The decision to stop chemo [View all]
This is something I've thought of a lot lately as I get into later stages of chemo (quick background on me: chemo on and off for 5 years, have a slow-moving stage IV metastatic cancer). Thomas Menino (of Boston) is in the news for choosing to stop chemo, but it's a decision many wrestle with.
In my case, any new chemo is palliative. We're not going to fix the problem. We're not going to "cure" me. We can delay stuff, but we can't fix stuff. As I said, it's a slower-moving cancer.
The problem with chemo is that you become inured to it - you build a tolerance and your cancer builds a resistance. So you can only use a particular treatment for so long before it ceases to become effective.
In my case, I've run through a lot of the standard treatments, and we're starting to run out of things that don't have major side effects.
The question I'm presented with is whether or not I want to bother continuing with chemo. Spoiler alert: I don't. It means degraded abilities (I get a lot of the side effects, which can be debilitating) and I don't know that it's adding to my life. I think without chemo I'm still good for a couple of years, and they'd be years that I'd enjoy.
I'd like to hear your thoughtful response/position.
- Tab
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