When a patient is dangerously sick from the cancer treatment, then the situation may have to be re-evaluated. There is a tendency for some doctors to look upon people as the "cancer" or the "heart" or whatever and not as individuals. About 15 years ago I had 5 years of close experience with NCI/ NIH oncology while my mother was in clinical trials and I saw this a lot. I have known (personally) of 4-5 people who stopped treatment when it got to be too much -- however in each case the chance of cure or remission was slim and the decision was based on this. In all but one case the individual was elderly (the other was a 46-year-old with abdominal mesothelioma, a very nasty cancer).

Your mother is getting a very stiff chemotherapy -- e.g. compared to my husband who is only getting carboplatin (6x) and 33 rad. for a stage IV cancer. I would ask them flat-out what additional percent of benefit is being provided by adding the docetaxel and 5-FU (the latter know to cause bad mucositis). We asked the same question of our medical oncologist when she suggested adding Taxol to Barry's carbo and she said she had no data to show that there would be a significant benefit and it might exacerbate his benign essential tremor of his hands -- but there might be some small benefit. Barry thought about it and decided to forgo the Taxol -- realizing he was increasing his risk somewhat but providing better quality of life and less likelihood of having to interrupt or delay treatment. It was his informed decison.

At Sloan Kettering they would have given him cisplatin alone (with the radiation) OR carbo + 5-FU but not all three. He is 66, but that did not enter into the recommendation per their consultation report.

Anyway, when you get there ask hard questions.

Good luck, Gail