New to this.
My partner was diagnosed with stomach cancer in October last year. As upsetting as this was, it seemed that it was lucky they found it early, while the tumour was only through the first two linings in wall of stomach and not through the next two or anywhere else. The scans showed the tumour relatively small, and the lymph nodes clear. It was a plan of 8 weeks chemo, followed by operation to remove the tumour, followed by, probably, another 8 weeks of chemo. We are now in week 1 of the second chemo batch.
He took the first chemo relatively well, did the cold cap and didn't lose his hair, and other than tiredness, didn't have as much trouble as some with the side effects. The operation and recovery has been going well. I'm worried about him eating enough, though he is getting better at adressing this, and also heartbroken for him not sleeping, I think the anxiety rushes in at night, but otherwise he is doing well. He has had more sickness this first week of second chemo, but generally all manageable.
Before this chemo round, post operation, we were told that from the lymph nodes biopsied at the operation, just over half of those biopsied had microscopic cancer cells. This is hard to know how to compute. I guess it is just uncertain. He finds that very difficult to talk about or think through - compared to before when we thought there was no spread to the lymph nodes and tumour removed -understandably.
Does anyone have any information on how fast microscopic cancer in lymph nodes can spread and form new tumours? I dont want to be falsely reassuring with him, in an arbitrary way if that makes sense, but I think remaining hopeful is really important. My approach has been to stay positive and try to reassure that they are on top of it, that the chemo is attempt to deal with it, and that if it moves somewhere else they will be able to see it and deal with it straight away. I find having access to information and being able to do this concretely with facts is the best way, when and if possible. We are generally coping with things in a straightforward and loving way, but the weight of the feeling of not having control, or knowing what will happen in our lives is heavy in the background.
But i do feel not informed enough to work out how to be best supportive, or what it actually means now that it has reached the lymph nodes, in terms of his outlook, when previously it seemed very positive that it was contained and they could remove the tumour. I guess that's the uncertainty of it, and probably nothing is going to clarify what to expect for some time now. Maybe someone has some helpful experience or knowledge on here. Or maybe it was just useful to be able to write it down.
