lung cancer advise please

  My  partner's mom had her 4 chemos and then a PET scan was done to determine how her condition is. Her lung mass is 7cms. A 1.2cm active node found in the thyroid. A fewsubcentimetre nodes found near the windpipe. All other organs of the body are clear. Doctors say that the chemotherapy hasn't been effective. But during the chemo she did not have any cough at all. It looks like stageIIIA.

Can Tarceva be looked at as an option if chemo doesn't work? I have asked this before, but am going to ask again. Would anyone be able to give any leads on how to make Tarceva affordable. She lives in India and not in the States.

Please advise. Thanks for all your time.

Thanks Heaps,

First let me say that I hope you, your partner and her mom are holding up okay.  Stress related to this illness can be huge, so be sure to take care of yourselves as best as possible, using support groups and talking honestly with one another about your fears, hopes, etc. 

Tarceva may be the next option.  I have Stage IV LC and was put on Tarceva immediately, no Intravenous chemo.  Tarceva was designed as a secondary line of treatment after chemo is no longer working.  It is a "maintenance" drug as it does not "cure" your lungs of no cancer, just prevents it from growing and spreading.  In some cases, the cells shrink too, which is great, but rarely, do the tumors go away entirely.  I have been on Tarceva for a year with great success, and only a few side effects (hair thinning, skin rash/acne for about three months, and sometimes GI complications). 

Let me know how things progress for your partner's mom.  Keep Smiling and having faith.

ann 

On 8/24/2009 toasttolife wrote:

  My  partner's mom had her 4 chemos and then a PET scan was done to determine how her condition is. Her lung mass is 7cms. A 1.2cm active node found in the thyroid. A fewsubcentimetre nodes found near the windpipe. All other organs of the body are clear. Doctors say that the chemotherapy hasn't been effective. But during the chemo she did not have any cough at all. It looks like stageIIIA.

Can Tarceva be looked at as an option if chemo doesn't work? I have asked this before, but am going to ask again. Would anyone be able to give any leads on how to make Tarceva affordable. She lives in India and not in the States.

Please advise. Thanks for all your time.

Thanks Heaps,

 

I also had great results with Tarceva, as a first line treatment because I did it on a clincal trial.  Otherwise, it is usually given after a first line of chemo.   The Tarceva took the tumors I had in my back and lung dow to almost nothing, the backbone healed, and I had realtively few side effects.  I'd take it any time.    Don't know how it works from India.   If she can pay for chemo, I would think her insurance or whatever could find a way to pay for Tarceva.   The manufacturer of Tarceva has ways of providing help in the cost.   Don't remember the manufacturer, but you can Google Tarceva and probably find it.    Tarceva has kept the tumors controlled for many people for 2 to 5 years.  Unfortunately, I had my major tumor begin to grow again after 5 months; I just did 2 rounds of carboplatin + alimpta, and it took that tumor back down again.   My enc. says it's another good day in the cancer world.  Enjoy it.    With these 2 home runs I'm hoping to stay in good shape, take a vacation from treatment and maybe get in on a new clinical trial with Tarceva plus another thing I can't remember.   Every body is different and reacts differently to a drug.   Cancer eventually outsmarts each drug.   But, we live on, enjoying each day.    I am learning to say "yes" to pleasant things, and relentlessly learn to not be stressed, grab distractions, eat right, get my exercise, and trust God.

 I really appreciate the time to took to reply..Thanks heaps..I wish you a very long and healthy life. yes, I believe in God too and hope everything will be fine soon.

On 8/26/2009 nevah wrote:

 

On 8/24/2009 toasttolife wrote:

  My  partner's mom had her 4 chemos and then a PET scan was done to determine how her condition is. Her lung mass is 7cms. A 1.2cm active node found in the thyroid. A fewsubcentimetre nodes found near the windpipe. All other organs of the body are clear. Doctors say that the chemotherapy hasn't been effective. But during the chemo she did not have any cough at all. It looks like stageIIIA.

Can Tarceva be looked at as an option if chemo doesn't work? I have asked this before, but am going to ask again. Would anyone be able to give any leads on how to make Tarceva affordable. She lives in India and not in the States.

Please advise. Thanks for all your time.

Thanks Heaps,

 

I also had great results with Tarceva, as a first line treatment because I did it on a clincal trial.  Otherwise, it is usually given after a first line of chemo.   The Tarceva took the tumors I had in my back and lung dow to almost nothing, the backbone healed, and I had realtively few side effects.  I'd take it any time.    Don't know how it works from India.   If she can pay for chemo, I would think her insurance or whatever could find a way to pay for Tarceva.   The manufacturer of Tarceva has ways of providing help in the cost.   Don't remember the manufacturer, but you can Google Tarceva and probably find it.    Tarceva has kept the tumors controlled for many people for 2 to 5 years.  Unfortunately, I had my major tumor begin to grow again after 5 months; I just did 2 rounds of carboplatin + alimpta, and it took that tumor back down again.   My enc. says it's another good day in the cancer world.  Enjoy it.    With these 2 home runs I'm hoping to stay in good shape, take a vacation from treatment and maybe get in on a new clinical trial with Tarceva plus another thing I can't remember.   Every body is different and reacts differently to a drug.   Cancer eventually outsmarts each drug.   But, we live on, enjoying each day.    I am learning to say "yes" to pleasant things, and relentlessly learn to not be stressed, grab distractions, eat right, get my exercise, and trust God.