Is refusing cancer treatment a selfish act?
A decision about whether to accept treatment for cancer is a personal matter, and there is no right or wrong. One must start by carefully weighing the potential risks of the treatment and the potential benefits of the treatment. The person with cancer must ultimately decide which choice is in their overall best interest. “Selfish” has a negative connotation, as though the person with cancer is inappropriately thinking of himself or herself instead of others. In this case one must think of oneself, because it is ultimately the person with cancer who will have to deal with the consequences. One of the factors to consider, however, in addition to the risks and benefits of the potential treatment, is the effect either decision will have on family members and close friends.
If you are the person with cancer and you are seriously considering a choice to refuse treatment, I would encourage you to speak with the people closest to you about it. It is possible they will feel hurt, believing you are choosing to die rather than to spend time with them. It would likely be very helpful to them if they understood how and why you made your decision, or what it is you are wrestling with. It is even possible such a discussion will give you a new perspective that leads you to change your mind. This is a situation where a mental health professional may be invaluable. Such a person could help facilitate a discussion between you and the people you are concerned about, and help you each to understand what the other is experiencing. Hopefully this will lead to you supporting each other through this very challenging time.
Well yes refusing treatment for cancer was selfish,first the poor surgeon he must have been upset when I was wheeled back out of the operating theatre. but it was his own fault he should not have told me fairy tales about keyhole surgery.in the first place Seven years on I apologise. Kenneth Robbins see's it how it is .the surgeon should not have bypassed my choice,of his nasty treatment by painting a false rosy picture.my second opinion surgeon gave me the nasty facts.I declined his kind offer of stomach removal and liver tumour investigation
No, it is not selfish to refuse cancer treatment since there are no guarantees or even high probabilities of remission. If anything, it is selfish of other people to try to force the person with cancer (possibly using guilt) to suffer through treatment for their sake.
My mom (a non-smoker all her life), was diagnosed at the end of February this year with lung cancer. She was told that without treatment she probably had 6-9 months to live and with treatment she probably had 2-2.5 years to live. After wrestling with the decision she reluctantly decided to undergo chemotherapy as suggested by the oncologist. She survived just under 5 months from time of diagnosis (not even the 6-9 months she probably would have had if she had refused treatment) and her quality of life was severely reduced by the treatment. She didn't die from the lung cancer but died instead from the treatment. Specifically, she was sent for a blood transfusion because she was too anaemic to be able to continue with chemotherapy. She had a bad reaction to the blood transfusion (a hemolytic transfusion reaction occurred as she had hemolytic anemia overlooked by the oncologist) and died several days after the transfusion. I'm certainly not saying that treatment isn't worthwhile. Of course, in many cases it saves lives but for many cancer patients (like my mom), quality of life is more important than quantity. For those people with young children and/or those who want to maximise their chance of staying alive (even if it requires hardship and suffering), it may make sense to them to undergo chemotherapy. However, it's a personal decision that must be made by the person with cancer. Obviously though, they must be given all relevant information first including treatment options, probabilities of success, possible side-effects of treatment and the likely course of the illness if treatment is declined. Personally, I was relieved that my mom decided to undergo some chemotherapy. However, she had decided that regardless of whether or not the treatment was working, she was only going to have one more cycle of treatment after the blood transfusion. At first she refused to even go for the blood transfusion. I really thought it was best for her to go for the transfusion and do one more cycle of chemo. But, even though the oncologist told me that my mom was being foolish and asked me to convince her to go, I said that it was my mom's decision and I would support her regardless of whether or not I thought the decision was a good one. The bottom line is, the person with cancer must be supported in their decisions even if other people don't agree with the decision. No-one knows what is going to happen one way or the other.
Yes My sister in law who was very perky when diagnosed with cancer the chemo soon finished her off two months,she lasted The usual,reason the cancer had spread.My cancer had spread. But the bodies own immune system can stop cancer spreading,given the chance.but chemo attacks the immune system and allows the cancer to spread My cancers that spread are now dead the main cancer is contained,at present.
If a equal number of people were not treated as were treated we could compare but I only heard of person who refused treatment a oldtime film actress she lived too.Not like Farrah Fawcett,They removed her cancers she was tumour free then they gave the full works chemo and radiation,to makee sure. She then grew a whole new set of cancers and soon died.I felt Oh! if only she had settled,for being clear.But the medical profession believe it is better to over treat.No lawsuits then.
yes I am cynical Seven years on death row,did it.I treat every day as my last, Positively! I love shareing my experiences.
I do not advocate refusing treatment but dont just put your life in others hands Think, look at the odds.I have 12% chance of surviving for only five years with treatment.I have lived 7 years.without.
It could, just be that I have a good immune system,but I have given it all the help I possibly can.
I was operated on March 4th for colon cancer it was located in the large intestine. I came through with what the surgeon said they had gotten all of it. I did see an oncologist who wanted to push right away into chemo. After being told I probably wouldn't have to have any chemo, I was going to be pushed into this by the oncologist. I went for a second opinion with another oncologlist in a different facilty. He talked with my husband and I for over an hour. He stated the pros and cons and told me I would have to make up my own mind. Although I had help from family who are in health care profession I also had help from my pcp and read and looked into other ways of doing things naturally. Like eating better, doing supplements and excercising. Also having prayers and strength from family, friends and strangers. I have been keeping appointments with my personal doctor and the surgeon, and they have been also been supportive. They also have seen the progress I have gone through, like ie: looking healthier, stronger, perky and blood work coming back to normal. I grateful for all their support and help. I hope I can stay this way and not have to go through this again. I do not like what I see and hear about so called chemo or radiation treatments. I watched my neighbor die last February from cancer and the rediation which burnt her. Like the other blog that I read she didn't die from cancer but from the treatments. I agree you have to make up your own mind in different situations.
Oh greendeer40 thank you at last someone who has been there too, My father had cancer it did not kill him. but he got radiation poisoning How he suffered.before dying That said there are people who do not have problems with chemo or radiation treatment,but they seem to be a minority.
Just an after thought I never take any drugs at all no painkillers.
I do anything that is known to help my immune,system.A side affect of this at near eighty.I wrenched my back lifting wifes electric trolly into the car.could not get out of my armchair,Next day it had improved I played golf.it then improved day by day,next I got tennis elbow useing shears to cut through the jungle that my garden had grown into.I ignored the pain(not recommened)and it has now gone away.thought do you think evolution or god could have designed such poor body as ours appears to be?my body that was useless.always breaking down hense cancer. properly treated is amazing my joints are great ,stomach great,,bowels great,
How did we manage to evolve without Doctors?yes some did not and could have done with modern treatment.but this present generation are rattling with doctors pills.codeine can cause the headache you take to cure it ,and therefore it becomes addictive.
yes I am looking down from my pinnacle of experience.
sorry, if you have it flaunt it. is my motto.
I have a different slant on a cancer suffer being selfish I know surviving my cancer depends on remaining up beat.,no depression allowed. My disabled wife gets a better quality of life if she stays with her sister.who is a qualified care nurse,also they get on so well,laughing all the time. So I let her stay with her sister,after just a month my wife had lost over a stone in weight and the swelling of her feet and legs have gone down.but I missed her so much I could not bear it.so she only goes on short visits now.but I know she would fare better with long stays.I have tried compensate with house renovations and trips out.but I still feel guilty. 11 sept I think my wife was a bit miffed at me saying "she can stay as long as she liked." I was being a martyr, and she thought I did not need her Now she ask,s can I stay a day longer,I reluctantly agree She seem's happier with that approach..
Welcome to the octoman site. It is a lonely place . Trouble with cancer so many people are dying from it,every day. The medical profession,have to be up beat . Come to us and be cured,they shout. the earlier we get you the better.Except with cancer it is very secretive,by the time it is found it is usually too late. My wife had no trouble,her precancerous were found. the operation caused so many after problems .But cancer never reared its ugly head again.so far.
No, I do not think it is selfish. We are not the ones who will be injected with chemo or burned with radiation. We will not be wheeled in and out of operating rooms and stuck with needles. The person who has the disease must decide what they will endure. It is just not fair to make someone suffer this kind of pain, to make us feel better or so that we won't be "left behind."
I just lost someone who was diagnosed in 2004 and showed no symptoms until mid-2008. He opted to forego treatment. He knew with 2 cancers, it was unlikely all the chemo and radiation would extend his life very much, if at all. He'd been hospitalized for a year, as a child, and did not want to be in and out of hospitals again. Instead, he was a partyer and wanted to go out partying, amongst friends, which he did, up until the last 5 months. He died quietly home, like he wanted. Of course he was sad, he was not ready to die at all at 45, but he lived his final years the way he wanted and isn't that what matters, really? (He did not have small children. His 2 kids were 18 and 21).
I am a 2 time cancer survivor. Neither time did I have chemotherapy or radiation due to the odds with each. The first cancer was Uterine/Ovarian I had a total Hysterectomy and oophorectomy, in layman's terms they removed my Uterus and ovaries. I did not receive any Radiation or Chemotherapy, it was offered to me however I refused as the odds of either one of them killing me were higher than them helping me. I have been free from that cancer for 17 years. One year later I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma & told that I had 18months to live. I was directed to get my affairs in order, find someone to raise my son & start Chemotherapy. My Son was 3 years old at the time. I went and got 3 different opinions all of them gave me a 60% chance of Chemotherapy killing me. I didn't take it. Instead, I am a Christian, I went to God. I got down on my knees and asked that he take the cancer away from me. When one prays for healing & chooses an alternative method to cure something like cancer, Doctors tend to fly off the handle ;-) As a Team Leader of a LIVESTRONG Army, a grassroots program of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, I decided this is MY life & I WILL Have it MY WAY!(taken from the Manifesto of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
I apologize for straying a bit but I felt that if you knew where I was "coming from" it would be much easier to understand my reasoning behind what I have to say.
Is it selfish to the family for a person to decide not to be treated for cancer. No! It is a persons right to have their life, just that ... THEIR LIFE. Whether it be short or long, ultimately we have no control over when our "time" is.
More families than not want their loved one to stay with them for as long as possible and may feel slighted that a person decides they don't want to be ill, burnt and possibly die from a treatment designed to possibly help the cancer go into remission.
Ours is not the only organization out here to support recently diagnosed cancer patients, their family & friends as well as survivors. Most of which have a mentality of allowing the patient to make decisions that they are comfortable with and helping the family cope with those decisions. This also brings into light the need for many legal documents. Things like Power of Attorney, Living wills, DNR's as well as assigning a Patient Health Advocate with durable powers of attorney for health care. Here are some better definitions of what I refer to above. "In some jurisdictions, a Durable Power of attorney can also be a Health Care Power of Attorney", an advance directive which empowers the attorney-in-fact (proxy) to make health-care decisions for the granter, up to and including terminating care and ending life supports that are keeping a critically and terminally ill patient alive. Health care decisions include the power to consent, refuse consent or withdraw consent to any type of medical care, treatment, service or procedure. DNR or Do Not Resuscitate order, this one basically speaks for itself but for those of you who would like it simplified; when a person signs a DNR it means that if their heart should stop and they should stop breathing they do not want brought back. This is a personal choice and needs to be made by the person who is terminally ill. Under most state laws the person in question must still be of sound mind. A living will is a written statement of a person's health care and medical wishes but does not appoint another person to make health care decisions. New York State has enacted a Health Care Proxy law that requires a separate document be prepared appointing one as your health care agent" ~ My attorney The latter varies from State to State and all of the above should be done through your attorney. However, there are many cancer non-profits who will help you so your paperwork is in order. Most Doctors offices, Hospitals and Cancer centers can help you with these forms. I hope I have helped in some small way. At the end of the day any cancer victim or terminally ill person had the right to decline any treatment they wish. It is not selfish ... it is THEIR life. LIVESTRONG Jade Please visit LIVESTRONG.org for help if you are in need, or would like to get involved. Jade
indeed.yes
Each person is individually responsible for their own health and healing, whatever paths those may be. YOU are not responsible for anyone else's negative energy, only your own. So, my answer is no.
A most pertinent topic with interesting blog. At 66 years and in fine health, with two sons and four grandkids, I have made a decision never to have treatment for any life-threatening disease that may come my way.
My allocated time of three-score years and ten is nearing and my quality of life as an occasional smoker, a bloke who enjoys a daily beer, a respected dad and loved husband and grandfather, suggests I have been blessed.
I will not put myself or my family through the seemingly endlessness of treatment; the visits to hospitals and the entire set of difficult logistics just to prolong my life.
I have told my family this and they just laugh...'you'll outlive us, dad!'
But they do respect my wishes for a dignified in-control exit when the time comes. I am a veteran of the Vietnam War and decided three years ago to end all psychotherapy medication that put my mind into endless confusion. How wonderful after decades of treatment on behavioural matters to be able to think clearly and rationally and become a member of my family again.
Too often our problems are enshrined in the medico philosophy 'Iatrogenesis' which translates that many of our ailments are indeed doctor-caused. Too often the global medication industry persuades doctors to prescribe medication that detracts rather than adds to our quality of life.
The big question that flows from this topic is...how long do we want to live if our quality of life is lessened by disease and its treatment?
At my age, so far so good. I have lost friends who never made their 22nd birthdays and so every day is a bonus.
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