6Th Line Treatment Options For Stage Iv Nsclc

Hi,

Was just wondering if anyone can give some information/ suggestions on possible treatment options for my mother.  She was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, with brain mets, in February 2006.  She has had 2 different kinds of brain radiation, and is on her 5th kind of chemotherapy.  She's currently on Alimta, and her doctor has informed us that this is her last approved treatment option.  Because she has active brain mets, she does not qualify for any of the available clinical trails in UC Davis.  She has had the following treatments:

February 2006 - NSCLC stage IV diagnosis with mets to the brain; Whole brain radiation

March 2006 - Taxol/carbo 4 rounds; chemo effective; lung and brain tumors stabilized

August 2006 - cancer (tumors in lungs) progressing again; started on Tarceva; Tarceva effective; lung and brain tumors stabliized

March 2007 - Tarceva no longer working; cancer (tumors in lungs) progrssing again; started on clinical trial of Taxotere/ Velcade combo; negative response

June 2007 - started on another clinical trial of halichondrin B; halichondrin B effective; lung and brain tumors stabilized

October 2007 - halichondrin no longer effective; growth in tumors in lungs

November 2007 - new brain tumor growth

December 2007 - partial brain radiation; tumors in lungs miraculously shrank without any chemo

February 2008 - tumors in brain stable; minimal growth in lungs; preparing for a new clinical trial

April 2008 - all tumors in lungs and brain started to grow again; suddenly disqualified from clinical trial bec of active tumors in brain; started on Alimta

May 2008 - awaiting CT scan results

We had to make a choice between a 3rd brain radiation or Alimta.  We felt that a third brain radiation would be too much, so we opted for Alimta.  We were told that there is no guarantee that Alimta will work on the brain tumors, since chemotherapy does not cross the blood brain barrier.  Perhaps somebody in this group has an idea on possible clinical trials that someone with nsclc and active brain mets can participate in?  And other treatment options that we could explore after Alimta.

 Thanks.

Tarceva can help, although it does have side effects.

It's very highly recommended.

God Bless and take care of you.

Hi!

My experience with NSCLC started in May  2007.  I was already at stage IV with metasis to the brain.  July 2007 I had brain surgery followed by chemo and radiaiton--whole head. 

Treatment effective until March 2008  More treatment with radiation (more tumors found in adrenal gland and spinal region-back bones.

More radiation and chemo.  This time it is Tarceva.  Doing ok, more test results later.  Tarceva is to help with lung and hopefully lymph nodes.  Any one have additional experience with Tarceva?

Bobby