AboutClaes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. Expertise I`m a doctor of medicine and specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have a long time experience of these tumours.
Experience I'm a Doctor of Medicine. Licensed/certified physician and surgeon and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation therapy in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and the European Union. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps. Now in private practice in Stockholm, Sweden. I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer),
General History,
Military History,
Breast Cancer,
Colon Cancer.
Question My mother-in-law is in the last stages of fighting a GBM Grade IV brain tumor. She had surgery in May of 2008, so she has made it longer that expected. My question is, she is not eating at all. She's had maybe 5 to 6 Tbsp. of soft food in the last week. How long can she go on like this? Will she starve to death? Hospice tells us not to try to force her to eat, just to let her rest, but it's so hard to do, knowing that she needs food.
Answer Dear Amanda, in this situation food is the least of her worries. A human being can be without food (not water) for up to 6 weeks! If she is sleeping all the time her end is near. So she will not starve to death. Her brain tumor will kill her before that. She will then drift into a coma and then pass away. Honestly speaking since there is no cure or relief available the sooner she passes this stage the better in my opinion. But of course that is my opinion.
