Terminal Cancer: Definition, Life Expectancy, Treatment ...

Terminal cancer refers to cancer that can't be cured or treated. It's sometimes also called end-stage cancer. Any type of cancer can become ... HealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeSkinSelfCareTipsNutritionSkinCareGuideDrySkinRemediesAcne101EczemaTypesPsoriasisBasicsUnderstandingandDealingwithTerminalCancerMedicallyreviewedbyYaminiRanchod,Ph.D.,M.S.—WrittenbyKimberlyHolland—UpdatedonSeptember12,2018LifeexpectancyTreatmentNextstepsResourcesWhatisterminalcancer?Terminalcancerreferstocancerthatcan’tbecuredortreated.It’ssometimesalsocalledend-stagecancer.Anytypeofcancercanbecometerminalcancer.Terminalcancerisdifferentfromadvancedcancer.Liketerminalcancer,advancedcancerisn’tcurable.Butitdoesrespondtotreatment,whichmayslowdownitsprogression.Terminalcancerdoesn’trespondtotreatment.Asaresult,treatingterminalcancerfocusesonmakingsomeoneascomfortableaspossible.Readontolearnmoreaboutterminalcancer,includingitsimpactonlifeexpectancyandhowtocopeifyouoralovedonereceivethisdiagnosis.What’sthelifeexpectancyofsomeonewithterminalcancer?Generally,terminalcancershortenssomeone’slifeexpectancy.Butsomeone’sactuallifeexpectancydependsonseveralfactors,including:thetypeofcancertheyhavetheiroverallhealthwhethertheyhaveanyotherhealthconditionsDoctorsoftenrelyonamixtureofclinicalexperienceandintuitionwhendeterminingsomeone’slifeexpectancy.Butstudiessuggestthatthisestimateisusuallyincorrectandoverlyoptimistic.Tohelpcombatthis,researchersanddoctorshavecomeupwithseveralsetsofguidelinestohelponcologistsandpalliativecaredoctorsgivepeopleamorerealisticideaoftheirlifeexpectancy.Examplesoftheseguidelinesinclude:Karnofskyperformancescale.Thisscalehelpsdoctorsevaluatesomeone’soverallleveloffunctioning,includingtheirabilitytododailyactivitiesandcareforthemselves.Thescoreisgivenasapercentage.Thelowerthescore,theshorterthelifeexpectancy.Palliativeprognosticscore.Thisusessomeone’sscoreontheKarnofskyperformancescale,whitebloodcellandlymphocytecounts,andotherfactorstoproduceascorebetween0and17.5.Thehigherthescore,theshorterthelifeexpectancy.Whiletheseestimatesaren’talwaysaccurate,theydoserveanimportantpurpose.Theycanhelppeopleandtheirdoctorsmakedecisions,establishgoals,andworktowardend-of-lifeplans.Arethereanytreatmentsforterminalcancer?Terminalcancerisincurable.Thismeansnotreatmentwilleliminatethecancer.Buttherearemanytreatmentsthatcanhelpmakesomeoneascomfortableaspossible.Thisofteninvolvesminimizingthesideeffectsofboththecancerandanymedicationsbeingused.Somedoctorsmightstilladministerchemotherapyorradiationtoprolonglifeexpectancy,butthisisn’talwaysafeasibleoption.PersonalchoiceWhiledoctorshavesomeinputinthetreatmentplanforsomeonewithterminalcancer,itoftencomesdowntopersonalpreference.Somewithterminalcancerprefertostopalltreatments.Thisisoftenduetounwantedsideeffects.Forexample,somemightfindthatthesideeffectsofradiationorchemotherapyaren’tworththepotentialincreaseinlifeexpectancy.ClinicaltrialsOthersmaychoosetotakepartinexperimentalclinicaltrials.Thetreatmentsusedinthesetrialslikelywon’tcureterminalcancer,buttheycontributetothemedicalcommunity’sgreaterunderstandingofcancertreatment.Theycanpotentiallyhelpfuturegenerations.Thiscanbeapowerfulwayforsomeonetoensuretheirfinaldayshavealastingimpact.AlternativetreatmentsAlternativetreatmentscanalsobebeneficialforthosewithterminalcancer.Acupuncture,massagetherapy,andrelaxationtechniquescanhelpalleviatepainanddiscomfortwhilealsopotentiallydecreasingstress.Manydoctorsalsorecommendpeoplewithterminalcancermeetwithapsychologistorpsychiatristtohelpdealwithanxietyanddepression.Theseconditionsaren’tuncommoninpeoplewithterminalcancer.Whatarethenextstepsafterdiagnosis?Receivingadiagnosisofterminalcancercanbeextremelyoverwhelming.Thiscanmakeithardtoknowwhattodonext.There’snorightorwrongwaytoproceed,butthesestepsmayhelpifyou’reunsurewhattodonext.AcknowledgeyouremotionsIfyoureceivethenewsthatyouoralovedonehasterminalcancer,you’lllikelygothrougharangeofemotions,oftenwithinashortperiod.Thisistotallynormal.Forexample,youmightinitiallyfeelangryorsad,onlytofindyourselffeelingaslightsenseofrelief,especiallyifthetreatmentprocesshasbeenparticularlydifficult.Othersmightfeelguiltoverleavinglovedonesbehind.Somemayfeelcompletelynumb.Trytogiveyourselftimetofeelwhatyouneedtofeel.Rememberthere’snocorrectwaytoreacttoadiagnosisofterminalcancer.Inaddition,don’tbeafraidtoreachoutforsupportfromfriendsandfamily.Ifyoudon’tfeelcomfortabledoingthis,talktoyourdoctor.Theycanreferyoutolocalresourcesandservicesthatcanhelp.Receivingadiagnosisofterminalcancercanleadtoanoverwhelmingsenseofuncertainty.Again,thisiscompletelynormal.Considertacklingthisuncertaintybyjottingdownalistofquestions,bothforyourdoctorandyourself.Thiswillalsohelpyoubettercommunicatewiththoseclosetoyou.QuestionstoaskyourdoctorAfterreceivingaterminalcancerdiagnosis,yourdoctormightbethelastpersonyouwanttotalkto.Butthesequestionscanhelpstartadialogueaboutthenextsteps:WhatcanIexpectinthecomingdays,weeks,months,oryears?Thiscanhelpgiveyouanideaofwhat’stocomedowntheroad,allowingyoutobetterprepareyourselftofacethesenewchallenges.What’smylifeexpectancy?Thismaysoundlikeadauntingquestion,buthavingatimelinecanhelpyoumakechoicesyoucancontrol,whetherthat’stakingatrip,catchingupwithfriendsandfamily,orattemptinglife-prolongingtreatments.Arethereanyteststhatcangiveabetterideaofmylifeexpectancy?Onceaterminalcancerdiagnosisismade,somedoctorsmaywanttoconductadditionalteststogetabetterideaoftheextentofthecancer.Thiswillhelpyouandyourdoctorhaveabetterunderstandingoflifeexpectancy.Itcanalsohelpyourdoctorprepareyouforproperpalliativecare.QuestionstoaskyourselfHowsomeoneproceedsafterreceivingaterminalcancerdiagnosisinvolvesagooddealofpersonalpreference.Thesedecisionsmaybeincrediblydifficult,butgoingoverthesequestionswithyourselfmayhelp:Aretreatmentsworthit?Sometreatmentsmayprolongyourlifeexpectancy,buttheymayalsomakeyouilloruncomfortable.Palliativecaremaybeanoptionyou’dliketoconsiderinstead.It’sdesignedtomakeyoucomfortableinyourfinaldays.DoIneedanadvanceddirective?Thisisadocumentthat’sdesignedtohelpyoufulfillyourwishesifyoueventuallyaren’tabletomakedecisionsforyourself.Itcancovereverythingfromwhichlife-savingmeasuresareallowedtowhereyou’dliketobeburied.WhatdoIwanttodo?Somepeoplewithterminalcancerdecidetocarryontheirdailyactivitiesasifnothinghaschanged.Otherschoosetotravelandseetheworldwhiletheystillcan.Yourchoiceshouldreflectwhatyouwanttoexperienceinyourfinaldaysandwhoyouwanttospendthemwith.TalkingtoothersWhatyoudecidetoshareaboutyourdiagnosisiscompletelyuptoyou.Herearesomediscussionpointstoconsider:Yourdiagnosis.Onceyou’vehadtimetoprocessthenewsanddecideonacourseofaction,youcandecidetosharewithyourfriendsandfamily—ortokeepitmostlyprivate.What’simportanttoyou.Intheseremainingmonthsanddays,youcandecidewhatyourdailylifelookslike.Picktheplaces,people,andthingsthataremostimportanttoyouinthistime.Askyourfamilytosupportyourplanstospendyourdaysthewayyouwish.Yourfinalwishes.Whileanadvanceddirectivewillhandlemuchofthisforyou,it’salwayswisetoshareyourwisheswithfriendsandfamilytoensurethingsarecarriedoutthewayyouwantthemtobe.WherecanIfindresources?Thankstotheinternet,therearealotofresourcesthatcanhelpyounavigatethemanyaspectsofaterminalcancerdiagnosis.Tostart,considerfindingasupportgroup.Doctors’offices,religiousorganizations,andhospitalsoftenorganizesupportgroups.Thesegroupsaredesignedtobringtogetherindividuals,familymembers,andcaregiverscopingwithacancerdiagnosis.Theycanprovideyou,aswellasyourspouse,children,orotherfamilymembers,withcompassion,guidance,andacceptance.TheAssociationforDeathEducationandCounselingalsooffersalistofresourcesformanyscenariosinvolvingdeathandgrief,fromcreatinganadvanceddirectivetonavigatingholidaysandspecialoccasions.CancerCarealsooffersavarietyofresourcesfordealingwithterminalandadvancedcancer,includingeducationalworkshops,financialassistance,andexpertanswerstouser-submittedquestions.Youcanalsocheckoutourreadinglistforcopingwithcancer.LastmedicallyreviewedonSeptember12,2018MedicallyreviewedbyYaminiRanchod,Ph.D.,M.S.—WrittenbyKimberlyHolland—UpdatedonSeptember12,2018ReadthisnextTothePersonFightingCancer,You’reAllowedtoBeAngryandScaredAsasociety,weexpecttoomuchfrompeoplefightingcancer.Weneedtostop.READMOREDepressionintheFaceofaTerminalIllnessandDeathMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDThoughgriefisnormalinpeoplewithaterminalillnesswhoarefacingtheendoflife,itcanevolveintodepression.Learnaboutsymptomsand…READMORE6HealthyWaysI’veLearnedtoAcceptDeathMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDGriefisaprocess.Itcomesinstages.Theremaybeadenial,theremaybeanger,andthesefeelingsmaycomeseparatelyorallatonce.But,death…READMOREAcknowledgingYou’reGoingtoDieMayBetheMostLiberatingThingYouDoYou'reGoingtoDieisapoetryandproseeventinSanFrancisco.ReadthestorybehindthiseventinaninterviewwithfounderNedBuskirk.READMORETheNoBSGuidetoOrganizingYourFeelingsOurfeelingscanaffecthowwehandlesituationsandhowwerunourlives,soweputtogetheraguidetohelpyoubuildawarenessforamore…READMOREWeight-LossSurgerySlashesCancerRiskandMortality,NewStudyFindsAnewstudyfoundweight-losssurgerycanreducetheriskofseveraltypesofcancerforpeoplelivingwithobesity.READMOREWhatIsTheLinkBetweenLichenSclerosusandCancer?Learnaboutthelinkbetweenlichensclerosusandvulvarcancer,includingthepossiblecauses,riskfactors,symptomstowatchoutfor,andtreatment…READMOREAmpullaryCancer:WhatYouShouldKnowAboutThisRareGICancerAmpullarycancerisarareformofgastrointestinalcancerthathasseveraltreatmentoptionsandanexcellentoutlookwhencaughtearly.READMOREWhyMorePeopleUnderAge40AreBeingDiagnosedWithCancerExpertssaylifestylefactors,inparticularobesity,aresomeofthemainreasonsthecancerrateamongteensandyoungadultscontinuestoriseREADMOREHowCancerTreatmentIsImprovingforPeopleLivinginRuralAreasNewgroupsareworkingtobringimprovedcancercaretothoseinruralareasthroughtheuseofnewtechnologyandprograms.READMORE