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If you are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description.

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Hi, My husband was diagnosed last week with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. 3 days after the diagnosis he was told he has six months to live. (FYI he is only 49 years old....) It has been a roller-coaster of emotions for both of us, which social workers discussing "quality vs quantity" of life, arranging for a hospital bed to be delivered to our house, etc. Two days after being released from the hospital (where they had moved him to the palliative care unit - not a good sign.....) he was given a schedule for chemo and radiation treatments. We attended a chemo class yesterday and found out his schedule calls for doctor visits 2 and 3 times a week, as well as a five-week period where he will go everyday (M-F) for radiation treatments. Now we are both confused. When we heard the six month diagnosis we were planning on how this time would be spent (trips to the beach, fishing, etc) but now with the treatments scheduled, we are thinking that perhaps the six month diagnosis has changed - is there still hope for survival??? is what we keep playing out in our heads, thinking surely the doctors would not prescribe these intensive treatments if he was surely going to die by January??? Family members, friends, and, of course, my dear sweet husband and I are holding on to any glimmer of hope there may be....but we want to be realistic. Why would a doctor tell him he has six months to live.....and then prescribe tons of chemo and radiation???

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Hi welcome to Chat Doctor forum. Because, chemo and radio is necessary to achieve even those 6 months. I understand your concerns, but pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous and has very poor prognosis. Radioth and chemo is the last option for palliative treatment, and it can only slightly prolong lifetime. So many patients even decide not to treat it if they consider that 3 or 4 more months are not worth of fighting. This is up to you. In both cases' prognosis is poor, and he is not able to live for 1 year. But as I said if he wants these 6 months he needs therapy. If not, he can hope for 2-3 month of life. Hope I have answered your query.