Question:

My father has been having pains in his stomach for about a year they come and go, for the past couple months it has just progressed to almost constant pains. We have been going to a local Dr. which has no history with my father as he has never been sick and is the first time he visits a doctor. My father is 73 years old and has always been very healthy.

I received a call from the Doctor yesterday telling me that my father had a bad stomach cancer and that we had waited too long and it was spreading everywhere. Today after a Endoscopy the Doctor (general practician) decides to tell me that now it is not Stomach Cancer that he has Colon cancer and that is spreading to his back, what I find very strange is how easy this doctor changes his mind and that after just hours of him telling me that the cancer had spread everywhere he still cannot tell me where the cancer is.

He is asking us to go do a CT scan at one of his referred clinics, I asked him to please let us go to another known hospital in NY and the Dr seems to disagree very strongly.

Here are all the tests he has done so far and the information the current Dr. is using to make his diagnosis.

ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND: Abdominal ultrasound was performed There is extensive ascites. The liver is difficult to assess; however, it demonstrates no obvious mass or biliary distension. The gallbladder demonstrates no calculi, wall-thickening or pericholecystic fluid. The common duct is normal in caliber, measuring 3.4 mm. The right kidney measures 8.8 cm and the left, 10.5 cm. There is a 6 mm calcification in the right lower pole. No hydronephrosis is seen. There is a hypoechoic lesion in the mid-pole of the left kidney measuring 1.7cm X 1.3cm X 1.8cm. It is unclear if this is cystic or solid. The spleen is difficult to visualize due to its high position but does not appear enlarged. The pancreas is obscured by bowel gas. IMPRESSION: Extensive ascites. Difficult evaluation overall. Recommend CT Scan Question solid left renal mass. Recommend pre- and post-contrast CT. Small echogenic lesion right kidney. Difficult visualization of the spleen. The pancreas is obscured by bowel gas. CHEST X-RAY: PA and lateral views of the chest demonstrate blunting of the costophrenic angles, which may be related to small bilateral pleaural effusions versus current current pleural reaction. There is minimal discoid atelectasis at the right lung base. There is no focal infiltrate. The heart, mediastinum and hila are unremarkable. The pulmonary vasculature is normal. There are thoracic degenerative changes and there is a mild compression fracture of T7, T8 and T9. IMPRESSION: Small bilateral pleural effusions versus chronic pleural reaction. Discoid atelectasis at the right lung base. Mild thoracic compression fractures and degenerative disc disease.

Answer:

Thank you for visiting NetWellness. In this forum we try to answer general questions about cancer but can not diagnose or recommend testing or treatment. You appear to have some very, very specific questions about your father, which can only be answered properly by a physician who is familiar with his history, physical exam, and test results. Your questions about the testing results you’ve been given or the risks, benefits, and alternatives for proposed treatments of his condition need to be directed to his treating physician(s). You should insist that they answer these questions in a way that you and your father are able to understand before there is consent to any treatment. If his physician is unable to help you understand these issues, you and your father should get a second opinion. Take care.

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