Lung cancer spread to brain - Brain Tumors Message Board

lorraine1685 · 09-30-2008, 11:30 AM

My husband was diagnosed with non small cell lung cancer in April 2007, her underwent chemo until May 2008. At that time his lung cancer had not grown nor had it shrunk. We just discovered that it has spread to the brain. He is in the process of whole brain radiation now, for 15 days. I am just wondering if anyone knows the chances of re-occurance or the possibility that it could have spread someplace else in his body. He is 66 years old, diabetic and has advanced emphysema. What is the typical tests that should be done at this point. I am asking because he does not want to ask the Dr's and they have been great.
Lorraine

DawnieD1217 · 09-30-2008, 01:42 PM

Hi Lorraine -

My mom was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer August 2007. It has spread to her brain and she had radiation done 1 time and then had brain surgery to remove the tumor on Spetember 11th, 2007. The cancer had also spread to a lymph node in her neck and groin. She has been doing chemo off and on for a year. Now she is actually in remission and doing great. She has a PET Scan done about every 3 months - (just to see if the cancer has spread or shrank). Also, her doctor says that even though she is in remission, she will have to do a round of chemo every 6 weeks. As for asking the doctor's, that's what they are there for. Hopefully they can help alleviate any fears and give you insight on your questions you have for them. My mom's doctor's are great, too. But I ask every question under the sun because my folks won't!! I don't know if this has helped any, but there is hope. You and your husband will be in my thoughts and prayers...........

blueeyes62 · 09-30-2008, 11:53 PM

Hi Lorraine,
My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer in 9/06. They found many tumors in her brain. They did a chest xray and had found nothing there, but when they di a cat scan of her chest that is when they found a tiny lesion in her left lung. The doctors really weren't concerned about the lung. They were mor worried about her brain. They did 15 treatments of radiation to her brain. After they were done. she had another scan of her brain and everything looked clear. Then she had 6 months of chemo to the rest of her body. They only had found the tiny lesion on her lung. The doctors couldn't believe that it had spread from there. My mother was taken off the chemo because the doctors said that she took well to the chem treatments. She wasn't even off the treatments for one week and she started developing severe pain in her jaw on the left side. Her oncologist told her that it wasn't cancer. He said that it was inflammation and he gave her an antibiotic, but it didn't clear up. He sent her to an oral surgeon and he told her that she had osteocronosis of the jaw and he took her off this one chemo drug, because he said that some patients do get this problem. Anyway it turned out not to be inflamattion or osteocronosis. My mother had a massive stroke in May 2007 and another oral surgeon had looked at her in the hospital and he said that he didn't like the looks of her jaw. She had an appt. with him when she got out of the hospital. He found a massive tumor in her left jawbone. She had radiation to the jaw for the pain, but it didn't help. My mother started getting severe pain in her lower back, she had a pet scan done and the cancer was then in her L2 and L3 and back in her chest again. The only thing was to do radiation of her hip for the pain. She had that done, but it didn't help. She started going down hill very quickly and then passed away on 7/28/07. She was 70 yrs. old. It was so devistating to see your mother, your best friend pass away right in front of your own eyes. I miss her terribly and I never thought that I would lose her at 70. Thanks for listening to me. Blueeyes

lorraine1685 · 10-01-2008, 08:25 AM

So sorry you had to go thru all of that with your Mom. My Mom died in 1991 from lung cancer, they did not have as much knowledge and treatment plans back then as they do now. Thanks for the encourgement.
Lorraine

lorraine1685 · 10-01-2008, 08:27 AM

Thanks for your encourgement, just hang in there. They are coming out with so many new medications now. My husband is actually doing a clinical study along with is radiation, may not help him, but the results could help someone else 5 years from now.
We just have to keep on praying.