Having both dementia and cancer? How common is to have both?

Whether or not it is common is not important. What is important is that she is kept comfortable.

We are facing this right now, my step dad has mild dementia and metastasized cancer. He has a mass in his liver, and severe pain in his back. He started falling this week and vomits almost daily. He is on pain medication for the back pain, but he is not doped up t the eyeballs. Mum describes him as quiet, he sleeps most the time.

He has been in hospital for over a month now, tomorrow they have the Palliative Care meeting. He will not be coming home.

Cancer and dementia are not related, so it is as common for people with dementia to have cancer as it is for anyone else to have cancer. My first husband had surprisingly little pain with pancreatic cancer (and liver metastasis) until close to the end, which took less than 6 months. Look for hospice, palliative care, its local equivalent if you are overseas, or a doctor who will prescribe good pain control if she says she is in pain. Nothing will be gained by prolonging this or letting your mother be in pain.