Stage IV, is treatment worth it?
I (32M) have just been diagnosed with stage IV signet ring cell gastric cancer 3 days ago. I am now waiting to meet with the oncologist to discuss chemo options. I am terminal, but have not been given a timeframe yet. I cannot eat solid food, but otherwise my life is currently normal.
I would like your opinion if you think chemo is worth it. Is it worth the side effects, to get a few more months or years?
Yes! As an oncologist, I have had several patients who were young and diagnosed with metastatic signet ring gastric cancer. One had a HER2 mutation and is doing well today with medicines that are traditionally used in breast cancer, but work really well for him. Another patient had MSI-high, and responded well for years from immunotherapy. I think younger people are more likely to have a gene alteration in the cancer that is driving it to grow, and can provide a good option for treatment. I would recommend asking your doctor to get the biopsy (or tumor) analyzed with Next Gen Sequencing. The results could unlock a brighter future.
Jason Sager, MD
