Answer by Dr Fernando, MD (oncologist) on Thu 03, Apr 2008 08:36pm:
Hi,
I can only speculate regarding your father's prognosis and chances for survival, since the details you have provided regarding his condition are sparse. It would help me give a better estimate of his prognosis if you can provide us with the following:
1. Stage of the cancer (if he has metastatic disease, what organ is involved?).
2. Histologic type (small cell, non-small cell, adenocarcinoma, etc.)
3. Other medical conditions he may have (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, etc).
4. The types of treatment he has received.
His sudden dimming of vision is certainly abnormal, and can mean one of two things. The first possibility is that there is spread of the cancer to his brain. The cancer could have metastasized to that area of his brain which is involved in seeing. If this is the case, radiation therapy to the brain could help improve his condition.
The other possibility is a metabolic imbalance - either low blood glucose, low sodium or low magnesium levels. These imbalances may result from poor nutrition (e.g. radiation treatment can dry up the mucus from his mouth, resulting in difficulty in swallowing, and decreased food intake). The metabolic imbalances may also result from treatment, particularly from chemotherapy using the drug Cisplatin. Decreases in blood glucose, sodium or magnesium have a generalized effect on the brain, usually causing changes in sensorium and increased sleepiness. Dimming of vision may be an early sign of these sensorial changes. The metabolic problem can be addressed by correcting his nutritional intake, or by providing supplements intravenously.
I hope the explanations help.
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