Just wondering if riding out the disease would be worse than side effects of treatment. I have learned there is no cure.
Thank you.
Forums
4 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Should my 95 year old grandmother receive treatment?
My grandmother is 95. She has multiple myeloma. Fracture in her spine, damage to her bones and skull. She is going to undergo 10 radiation treatments, then chemo. Any thoughts?
Just wondering if riding out the disease would be worse than side effects of treatment. I have learned there is no cure.
Thank you.
Just wondering if riding out the disease would be worse than side effects of treatment. I have learned there is no cure.
Thank you.
-
Marty
Re: Should my 95 year old grandmother receive treatment?
I feel absolutely sure that I should definitely not give a direct answer to this question.
Even though she is pretty old she may still have some good years back - or her condition could be so severe, and her health so weak, that treatment is only making things worse.
I assume that you are having a myeloma specialist involved and good physicians who know your grandmother and her general strength and her specific weakness. If so, then it does maybe send some good signals that they want to start chemo. Did they tell about the therapy?
Many patients now live for many many years with light chemo and no stem cell transplants.
In this case, and probably any other individual case: The real answer is just as much based on the patient and her condition and HER WISHES and the experts' ability to interpret this difficult crossroad and come up with some good alternatives to choose from.
What does your grandmother want?
(I do not need to know the answer. Just want to send the signal that this is just as important as is the abundance of available myeloma treatments and combinations.)
Sending good thoughts.
Even though she is pretty old she may still have some good years back - or her condition could be so severe, and her health so weak, that treatment is only making things worse.
I assume that you are having a myeloma specialist involved and good physicians who know your grandmother and her general strength and her specific weakness. If so, then it does maybe send some good signals that they want to start chemo. Did they tell about the therapy?
Many patients now live for many many years with light chemo and no stem cell transplants.
In this case, and probably any other individual case: The real answer is just as much based on the patient and her condition and HER WISHES and the experts' ability to interpret this difficult crossroad and come up with some good alternatives to choose from.
What does your grandmother want?
(I do not need to know the answer. Just want to send the signal that this is just as important as is the abundance of available myeloma treatments and combinations.)
Sending good thoughts.
-
Lev - Name: Lev
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 57
Re: Should my 95 year old grandmother receive treatment?
The side effects of untreated multiple myeloma are most unpleasant. You might find Dr. Libby's comment and some of the other comments in this thread to be helpful in your Grandma's situation:
"Mother, 83, just diagnosed - what to expect?", Beacon forum discussion started Jan 1, 2014.
"Mother, 83, just diagnosed - what to expect?", Beacon forum discussion started Jan 1, 2014.
-
Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Should my 95 year old grandmother receive treatment?
That's a good link to refer people to, Multibilly. I'll have to make note of that one.
Marty - As others already have suggested, there are options for treating your grandmother's multiple myeloma that would allow her to maintain very close to her current quality of life. Doctors not only have a range of different treatment options to choose from, but they also can make dose adjustments to limit side effects.
Marty - As others already have suggested, there are options for treating your grandmother's multiple myeloma that would allow her to maintain very close to her current quality of life. Doctors not only have a range of different treatment options to choose from, but they also can make dose adjustments to limit side effects.
4 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Return to Treatments & Side Effects