mother with small cell lung cancer

first time...

              My 69 year old mother was diagnosed with limited stage small cell back in Dec 2015. She received chemoetoposide plus cisplatin(every 3 weeks/ 3 days in a row) plus radiation in April. She was very ill during the whole process but it was successful. In June she start have issue with balance and the did a scan on her. Unfortunately, they found 17 spot and 3 tumors over 1.5 cm in her brain. They immediately did 5 rounds of whole head radiation and now we wait and see, the doctors gave her 6 months. 

My question is what am I to expect, currently she is the best she has since this whole thing started. How long do I really have? What are things I should be watching for?

Any advice is welcome

Only G-d knows how long but don't give up.

Talk to her doctors about getting her into a clinical trial especially the ones with immunotherapy.

Here are some of the available clinical studies:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?recr=Open&cond=Small+cell+lung+cancer&pg=1

thank you....

she finished her 5 session of whole head rad..

at first her balance and dizzness went away but yesterday she was complaining that she was really dizzy again and had a bad headache.

we have another 4 weeks before they will do another scan.

could this mean the raditation was not successful

First, I am sorry to hear of your mother's diagnosis. 

It's hard to say how long as everyone is different. My mom was diagnosed with extensive stage small cell lung cancer in April 2015 (lung-primary which had spread to liver, lymph nodes and bones by time of diagnosis). Did chemo and went into remission in August 2015. In January 2016 had a TIA (mini stroke) and found 50+ tumors in her brain. Did Whole Brain Radiation Therapy and killed them all.

In April 2016, cancer had returned to her liver. Chemo started again. In June it was stable...hadn't grown or shrunk. Today, Aug. 23, 2016 scan showed the liver tumors had grown and new ones had formed, as well as one in her lung...all while being on chemo.

So Dr ordering 3rd line of chemo drug (my mom has refused clinical trials all along) and that starts next week. Dr worried about the liver function because if it shuts down, she has to stop chemo and there is no other option at that point.

She's weathered all chemo to date well...only lost hair and hearing loss, but no nausea or vomiting or weight loss or anything else.

We are essentially in pallative stage...there is no cure...but trying to give her as many days left as possible.

The best advice is live in the moment with her and spend whatever time you can with her as much as you can. 

Hate your mom is going through this! my husband was diagnosed with limited sclc nov 13 2015 he took 4 rounds carboplatin and etoposide . He had a hard time also with his blood counts had to have platelets and blood after treatments . ct scan showed it was clear in march now is back again in lung. has had two rounds of different chemo  5 days off 21.  same on this treatment blood counts.  after they got his stopped first time he was given choice to have 10 low does radiation to brain to stop it from going there so he did that.  he had 30 radiation to lung at same time he was doing first chemo , so we were surprised when it started in lung again.  His symptoms were sore under arm and sore in chest.  my husband is 62,  wish your mom well

Christine, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. I was in the same boat as you with my father's SCLC battle. I understand you mom had combination therapy of chemo and radiation thus far and probably is very week and sick all the time which is a common side effect of the treatment.

Other side effects you might look out for are shortness of breath, change in behavior, loss of appetite, weight loss. My father had radiation pneumonitis which we were told by the doctors is due to the 40 cycles of radiation he had for his chest.

I would encourage you to spend as much time with her as possible as SCLS is a very aggressive cancer. I have learnt this from my personal experience. Keep her happy.

I wish her the very best!!

Sri