Attn: Rockie or folks with NSCLC - Cancer: Lung Message Board

Hep · 05-11-2006, 10:38 AM

I have posted a few times, but get confused about who has NSCLC experience. I saw that you do. I hope you do not mind me singling you out. My dad is a NSCLC patient Stage III (Dr's can't decide A or B). He is currently in his second round of treatment. He is getting Chemo and Radiation concurrently. He had Chemo previously and had little reaction. He then had some heart problems and needed a bypass, but the Dr.s decided on a Stent instead. But now no onc. surgeon will touch him for 4 months. He is not completly considered operable. First yes, then no... now working toward it. In this round of chemo/radiation he is having terrible reactions.
What do you know about how NSCLC responds to treatment? What do you know about life expectency? I live 400 miles from my dad and try to get home as often as I can... but I have 2 little ones. My dad's attitude is pretty difficult. He is probably understandebly frustrated... but he is really angry alot.

Thanks Rockie and anyone else able to provide info.

Hep

lorriem · 05-11-2006, 03:05 PM

Hi Hep. My husband was diag with NSCLC last May.He had a tumor in his right lobe the size of a tennis ball. The first surgeon we went to wasn't sure if he could operate and wouldn't say what stage he was though he thought he was a 3a or 3b. We then went to an onc who referred us to a surgeon at Moffitt who only operates on people with LC. He saw my husband and said he was sure that he could operate which he did and when he started the operation all was going well untill he saw that Gary's bronci tube had to be resectioned (we were told later by our lung doc that most doctors will not do this that is why the first doc wasn't so sure about doing the surgery) But it was done and no lymph nodes were involved. Gary was restaged after the surgery to 1b and he also did the carboplatian and taxol just incase.He finished that in Jan and his first scans have been done and he has no signs of cancer. He will have to have scans every three months for one ar two years and then every six months.I was also told it is very hard to stage cancer until surgery has been done or if a PET scan has picked up any other cancer in the lymph nodes or other parts of the body prior to surgery. Has your dad had a PET scan?
Lorrie

rockie · 05-11-2006, 06:43 PM

Dear Hep...I wish I could be of more help. Our xp was that initially, Bud was diagnosed with 3A. All looked favorably for surgery...(ie: removal of left lung)...then the PET scan at St Louis University. It lit up the pleura and the mediastinal and onother lymph node. That shot him straight into 3B -- and oh my Lord....inoperable. This is when our saga started. He began chemo only (since radiotherapy was out of the question to do the pleural involvement and too massive of an area to cover by radiation). This led him to his currently 5th line of defense...the original Gemzar/Carboplatin defense but this time adding Avastin...which blocks the blood vesels to the tumor..basically starving it. AMEN. I think there is some progress here. We went on Tue for his Onc appt and then treatment. Doc said good job. He no longer coughs up blood...which he had been doing for months now...and his left lung no longer hurts...which again had been happening for months. In April the same onc said 3-5 months if this does not work. When I spoke with him on Tue ...he said if treatment is responsive...maybe...hopefully...6-8 months. I am praying for my miracle. I have never asked God for anything, but now I am asking form him to be cured, and live. NSCLC does not respond well to chemo...and there are differences b/w the patients who were smokers and non-smokers. Some drugs only work well with the non-smokers. But, we tried all we could despite it all.

Thank you for singling me out. I hope to be able to speak out about this terrible illeness and discourage current/future smokers. Hep, keep us posted on what is going on. As always, I try to come through here as often as I can to help in any way I can. I am honest about what I see and know.. I hope that is not hurtful as that is not my intention.

Take care....prayers and healing and peace from Indiana

Jan

Hep · 05-12-2006, 04:43 AM

Thank you Lorriem and Rockie for responding. I consider myself pretty computer literate, but following who has what had me confused and I needed to finally just single out the ones with the same dx.

The reactions are just terrible. Makes you wonder if the treatment is worth it all. I only hope there is a sign that something changed with treatment once it is all over.

I do believe he did have pet scans and so far it is only in the lungs. I remember the word effusion though so I think that is why they can't make up their mind about a and b.

I don't know if you both are MOMS but regardless have a great weekend and wonderful Mother's day!!! Thank you again!

rockie · 05-12-2006, 08:24 PM

thank you Hep... I am a Mom and twice over. The holiday is tainted by what else is going on. My hubby is my kids' stepfather...and sometimes that relationship is diluted due to the lack of blood-bond. I am blessed for having all that I have. God is my strength and my rock. Right now, that is the best I can hope for.

You take care and God bless....

Jan