I need $1,000,000.00 in 30 days......No, seriously...

[Wreckem]

OP, explore treatment options in other countries. I wouldn't be surprised if its an order-of-magnitude cheaper. Might be worth a shot if nothing comes up in US.

It doesnt seem to be about treatment, its about chasing a cure with cutting edge/experimental treatment it seems, and that is really only going to happen in the US. And really, Cancer Research Centers of America aren't her best options.

There are better places like MD Anderson in Houston and other such places. And many don't charge for people on their clinical treatment trials.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

They are looking into something in Germany already. Not too sure about the details, but yeah, it's all on the table at this point.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

What is the realistic chances of survival at this point? Reminds me of how trivial my problems are.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Realistically...? Who's to say.. so much of it depends on the patient.. They type of cancer, what treatment it responds to, her attitude and willpower to withstand the hell that is treatment.. It's Just a multitude of variables.

Statistically though? The 5 year survival rate of metastatic stage IV colon cancer is 6-10% depending on who you quote. But within that statistic, I guess one could argue the realistic chance of survival was 100% for that 1 in 10 person.

IDK, I mean, you understand the odds, it's hard to accept.. Especially seeing her over this past weekend and seeing just how upbeat and positive she's being.. her attitude after hearing all of this god awful news...; you would have though she was just in there recovering from a bought with the stomach flu and this was all going to be just fine.

And at 37 when most of us still have our entire adult life ahead of us.. it just seems too surreal to grasp that she very well might not be here by Christmas..

 

[gevorg]

its about chasing a cure with cutting edge/experimental treatment it seems, and that is really only going to happen in the US

wrong

Other countries are involved in cancer research too and sometimes certain procedures are available there before it hits the US. For example, France, which is one of the best in the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6660665.stm

 

[Platypus]

at the first paragraph...

Hate to say it, but at this point I'd probably put any donations toward ensuring the future of those kids.

Have to agree...

 

[HAL9000]

Not just saying this:

Go to a country with universal health care, Canada, the UK etc.

 

[The-Noid]

Cancer Centers of America are more based on the experience (picking you up in a limo, flying on a corporate jet, etc.)

If you are looking for real results MD Anderson...

http://www.mdanderson.org/

Mayo Clinic also is a good choice, its 70 miles from my house, so more convenient for us.

I just lost my mother in law to Stage IV endometrial cancer, she was given 3 months at Mayo and through clinical trials made it 19 months through a combination of Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson. MD Anderson appeared to be more aggressive.

My father has been a in a clinical trial at Mayo for the last 5 years, the 5 year survival rate for his cancer (multiple myeloma) is 40%. Through combinations at Mayo they are closer to 70% and growing.

Both looked into Cancer centers of america and realized it was more or less not a research hospital.

 

[The-Noid]

Not just saying this:

Go to a country with universal health care, Canada, the UK etc.

The top 3 hospitals for cancer and cancer research in the world are all in the US.

Don't see how this is relevant...

In most cases the clinical trials for stage IV treatment will be 100% covered by drug company and insurance.

 

[iamwiz82]

Realistically...? Who's to say.. so much of it depends on the patient.. They type of cancer, what treatment it responds to, her attitude and willpower to withstand the hell that is treatment.. It's Just a multitude of variables.

Statistically though? The 5 year survival rate of metastatic stage IV colon cancer is 6-10% depending on who you quote. But within that statistic, I guess one could argue the realistic chance of survival was 100% for that 1 in 10 person.

IDK, I mean, you understand the odds, it's hard to accept.. Especially seeing her over this past weekend and seeing just how upbeat and positive she's being.. her attitude after hearing all of this god awful news...; you would have though she was just in there recovering from a bought with the stomach flu and this was all going to be just fine.

And at 37 when most of us still have our entire adult life ahead of us.. it just seems too surreal to grasp that she very well might not be here by Christmas..

Survival rates of colon cancer have made a pretty drastic swing upwards. A lot of those numbers come from studies 5-10 years ago, which is a lifetime in the way it's treated. My Mom is a stage 4 survivor, 3 years clean now.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Say if they find something they want to go for outside of these borders, what does it take to get accepted for healthcare outside the US. Like one of those centers in France? Or even Canada?

I mean here it's just so much about the money all the time. It's all just money money money.. you got enough of it, you can do anything.. you don't then you're fucked.

I mean, it makes me wonder.. what would be the case if she had no insurance at all? Because for the 1st couple of days she didn't.. something about some 90 day waiting period for it to kick in that her husband was telling me about while we were out there. I guess they've already come out some $35,000.00 just for the first two nights she was there before the insurance kicked in.

Money money everything... pisses me off. A round of chemo costs $50K because some asshole pharmaceutical CEO decided that! Ok, not really, I'm sure it's covering the development and science behind it, etc, etc, .. but dammit, why is everything always about goddamn money!

the lawyers fuck the doctors, and hospitals and drug companies, then the doctors and drug companies fuck the insurance company, so the insurance company fucks over the people and the government fucks us all (unless you're in that elite category because then you're on the take and you like the status-quo and you can buy however many congressmen and lawyers you need to keep it that way...)

Meanwhile people like my wife's friend here suffer for it.

 

[The-Noid]

Say if they find something they want to go for outside of these borders, what does it take to get accepted for healthcare outside the US. Like one of those centers in France? Or even Canada?

I mean here it's just so much about the money all the time. It's all just money money money.. you got enough of it, you can do anything.. you don't then you're fucked.

I mean, it makes me wonder.. what would be the case if she had no insurance at all? Because for the 1st couple of days she didn't.. something about some 90 day waiting period for it to kick in that her husband was telling me about while we were out there. I guess they've already come out some $35,000.00 just for the first two nights she was there before the insurance kicked in.

Money money everything... pisses me off. A round of chemo costs $50K because some asshole pharmaceutical CEO decided that! Ok, not really, I'm sure it's covering the development and science behind it, etc, etc, .. but dammit, why is everything always about goddamn money!

the lawyers fuck the doctors, and hospitals and drug companies, then the doctors and drug companies fuck the insurance company, so the insurance company fucks over the people and the government fucks us all (unless you're in that elite category because then you're on the take and you like the status-quo and you can buy however many congressmen and lawyers you need to keep it that way...)

Meanwhile people like my wife's friend here suffer for it.

The majority of the clinical trials will be without expense.

Advanced stage and recurrent are generally accepted into a lot of trials.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

@The-Noid

Hey I really appreciate the info you linked there. I'm going to look into that further for them when I get home and can make some phone calls. What more can you tell me about that place? Anything from personal experience?

They are also looking into this trial in NY that is accepting Stage IV cancer patients and apparently is seeing some pretty good results. Not sure about those details either though.

 

[Texashiker]

Stage 4?

Maybe she should clear out her bucket list then go through chemo.

 

[bfdd]

I guess my only question is..."Why do YOU need one million dollars?"

Perhaps your wife's friend does...but why is it your job to deal with this for her?

If it was your wife, I could understand.

BTW, FUCK CANCER...it's not bad enough that it makes you sick and kills you, it also makes people spend every fucking dime they have chasing a cure...they get chemo, radiation, take pills, have what little life they have degraded severely, spend months sick as hell from the treatment...and in the end, they still die from cancer.

With only a few exceptions, once you're diagnosed with cancer...you're gonna die from cancer...especially if it's metastasized...that is a death sentence.

As someone who has cared for someone dying of terrible cancers and seeing all the non-sense one goes through to get those extra few days, all the money it costs, emotional trauma etc. It's simply not worth the effort/dollar value. Spend those dollars on comfort and what not, not fighting for the extra day. It's inevitable and just because you're leaving us behind doesn't mean we don't love you or that we will forget about you. I'm not a religious person but I very much believe in the "human soul" as it pertains to information and the impact sharing of such information leaves on the lasting history of man. Even little simple things that get passed around from person to person, like smiling at a passerby.

 

[moonbogg]

The injured moth flaps its wings, turning in circles on the ground in a pointless effort to get somewhere. I flap my wings trying to get somwehere.
Why does a moth exist? they get injured and noone cares. No moth empathy among mothes. No moth god to intervene. No break for the injured moth. It flaps, struggles and dies.
We have a little purpose that we give ourselves. Sometimes we feel useful and good. Other times we are the injured moth. No moth empathy among mothes, no moth god to intervene, no break for the injured moth.
We are healthy as children, we are a happy child, we have dreams, we have purpose. We enjoy some years and then find ourselves injured with no time to repair. We flap our wings, spinning in circles on the ground and in our heads, trying to get somewhere.
We become the injured moth. No moth empathy among mothes. No moth god to intervene. No break for the injured moth.
A healthy moth flies, a healthy moth eats, a healthy moth explores. A healthy moth is hit by a raindrop, a healthy moth falls injured.
We live our lives, we talk with friends, we enjoy eachother. A healthy person falls injured by another.
a healthy moth falls injured. No moth god to intervene. No break for the injured moth.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Stage 4 is pretty dire, as the cancer has spread to her major organs. Why spend millions of dollars just to have her spending her last days in awful chemo staring at white walls?

You want to raise a million? I say go for it, but set it aside for her kids. At Stage 4 it's pretty much up to God now.

 

[Wreckem]

My wifes father has never paid a dime for his cancer treatment. Hes also been on MD Anderson trials for advanced colorectal cancer. He was initially given 6 months without chemo. Normal chemo did nothing to stop growth. The first round of MD Anderson trials have slowed the growth, but hes had a shitty quality of life. He is about to undergo a second round but has accepted hes going to die from the cancer or the complications caused by it.

 

[Wreckem]

wrong

Other countries are involved in cancer research too and sometimes certain procedures are available there before it hits the US. For example, France, which is one of the best in the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6660665.stm

Its only available in the non experimental settings before the US.

The US leads the way in experimental/non FDA approved treatmeants/trials. The US is the place to be if prognosis with approved treatments is low and all your left with are cutting edge experimental trials.

 

[JulesMaximus]

One of my best friends lost his 14 year old son last week... maybe we could have him adopt the daughters of your wife's friend?

 

[Wreckem]

And cancer death rates would be slightly higher if they included deaths caused by complications caused by successful treatment. Person I knew was 6 years cancer free, but died from a side effect/complication of the original treatment.

 

[The-Noid]

wrong

Other countries are involved in cancer research too and sometimes certain procedures are available there before it hits the US. For example, France, which is one of the best in the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6660665.stm

Institut Gustave Roussy is #4 in the world regarding research.

http://www.igr.fr/

Sloan Ketterling, MD Anderson and Mayo Clinic are all above.

John Hopkins is 5th and one step below.

Again, US leads the world in cancer research and clinical/experimental trials.

 

[dud]

I just received an area-wide email at work about another cancer victim.

She was beautiful, sweet, soft spoken, a best friend to her husband and the mother of a younger daughter.

Now she is dead.

After losing both of my parents to this despicable disease I am considering joining the Hemlock Society. I love those around me far too much to put them through this drama.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Stage 4 is pretty dire, as the cancer has spread to her major organs. Why spend millions of dollars just to have her spending her last days in awful chemo staring at white walls?

You want to raise a million? I say go for it, but set it aside for her kids. At Stage 4 it's pretty much up to God now.

I guess that comes down to her decision, it's not mine to make; but as long as she's willing to fight the fight, my wife and I want to find ways to help her fight the best fight.

 

[Wreckem]

Survival rates of colon cancer have made a pretty drastic swing upwards. A lot of those numbers come from studies 5-10 years ago, which is a lifetime in the way it's treated. My Mom is a stage 4 survivor, 3 years clean now.

Like with all cancers there are different types of each type of cancer.

The most common type of colorectal cancer is extremely aggressive if not caught early and its survival 5 year survival rates are in still in the single digits if caught after progressing to Stage IV. There is a lesser common much more treatable type that has a 5 year survival rage in the 20% range if its advanced to stage IV. Research on the later has been much more promising than the former. That is IIRC.