Will the rectum cancer spread to others?
Patient: Hello,  I have no knowledge of medical terms. Hence I will put the matter as what I have understood from the doctors  Here are the details:-  1)     My father,age-68 years old, was facing problem of blood with stool. So I did colonoscopy which showed that he has Rectum Cancer & it is just 3~5 centimeters from the anus. 2)     Meanwhile, found the cancer is WILD TYPE & not localized & some nodes(which are doubtful)  are seen in the liver, lungs as well in the prostates. 3)     So doctors advised to check him for the targeted(Neo-adjuvant) therapy & sent the biopsy to the laboratory & found that he is suitable for ERBITUX-600mg doses. 4)     Now total 4 chemos (FOLFOX with ERBITUX) is done & patient’s health seems to be well responding. 5)     Again doctors are advising to have the Sonography. 6)     Doctors saying is that he will try to kill the doubtful nodes, will shrink the tumor which is present in the rectum & it will be easy to operate on it.  My queries are below:-  1)     Are we on right track 2)     Will this therapy help to recover fully at this time though it may be a stage-4 cancer. 3)     Whether the cancer can spread to the others as my father lives with me & I have a small child. Will it be in danger or will all of us be in danger…? 4)     Will just sonography help to come to conclusion to see whether patient is responding or not… 5)     Depending on the above scenario, can you generally comment on the life span of such patients… Doctor: First of all, your father's treatment has been standard and correct. This is the standard therapy for stage 4 rectal cancer. The chances of cure in stage 4 rectal cancer with full treatment is 25%, i.e. 25% patients will fully recover while rest will not. Cancer is not a contagious disease and does not spread from one to another by touch or contact. Touching him, playing with him, eating in the same plate does not put you at risk. Sonography is not at all enough to detect the response to the chemotherapy. You need to get a contrast enhanced CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. As to the life span, it will depend upon the response to chemotherapy. If he is a good responder, and all of his disease is subsequently removed by surgery, then he has a 1 in 4 chance of living his normal life. Else, his lifespan will be 6-12 months.