Not treating cancer

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Christmastwin

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I was searching through the threads and didn’t see this topic and was curious to hear people’s thoughts on a decision to not treat cancer if diagnosed. I’ve lost some friends over the last few years and saw them suffer terribly through the chemo treatments. I often wonder whether I would bother.

Thoughts?
 
I think that this is an issue best dealt with by consulting an oncologist. Many people have been cured of cancer with chemo.
 
I would sit with God and say that I will go through the treatments, offer up all the suffering for the conversion of sinners, (as asked for in Fatima by our Blessed Mother) and leave the outcome to his holy will. Whether I get a year or 10 yrs of life, it’s in His hands, but I am conscious that during that time, I am working His fields and gaining graces for others, and merit for myself.
 
Christmastwin said:
I was searching through the threads and didn’t see this topic and was curious to hear people’s thoughts on a decision to not treat cancer if diagnosed. I’ve lost some friends over the last few years and saw them suffer terribly through the chemo treatments. I often wonder whether I would bother.

Thoughts?
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It’s up to you. My father didn’t have any treatment at all. My mother had radiation but no chemo. I think it also depends on the type of cancer. Some are highly treatable with good results. Some have little to no chance of recovery. How old is the person, are their children who still need raising?

I’m talking the first exit myself and want lots of nice pain drugs but would not fight cancer unless it was something really simple with a very high rate of full recovery.
 
One will suffer - whether from the disease or the cure. Cancer is not something one simply falls asleep from. So suffering is hardly the issue to base a decision on.

That said, the only thing one can do is to talk to the doctor(s) weigh the various options, Take all of this to God in prayer, and make the best decision for you as an individual.

Peace
James
 
I had cancer 11 years ago. I went through surgery and radiation treatments. My cancer was a rare form and highly curable. Last year they found lesions on my spine. They went on a hunt to see if there was a primary cancer elsewhere in my body. Praise God nothing was found and the conclusion was that they were a common benign lesion. While awaiting the results I had prayed and decided that depending on what the primary cancer was I would not treat it and only receive palliative care.

This is a decision that only the person can make for themselves. This would have been the right decision for me at that time.
 
My dad went for some of the treatments, but, some of them were worse than the cancer. He stopped treatment.

Sometimes you just “know” when enough is enough, and there is nothing wrong with it.
 
This is something I’ve given some thought to, having lost loved ones to cancer, and having dear ones going through treatments now. I think it depends on many things folks have mentioned - the age of the person, family members dependent on the person whether physically or emotionally, and how they would fare, the severity of the cancer itself - including how far it has spread, the success rate of the treatment and the number of side effects from the treatment, etc.

I too, have seen people suffer through treatments that seemed worse than the disease. With me it wouldn’t be about avoiding suffering, because either way you would have that. It would be more about being in good enough shape to finish things I needed to or felt the Lord wanted me to take care of, before dying. If chemo would make me weak and sick enough I couldn’t do those things, then I would probably opt out, even if It shortened my life. Tho, as my aunt told me who is currently dying from breast cancer that has spread to a number of other organs, and is on experimental drugs, we never know for sure what we’ll decide until we are in the situation! She never expected to still be on drugs at this stage - but sometimes you do it for others. She feels ready to die, but others are still struggling with the whole thing very bitterly - she’s praying for the Lord to prepare their hearts for acceptance without anger. That, too, is an offering and sacrifice.
 
I was diagnosed with colon cancer 3 1/2 years ago…shortly after that we found that I also have a rare form of leukemia. It never occured to me not to accept treatment at that time. After a year + of treatment I went into remission and enjoyed about 14 months cancer free. Then, after finding cancer again, I went through chemo treatments for 6 months. The chances are great that I am not “cured” and most probably will have the decision to make again. At this point, I think I would accept chemo again, but it all depends upon the severity of the disease…My children are grown, I have many grandkids that I love and enjoy. My husband is supportive and helpful…they all want me to live. I know that I get tired and wonder at times if all the chemo, surgeries, are worth it. I do it for my family and talk to them frequently, always tell the truth about my health. I do not keep “secrets”. I do know that I will have to make prayerful decisions and will try to do it in a way to be comfortable for not only myself, but husband and family. Above all, I do not feel sorry for myself. I praise God that He has given me this much time to prepare for my next life, hopefully with Him.
 
Depends.

A lot of cancers can be treated and forced into remission, but sometimes those treatments are long and unpleasant. Yet, the chances of surviving are good.

Of course, what if you get a treatable cancer at 80? The treatment regime would be tough for someone in their 30s, but 80?

A lot of people are afraid to die, and will do anything to keep hanging on. Cancer treatments in advanced age are not fun, and really have little benefit. They’ll probably only get you a few extra years, that you might have had anyway.

Then there’s the terminal digaonsis. Where treatments will only give you a few extra months.

I’m a big fan of pallative care. If I got cancer and it was terminal, I woudn’t bother trying to get any hippy style treatment. If I got cancer after age 70 and my health wasn’t great, I’d say no to treatment, even if curable. If I got cancer after 70 and my health was okay, it’d depend on the treatment options. If it was simply cutting it out, fine, but if there was extensive chemo, again no.

If I was diagnoised cancer tomorrow that was treatable, I’d go for it.

It all depends on the cancer and you. Your health, your age, your expectations, the expectations of the cancer.
 
If the doctors were sure the chemo would work, I’d let them do it. If they told me that it might make a difference, I’d probably go for it as well. If they told me it was a long shot, would make me suffer, and probably wouldn’t work anyway, I’d opt out.

I don’t think a blanket answer can apply in this case. There are many types of cancer, many stages of it, and all kinds of different predicted treatment outcomes.
 
A friend of mine had cancer, had chemo and recovered completely. She had a husband and four childrend, the youngest was 13 and needed her very much.

Then, five years later the cancer came back with a vengeance. And she fought if to an extent that I thought extreme. She underwent every treatment possible, even some that made our eyebrows raise high! (she went to see a man that said he was the reencarnation of Moctezuma, imagine that, and that he knew some herbs that would make her well; of course they did not).
I am Extraordinary Minister of the Sacred Eucharist, and I accompained her up to the very end, but I must confess that it shocked me to see that God seemed to be opening the door inviting her to Heaven and she seemed to refuse the invitation; she did everything possible no to go. Even two days before she passed, when it was very obvious she was dying, when during the Communion rite I asked her she wanted to pray for, she said, crying: ‘that I recover my health!’

That experience made me wonder if it was wrong to hold on to life that much.

If the Lord opens the door, it doesn’t seem right to go kicking and screaming.

But I guess as many of you have said, it depends on each case.

Alma
 
Great answers.

We are under some obligation to make efforts to preserve our own life, especially if we have people that depend on us.

That being said, it is an obviously different situation for an 85 year old with stage 4 (spread to multiple organs in the body) vs. a 30 year old with a spouse and kids with a stage 2 or 3 (limited spread). One also needs to consider the liklihood of a cure or remission, again based on the type of cancer, the location and if it has spread.

But, we cannot make the decision based solely on medical considerations. Sometimes the Almighty allows trials that we must endure; after all we are his and owe our existence to him. The answer to whether or not cancer is the way the Almighty has determined to have us leave this earth is not always easy to find.
 
We are only required to use ordinary means to preserve our health/life. We are not required to use extraordinary means. What that includes is treatment that is too expensive, too troublesome, or would only prolong one’s suffering.
 
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