Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I took my dad to the hospital because of intense pain in his legs. After a lot of tests, the doctors suspected that he had advanced cancer. But they were unable to do a biopsy because of his heart disease and other problems. I received reports from hospitals about my father's condition. One report suggests that he has advanced cancer, and it has spread to different parts of the body.
They did a PET because of his health problems. After six weeks, again I took him to the hospital because of severe pain in the legs, and the painkillers given initially were not helpful. The other doctor did a biopsy of the lung and suggested possible stage 1 cancer.
He had a loss of weight, and the pain in the legs increased. He has been doing fine after his open-heart surgery for three years. He has heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. I am interested in getting a specialist to review the reports and images and explain why there is such a difference of opinion between two cancer specialists.
I would like to know what these reports mean:
Please guide.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I have gone through the attachment (attachment removed to protect patient identity). Your father has advanced lung cancer, which has spread to his bones and other parts of the body. I do not know why someone has said it is a stage 1 cancer. It is a very aggressive stage 4 lung cancer. On considering his age, poor cardiac condition, and incurable disease, he is not a candidate for any active oncology treatment. He needs only symptomatic treatment with pain medication. For pain, he should take Morphine. Take the help of a good palliative care doctor. I am sorry, but he has a very short remaining life.
I hope this information helps you.
Feel free to reach out in case of further queries.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
Does the biopsy report indicate that he has advanced cancer? I have been told that he needs treatment for six months as he has stage 1 lung cancer. Because of the significant difference between the reports that seem to suggest advanced cancer and the latest biopsy report seems to indicate stage 1 cancer, I want some clarification, particularly about the biopsy report.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
A biopsy report never tells about the stage of the disease. It shows the grade of the tumor. In this case, it is poorly differentiated, which means aggressive cancer. Staging is confirmed by imaging, such as a PET (positron emission tomography) scan. It suggests that there is a large primary tumor in the lungs and a widespread disease in the bones and other areas.
I hope this information helps you.
Feel free to reach out in case of further queries.
Thank you.
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Answered byDr. Rakesh Mittal
Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
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