Hi,
I was diagnosed with stage 4 nsclc in April 2006. The mass was 4X3X6, had spread to the right lung, through the mediastinal lymph nodes, some pleural effusion and 3 lesions in my brain. GammaKnife radiation successfully treated 2 of the brain lesions (one of them disappeared on its own--was it visualization? I had only been on Tarceva a few days) My oncologist was wise enough to put me on Tarceva as a first line of defense which allowed my immune system to remain strong. The large mass in my left lung shrunk to 2x1cm and all the other sites disappeared. This was a stable situation until 17 months when the tumor began to grow again but happily adjacent to the original tumor. Because I had no other visible metastasis and hadn't for such a long time, because the tumor was contained and not that large, and because its location was not too close to a vital organ I qualified for the CyberKnife. I was treated at Swedish medical Center in Seattle. It is a miraculous treatment if you qualify--and it took the miracle of Tarceva to help get me there. I do visualization to music, Jin Shin Jyutzu, Qigong, exercise, Vitamin D, mushrooms, and fill my life with love and joy. I wish I could replicate it for everyone because I currently feel terrific with no side effects. My 6 month scan following the Cyberknife will be in April. The 3 month scan showed no "measurable" disease. My oncologist thinks it's still in there lurking but my radiologist is hopeful that he "got" it.