Latest Lung Cancer discussions http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/cancers/lung-cancer/1,0,119,3.htm Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Am searching for info relating to the best treatment available for IIIA NSCL - Thx, http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25744,0.htm jsl2008 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi, this is my first time posting.  My husband had a chest x-ray which revealed a RUL mass of 5.7. (I would presume that to be cm?)  We are waiting for results of CT scan.  He is 48 and a longtime smoker and beer drinker.  2 yrs previous he had a CT scan for hemoptysis which was determined to be caused by pneumonia.  He did not follow up with repeat CT scan because symptoms did not return after antibiotics. The only reason he went to doctor again was for painful edema in the the feet about a month ago, which even w/ Lasiks will not subside.  He is fatigued, slightly anemic and complains about nipple sensitivity.  Is this considered a large mass?  What are the chances to it metastizing if it is cancer?  -Thanks. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25742,0.htm 2isis Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi All,My Mom has lung cancer and was diagnosed on May 10, 08. The doctor gave her 3 months but she is doing ok.My reason for writing is to inform others about this medication.  I felt so bad when I finally realized that this medication was causing my mom a very bad taste for food.  She hasn't been eating much of anything for a week or two. The hospice nurse said that because the cancer spread to her liver that was what was causing the bad taste.   I stoped giving mom the medicine a couple of days ago and today she ate and said everything tasted good.  I only wish I knew about the side effects earlier.  I hope this helps others.  Gayle http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25712,0.htm Gayle M Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT I have stage IV non small cell lung cancer and lst line chemo has not worked. I am now on tarcveva and am seeking your experience with the drug. Thank-you http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25685,0.htm madelaine Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT If there is anyone that can offer advice - please reply!My mom has been battling stage 4 lunger cancer for 2 1/2 years.  She had very good quality of life on Tarceva for nearly the entire time.  In April we learned the cancer was back and so began the roller coaster of the past 7 weeks.  My mother was re-diagnosed with new mets in her liver, brain, spine and arm.  7 weeks ago - she developed pneumonia and ended up in the hospital.  During her stay - they found the arm and brain mets.  She had radiation for both - but the doctor was holding out hope that if she received radiation for those - that she would be a candidate for a new trial drug if she got stronger.  In the meantime - she never did get stronger and her doctor told us 2 days ago that her liver was too consumed with cancer to undergo any further treatment.  Plus she has had some clotting that eliminates the possibility of her using Avastin.  Now we are left with basically no hope because her doctor has said that all drugs go through the liver and her liver is not functioning well enough to undergo any new therapy.  Has anyone ever had this experience?  Should we seek another opinion?  Is there ANY hope??  She has been at Mass General for treatment so we thought she was in the best hands - but now we feel as though there were a lot of missteps along the way.Please help!  I just can't believe my mom is going to die from this.  She was on vacation 8 weeks ago and now we are left with no hope!       http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25673,0.htm Amy0322 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Does anyone know why a NSCL IIIA would be discouraged from using a multi-vit?!?    http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25643,0.htm jsl2008 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mother has stage 4 lung cancer as a secondary with no primary found. She was diagnosed in March 4-8months. Since then she has had radiation treatment and 4 rounds of chemo. After her last round she suffered septic shock and renal failure but pulled through and spent 6 weeks in hospital.She is now home 2 weeks and can't seem to increase her energy level. The doctors say her body is too weak from all it's been through and do not want to procede with anymore chemo at this time. My question is can anyone tell me if this is normal or is this the start of her decline?? Should I start preparing myself??   http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25636,0.htm marie123 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My husband (small cell/oat cell lung cancer) has bone mets from the lung cancer.  The last PET (first week of June) showed NO new growth. However, he is pain FREE during the day, but at night the pain comes on with a vegence most of the time in lower back (spine) and or thigh bones.  The doctor said cancer pain is almost always constant and not intermittent like his is.  Has anyone experienced this and if so, what did you do.   When these attacks occur, he takes his pain meds and usually in about 30-45 minutes, the pain disipates.  but then he's usually awake half the night from the meds.  Unlike most people who fall asleep taking pain meds, his keep him awake.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  As this also keeps me awake and I can barely function. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25625,0.htm chef4u Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My twin sister was diagnosised with metastatic small-cell-lung cancer back in Sept.06,that had went to her brain.She's went thru 7 months of chemo (cisplatin),10 whole head radiation therapies.Her lung tumor has been in remission for 1 year now,very happy about that,but her brain tumor has come back 3 times now.She's undergone 3 gamma knife radiation therapies on her brain, not good.The problem is the blood brain barrier keeps anything from getting to brain to help kill any active cancer cells.I do have her taking AHCC,which I do know thru my research helps with her immune system,helping with her NATURAL KILLER CELLS and T-CELLS to attack any active cancer cells and destroy them,I'm hoping.I also have her taking Polymva, which I've read thru there website gets thru the blood brain barrier,I'm hoping and praying that these complimentary,alternative supplements can help in anyway.Please contact me with any feedback with AHCC or Polymva or anything else that might possibly help.Please contact me at --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--Thank you so very much, Dennis          http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25607,0.htm Dennis1 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT My 76-year-old father was diagnosed with Stage IIIB lunch cancer at the beginning of '08. He had a few rounds of chemo and radiation, and at this time tumors have shurnk and not spread. However, he is having trouble speaking and is going to have silicone enjected in his neck to help him speak, has anyone had this procedure or something similar to it done?Also, I have been reading posts on this site for sometime now, does anyone have any positive results from treatment (i.e remmissions)  Thanks, Mike http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25598,0.htm mtn2078 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT I am 53 yr old female who had rt upper lobe of lung removed ( side incision ) & chest tube for adenocarcinoma  9/06 , no lymph node involvement & no chemo or radiation, my only complication was pneumonia in left lung during hospital stay & had to go home on O2 because of low SATS ,3 months prior to that I had a large tumor removed at the bifurcation of my lungs which was squamous cell pappiloma, I also had 8 papilloma removes from my trachea during the lung surgerty& have had 3 small reoccurences of the pappiloma since then, found during my follow up bronchs & CT's. My last CT & bronch in March 08 was totally clear. I had a mammogram 6/20 that shows a lot of architectural distortion ( there was none on my last one 12/03) As it has been nearly 2 years since my lung cancer removal ,should I have a follow up PET & would it be more useful than a ultrasound or CAD in finding out if the architectural distortion is cancer? My understanding is that the type of cancer associated with my mammo results is often hard to detect as I have no lump or mass that I can feel. I have also been  told since the incision & chest tube were not in the breast that it would not be the cause of the architectural distortion. I have also had 2 maxillectomies of sinus (rt ) due to inverting papilloma. Thank You http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25594,0.htm mew1227 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Was anyone very weak when starting it?Not active. Sleeping most of the time and not really eating? Was anyone on Hospice and given just a few weeks to live when they tried it?Thank you to all who responded to my last post.This question is very specific because we can try this medication -if we choose-though we haven't done a biopsy to determine if it will help.Thanks,All info will be so helpful,Marie http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25571,0.htm Marie1973 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi.  I'm new to this board, but I know how helpful the Congestive Heart Failure board has been for me, and now I need some help with my son.After 11 weeks in the hospital with blood clots in legs, feet, and lungs, several transfusions, repirator and feeding tube, my 39 year old son was dismissed from hospital in a wheelchair and told to get Disability.Soon after, he developed a visible lymph node which led to CAT SCAN and biopsy.  They said he has cancer throughout body and it is non-small cell carcinoma.  They are treating it as Stage IV Lung cancer, but I have the impression they don't really know where primary is...just that it is throughout his body.He has had one chemo so far...up in Knoxville, TN., at the Thompson Cancer Survival Center, which is supposed to be good.Assuming this treatment does not work, has anyone any knowledge of the Issel's Center in Mexico?ValJean http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25556,0.htm valjean Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mom has cancer that is confined to her lungs. Is it possible for my sister and I to give her one of our lungs? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25551,0.htm jarfly Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT HI,just wanted to know by keeping the body in alkaline state can we stop the spread of cancer to other parts of body my mom is stage 4 adenocarcenoma she is stable since 8 months always her tests shows ger body is alkaline please let me know is this true does anyone survived through this .thanks gouri  http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25543,0.htm shilpa Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I have head lung cancer for the past 2 years. When I was first diagnosed doctors told me I had about six, seven months to live. I had one round of chemo and the cancer stopped. At that time I had a cea level of 694.The cancer has proven to be progressing slowy. In one year it has progressed 15%. But my CEA is now past 2000. Both my doctor and I agreed not to have any treatmnent unless the cancer would become aggressive. In the mean time my quality of life is slowly, slowly .... deteriorating. Am I doind the right thing ? Should I start treatment again or better to wait for the end without? I would appreaciate any comment rosalia http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25532,0.htm Rosalia Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My husband started his radiation and chemo treatments last Tuesday. He has Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Level IIIA. His tumor is 6.9 cm X 3.9 cm and is in his right upper lobe with lymph node attachment.My question is:He started radiation on that Tuesday now for a total of four rad treatments. Is it normal to have chest pain other then in the right lung? He didn't even have pain in that lung until yesterday. Now he is saying he has pain in both lungs and his chest cavity. No real severe but it is there.Is this an effect from radiation?Please help me with this, I am very concerned. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25529,0.htm zuma95 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mother was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in Jan 2004. After 6 months of chemo , she was started on Iressa. The drug worked like a miracle and all her cancer was gone in 2months. After more than 4 yrs of being cancer free, she recently started being more fatigued, depressed, had slurred speech, memory loss symptoms. Contrast MRi of brain indicates very tiny spots indicating met to the brain. She no longer can talk and has lost her speech. She recognizes everyones, smiles, occassionally says a few words. She can no longer take food from mouth or take care of herself. Any recommendations what should be the next step. She is in India and thanks to internet we found out about Iressa which gave 4 more yrs to her.Its extremely hard to see her suffer like this. I pray to God not to make her suffer. But if there is anything we can try , we would like to.A http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25513,0.htm Annika Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Diagnosed a month ago with non small cell lung with mets to brain, bones and lymph nodes.  Feeling good, no shortness of breath, no cough, just some chest aches.  After the rad, treatmets giving me taxol, carboplatin, and not avastin unless the mets go down in my head.  Can anyone tell me experience they had with chemo and how they felt and also have they had this same cancer with mets to brain, lymph,bones.  Can you tell me anything  i.e. treatment, options.  I am treating with dr. fidias at mass general does anyone here treat with him.  ThanksMarilny56 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25511,0.htm Marilyn56 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT My 65 yr old gram has NSCLC which has moved to the brain, spine and bones.  She is now having trouble urinating and her legs are swelling up.  What does that mean??  Is this the begining of the end?? http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25509,0.htm slj1229 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Can anyone tell me more about the assistance program for Tarceva?  My brother-in-law has been prescribed this medicine and cannot afford it.  Really don't know how anyone can afford it.   Anyway, I read on the message board that the Company sponsors the assistance program and would like to learn more about it.thanks http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25507,0.htm Piddlineasy Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT I had lung surgery at age 21 while in the USAF, some 45 years ago for a collapsed lung and continued to smoke for an additional 26 years. I wasn’t fully informed, like most, of the impact of cigarette smoking. I still should have known better. I quit COLD Turkey 20 years ago, when diagnosed with bronchitis. That and the price of cigarettes going up. and not enjoying smoking anymore were incentives.I’ve led and continue to leave an active life, even while being retired. I mountain bike every other MORNING at day break, for at least 10 miles, most often approaching 20 miles on mostly level terrain here in the southwest desert along the myriad dirt paths that are near my paid off mortgage house. I am grateful for the things I have, while I have them and rarely complain, not with all the suffering in the world, that I’m reminded of in the nightly news.  I noticed this past year that while hiking and most recently even from getting up from a squatting position that I’m having shortness of breathe. This along with discomfort in my chest, leads me to KNOW that I do have lung cancer. Maybe it will be confirmed this summer with my annual physical at the VA hospital. I keep reading that it is difficult to diagnose. All this to say that after reading the messages of others, I do not want to go through the procedures some have endured with body tubes, chemotherapy and or radiation. I do take comfort in knowing that it will be my demise SOON. I have no family to speak of. I am the last of a nuclear family, and even though I’m not religious, I do take solace in knowing I will be reunited with them, especially my father.  I also have enjoyed peace of mind just visiting the VA cemetery [its along one of my bike routes] and sitting on one of the benches in the columbarium [cremation] section, knowing I will be interred there,  for periods of time, and  not feeling depressed in doing so. It really does comfort me and lifts my spirits, and definitely brings me peace of mind. I have no fear of dying: we come into this world alone, and leave alone. I’ve never felt sorry for myself, in being a loner and home body. I can’t find enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do. I’m just glad that I have interests that take my mind off dying. I choose NOT to forgo any of the procedures mentioned at the various cancer web sites. I appreciate the information they provide. I just want a painless ending. Thanks for reading this. It is impossible to discuss this with anyone because they are in denial, that I’m going to die soon. It would help if I could get moral support and face the facts realistically that I am dying. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25429,0.htm Macgraphics65 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT 13 months ago dag with Adeno carcinoma right lung.refused infushion cheni. Started Tarceva. at this stage Taeceva stopped working. I am now om my own. Tatceva worked at least savimg me months or even a year. info for what it is worth. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25417,0.htm vekant646 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi everyone,Im just writing to let everyone know that my mum sadly passed away on the 23rd of June 2008 at 7.08pm.  She was battling with lung cancer for 18months, and we all knew as a family that she never had long left.  She was on 51years of age, and had 5 siblings, inclduing me and me twin, my older sister and two older brothers.Her fight for cancer was very strong, she was a determined and strong woman, and fought hard.  However we never told her that her cancer had spread to different areas of the body, and that the 'tarceva' medicine she was on, stopped working.The reason it stopped was because she was vommiting non stop for 5days straight and all her medicine she was taking including the tarceva was getting ejected out.Im so destraught, but i knew this day was going to come, i have my family and friends who are supporting me through these hard days.I just wish and hope when we give her away for good on Saturday the 28th June 2008, she leaves peacefully and happily.Her disease was deadly, and she had the hardest 18months as she was in a lot of pain, and at times it was hard to handle. I just cannot imagine what she was going through, but now shes not suffering.I dont know if i will be coming back on this forum again, but it has helped me in the last 18months and it has given me strength.  I hope everyone stays strong and supports one another.Take care. http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25403,0.htm tw1nkle15 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT Could any one tell me what possible side effects my husband can expect from the Neulasta shot?Thank you,Bernice http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25398,0.htm zuma95 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT