Right lung cancer, advanced stage 3a - Cancer: Lung Message Board

Blackbird · 05-16-2002, 07:15 AM

I am very close to my cousin, she is like a sister to me. In March she found out she had a 4cm tumour in the right lung upper lobe, into the middle lobe. She since has had all the tests done and at this point the cancer doesn't seem to be anywhere else other then the mediastinal lympth glands on the same side as the cancer. She is now waiting to have a mediscopy done to see whether it has spread to the nodes on the left side of the chest. Last Thursday was when they decided to book this and until now it still has not been booked. I realize the Health Care System is overloaded but...the longer she waits the worse this is getting.
They had said without treatment..meaning chemo and radiation she would be in trouble within 3-6 months. At this point they are not even thinking of removing the lung or any lobes.
As anyone else gone through this waiting and what was the outcome?
Thank you, it seems as though the time is rushing by and nothing really has been done to help her.
Forgot to add:this is non small cell and is adenocarcicoma and large cell.

[This message has been edited by Blackbird (edited 05-16-2002).]

peeps1111 · 05-17-2002, 10:59 PM

If I were you, I would tell my cousin to go and have radiofrequency ablation surgery. They do it in Mississippi and at Rhode Island Hospital. Once it is in the lymph nodes, it is very difficult. My sister has had this for 9 mos, had chemo, radiation, surgery, more chemo, and now it is back and she didn't even have it in any lymph nodes. Since Sept., she has had about 3 weeks when she wasn't sick. She has had bowel infections, blood clots, etc., all side effects from chemo and radiation, still in pain from her January surgery. I wish she had listened to me when I found the RFA. Her quality of life would have been much better. Now it has gone to her brain and her adrenals. Do a search of radiofrequency ablation or go to the Rhode Island Hospital web site. Where is she located?