I myself do not have cancer, but recently my father came down with stage 4 kidney cancer. He had his kidney removed, and now only has two bean size nodes left in his body. One behind a vein near the lungs and another near his pelvic bone. He will undergo treatment with pills, a medicine called SUNItinib. He has Rccc, and that type of cancer is very resistant to chemo and to radiation according to the oncologist. The pill medicine however is very good at combating this type of cancer.
The oncologist was very blunt with us, he said that the medicine will give us one of three results. He said my dad's body may reject the medicine, which would be very bad. Secondly the pill may be able to control the cancer from spreading any further, and it'll be like treating a diabetic of sorts. Lastly after the regiment is complete, the cancer may completely die of and go into remission. The medicine is designed to breakdown proteins in the cancer cells, and that will stop the multiplying and slowly kill them.
We were also told that he is very lucky that cancer did not invade another organ.
The hope comes from my father's unwavering optimism. He has told he will live, and that cancer wont take him. That he will meet his maker from old age. Perhaps he is dealing with ailment internally, but as of now my dad acts as if he is cancer free. He will be going back to work, not because us kids can not take care of his bills, but because he flat out told us he would die if he didn't work. He is a welder by trade, but he has been a worker all his life. Working the fields of south Texas since the age 6
A little of my experience with cancer. I hope of the DU community battling this ailment remain steadfast. With hopes that tomorrow will bring a better and brighter day.
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