Stage 4 for 4 years, looking for advice

[mhalpin1234]

Have you discussed doing a liquid biopsy? I know it isn't perfect but since you are trying to make a big decision it might help some. If it comes back positive for ctDNA I would do the chemo. Possibly try adjusting dosages or infusion times to help lessen side effects? If it comes back negative then maybe do the watch and wait approach that you are thinking of? Just a thought.
https://www.natera.com/oncology/signate ... -detection

Thank you for telling me about this. I'd never heard of a liquid biopsy. I read through the website, and it seems targeted more toward Stage 2 and 3 patients. Since I'm Stage 4, can't we assume it as a certainty that I have circulating cancer cells? That's been my oncs opinion all this time. He asserts that once you're stage 4, there is cancer in the body, even after treatment or surgery. Once a tumor is larger than 1 square centimeter, shedding occurs and cells seed in different areas. Even if they hide for a while, nice and quiet, they are there. And Stage 4 cancer almost ALWAYS comes back, even with long remissions. I think I can hear his reaction if I suggest this testing...he will say its unnecessary, because we KNOW that there are free-wheeling cancer cells circulating around. And then he would push chemo again.

Have you had this done yourself?

Michelle in Tn

[mhalpin1234]

Hi Michelle,

Would you be willing to share what you did with diet when you said you got serious about it?
Thanks in advance

Vana

I just got more serious about what I was eating. My diet wasn't great, so I changed it to include 9-12 servings (1/2 cup) of phytonutrient rich foods per day. So I ate a LOT of colorful fruits and veggies in place of the junk I was eating before. I also started Intermittent Fasting to improve my glucose levels. I had high fasting glucose in AM, and a borderline A1C level. Fasting brought both of those down into normal range and just made me feel a lot better. I fasted 16 hours and had an 8 hour eating window. Fasting helped stop the constant snacking and the late night eating. There is some evidence that fasting helps starve canccer cells, but I don't know if it had anything to do with my long remission from 2017-2019 after liver mets. I do know that last fall, 2019, I got very lazy about my diet, stopped fasting, and just wasn't taking care of myself physiclally or emotionally. I think that helped create conditions where cancer could grow again, so then we found the lung met in 2020. This is all conjecture, I have no proof. But the healthy eating and fasting did good things for my health, and possibly for keeping cancer at bay, too.

Michelle in Tn

[mhalpin1234]

Thank you, Dave and kiwiinoz, for the feedback and things to think about. I do appreciate it. I will have to make a decision next week.

Michelle in Tn