeons do not offer to have most the colon removed. I mean if the peri mets are all on the outside of of your colon why not get rid of the colon (before it gets blocked due to the peri mets) and get a j-pouch. Blockage of the colon is the biggest concern and cause of death when peri-mets are involved So get rid of the colon!
This stage iV colon cancer survivor with peri mets had surgery to remove most his colon and had a j-pouch placed then chemo to battle the peri mets and he has been NED for years now and no longer even does chemo.
https://www.mdanderson.org/publications ... 63978.htmlI don't know why surgeries like this are not offered to patients who have peritoneal metastasis. I mean it should really be the patients choice if they want to attempt a surgery such as having most of their colon removed and a j-pouch put in place or something similar. I know for a fact if it was offered to my husband he would jump at the chance to have most his colon removed. Sure I the perim-ets could possibly spread to other parts of the body, but if they do it would take some time for the tumors to grow big enough to caused issues with the other organs and even then one would think either chemo or cyber knife them off when they get big enough to cause issued. It could take a few years for the tumors to even grow big enough to cause problems if at all in the other organs.
HIPEC and cytoreductive surgery is MAJOR surgery (more so then having your colon removed) and not all that effective for long term NED either from what I have researched.
I have also read online during some of my research where some have survived many years and still are alive by only having chemo as a maintenance. Treating the peri mets like a chronic illness.. if one can keep the mets at bay I do not see why one could not live many years.
Like I said we are in the same situation as you are.. almost to a "T". Yes its depressing, its terrible as a matter of fact. We also wish there was more options given to the patient. Let them (the patient) decide if they want to risk what surgery for the possibility of some more months (a quality life) or years to live even if it means a possibility of the surgery not working or not surviving the surgery. It should be up to the patient what they want to risk or not risk!
Just my 2 cents from someone going through the same thing as you are...
Hugs,
Laurie