One Tumor Grows, One Shrinks At The Same Time On Alimta. How Can This Be?????

Hi,

This is weird......  My husband has a tumor in his right lung that was 9mm.  It shrunk 30% after 2 treatments of Alimta.   We had a CT Scan the other day and this tumor has stayed the same size and not grown at all.  The scan also showed a spot that has grown since the last scan.  The oncologist is not sure if this is cancerous and will repeat the scan after two more treatments of Alimta.  My question is, "How can one tumor shrink and remain the same size and another (not confirmed cancer yet but what else?) one keep growing at the same time using Alimta?  If anyone can answer this question, I will be so grateful!!!  It just doesn't seem like this should be possible.

 Thank you, for any info!  It is APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laurie

On 6/5/2008 Ossipeegirl wrote:

Hi,

This is weird......  My husband has a tumor in his right lung that was 9mm.  It shrunk 30% after 2 treatments of Alimta.   We had a CT Scan the other day and this tumor has stayed the same size and not grown at all.  The scan also showed a spot that has grown since the last scan.  The oncologist is not sure if this is cancerous and will repeat the scan after two more treatments of Alimta.  My question is, "How can one tumor shrink and remain the same size and another (not confirmed cancer yet but what else?) one keep growing at the same time using Alimta?  If anyone can answer this question, I will be so grateful!!!  It just doesn't seem like this should be possible.

 Thank you, for any info!  It is APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laurie

It could be it was not measured correctly by the radiologist. everytime you get a cat scan you have a different person reading it. this has happened to me.

On 6/8/2008 marciaw wrote:

 

On 6/5/2008 Ossipeegirl wrote:

Hi,

This is weird......  My husband has a tumor in his right lung that was 9mm.  It shrunk 30% after 2 treatments of Alimta.   We had a CT Scan the other day and this tumor has stayed the same size and not grown at all.  The scan also showed a spot that has grown since the last scan.  The oncologist is not sure if this is cancerous and will repeat the scan after two more treatments of Alimta.  My question is, "How can one tumor shrink and remain the same size and another (not confirmed cancer yet but what else?) one keep growing at the same time using Alimta?  If anyone can answer this question, I will be so grateful!!!  It just doesn't seem like this should be possible.

 Thank you, for any info!  It is APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laurie

It could be it was not measured correctly by the radiologist. everytime you get a cat scan you have a different person reading it. this has happened to me.

My husband's results of a repeated PET scan had similar findings, one rt lung tumor had decreased in size, the left had increased and the liver tumor had resolved....with cisplatin and other chemo agents.  The oncologist was not too concerned because he said there are many factors such as the update of isotope, the angle, the interpretation by the radiologist.  My concerns were that he may have mixed small cell and squamous, etc. and the lt lung tumor was not responding to the chemo.  My husband will have two more cycles of chemo and then a PET scan at the end of July. 

I am curious as to what the next course of treatment will be?  We are planning a family vacation the 6th of September and we would like my husband to be able to withstand the trip and at least some activity.  We may have to be firm with our decision to do this vacation, even if it interupts treatment.  To get our whole family together is so important and although we are hopeful for good results of treatment, we are also trying to be realistic about the seriousness of my husband's illness and the long term prognosis for stage IV small cell lung cancer.  We are open to advice!