New to boards - Lung Mets questions

AlinaM
AlinaM Member Posts: 18
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Thank you all for sharing your stories and knowledge on these boards, it helps immensely! I was diagnosed in May 2011, had surgery to remove tumor, 8 out of 21 lymph nodes were positive but showed no mets at that time. I completed 12 rounds of chemo (folfox & oxi) and 6 weeks of radiation in February. My follow-up PET scan showed 2 nodes on my right lung, and a biopsy determined that it is cancer. No surgery is scheduled because of where the tumors are located, but I start chemo (folfox & avastin) in 3 weeks. My question is what is the general prognosis for me, and does this automatically move me to Stage 4 (I was Stage 3 at time of first diagnosis). Thanks again and peace to you all!

Comments

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #2
    Hi Alina
    I suppose it would because the cancer's metastasized to your lungs but the number/staging is secondary to what you're doing for treatment in my opinion. You've got what you've got!
    Is the plan to do the chemo to shrink the tumors in hopes of doing surgery on them? Have you looked into RFA (radio frequency ablation) at all? It's really a non-invasive procedure.

    Your oncologist should be able to answer the staging questions for you.
    -phil
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #3
    PhillieG said:

    Hi Alina
    I suppose it would because the cancer's metastasized to your lungs but the number/staging is secondary to what you're doing for treatment in my opinion. You've got what you've got!
    Is the plan to do the chemo to shrink the tumors in hopes of doing surgery on them? Have you looked into RFA (radio frequency ablation) at all? It's really a non-invasive procedure.

    Your oncologist should be able to answer the staging questions for you.
    -phil

    Hi Alina, welcome to the board!
    As you probably know a metastasized cancer has not the best prognosis if you compare it to a primary one , but once that said my oncologist has discussed with me lots of times about it and it seems that single or two tumors in the same organ have the best prognosis you can have when you got a met ,apart from that lungs use to be much less critical than other organs like liver , pancreas ,peritoneum or brain.So considering you got a met I thing you got reasons to keep a positive attitude!.
    Hope it helped ,Hugs.
    Pepe,Barcelona .
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #4
    PhillieG said:

    Hi Alina
    I suppose it would because the cancer's metastasized to your lungs but the number/staging is secondary to what you're doing for treatment in my opinion. You've got what you've got!
    Is the plan to do the chemo to shrink the tumors in hopes of doing surgery on them? Have you looked into RFA (radio frequency ablation) at all? It's really a non-invasive procedure.

    Your oncologist should be able to answer the staging questions for you.
    -phil

    Thanks Phil! My oncologist
    Thanks Phil! My oncologist has said surgery is out due to the location of the tumors, and that I'm pretty much receiving palliative care. I will ask about the RFA though to see if that's might be an option he hadn't considered.
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #5
    pepebcn said:

    Hi Alina, welcome to the board!
    As you probably know a metastasized cancer has not the best prognosis if you compare it to a primary one , but once that said my oncologist has discussed with me lots of times about it and it seems that single or two tumors in the same organ have the best prognosis you can have when you got a met ,apart from that lungs use to be much less critical than other organs like liver , pancreas ,peritoneum or brain.So considering you got a met I thing you got reasons to keep a positive attitude!.
    Hope it helped ,Hugs.
    Pepe,Barcelona .

    Thanks Pepe! Definitely
    Thanks Pepe! Definitely working through this with a positive attitude! xoxo
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #6
    AlinaM said:

    Thanks Phil! My oncologist
    Thanks Phil! My oncologist has said surgery is out due to the location of the tumors, and that I'm pretty much receiving palliative care. I will ask about the RFA though to see if that's might be an option he hadn't considered.

    RFA or ciberknife are the two options when surgery is not
    possible and they are as effective as surgery in small tumors< 5cm.
    Hugs.
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #7
    2nd opinion?
    Have you had one yet? I know sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right surgeon. What one sees as inoperable may be viewed as a doable challenge by another. I have a friend who was considered terminal with some tricky mets in the chest area. It took several consults with different docs before she found one who felt it worth a shot. She had the surgery back in December and is NED right now. I'm kind of surprised that your doc is going straight to "palliative" with only two lung mets. Hugs-Ann
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #8
    annalexandria said:

    2nd opinion?
    Have you had one yet? I know sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right surgeon. What one sees as inoperable may be viewed as a doable challenge by another. I have a friend who was considered terminal with some tricky mets in the chest area. It took several consults with different docs before she found one who felt it worth a shot. She had the surgery back in December and is NED right now. I'm kind of surprised that your doc is going straight to "palliative" with only two lung mets. Hugs-Ann

    I've thought about getting a
    I've thought about getting a second opinion, and it might actually be time to do so. I think, on this particular day, my oncologist was just having a hard time giving people bad news, and couldn't offer any real hope at that point.

    I'm so happy that your friend is NED now Ann!
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #9
    annalexandria said:

    2nd opinion?
    Have you had one yet? I know sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right surgeon. What one sees as inoperable may be viewed as a doable challenge by another. I have a friend who was considered terminal with some tricky mets in the chest area. It took several consults with different docs before she found one who felt it worth a shot. She had the surgery back in December and is NED right now. I'm kind of surprised that your doc is going straight to "palliative" with only two lung mets. Hugs-Ann

    Oh, and I am getting chemo
    Oh, and I am getting chemo treatment if I didn't mention that already, so there is some plan besides just palliative.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #10
    Diagnosis
    Sorry for your diagnosis but wishing you the best outcome. You have come to a wonderful board of knowledge and you can ask for anything and someone will come to you with an answer.

    Kim
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    #11
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Diagnosis
    Sorry for your diagnosis but wishing you the best outcome. You have come to a wonderful board of knowledge and you can ask for anything and someone will come to you with an answer.

    Kim

    I to have mets to lungs.
    I to have mets to lungs. Small in size (last scan 4mm) but 7 total. Onc said also unoperable, went to MD Anderson (Houston) for a 2nd opinion and basically told me the same thing. Have me on Avavstin & Irintecan for now.

    Go back there end of April for another scan & will "go from there" they say. Will ask about the RFA treatment, thanks for the input on that.
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #12
    Hi
    I very much agree that a second opinion is always in order under such circumstances. Not all doctors or hospitals offer all types of options.

    It is usually recommended by the folks here to find the largest cancer center close to you. If you go to the following link you can find the one clostest to you:

    http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/index.html

    The other thing is don't worry yourself over statistics...they are ususally from old data, and are based on averages...and as we all know, all of us here are way above average!

    Best wishes as you navigate these waters,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #13
    Kenny H. said:

    I to have mets to lungs.
    I to have mets to lungs. Small in size (last scan 4mm) but 7 total. Onc said also unoperable, went to MD Anderson (Houston) for a 2nd opinion and basically told me the same thing. Have me on Avavstin & Irintecan for now.

    Go back there end of April for another scan & will "go from there" they say. Will ask about the RFA treatment, thanks for the input on that.

    Good luck to you Kenny!!

    Good luck to you Kenny!!
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #14
    Lovekitties said:

    Hi
    I very much agree that a second opinion is always in order under such circumstances. Not all doctors or hospitals offer all types of options.

    It is usually recommended by the folks here to find the largest cancer center close to you. If you go to the following link you can find the one clostest to you:

    http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/index.html

    The other thing is don't worry yourself over statistics...they are ususally from old data, and are based on averages...and as we all know, all of us here are way above average!

    Best wishes as you navigate these waters,

    Marie who loves kitties

    Thank you for the resource
    Thank you for the resource Marie! I'm definitely keeping in mind that the data is usually old and that I'm young (37) and healthy besides the cancer. So, onward and upward! And to a 2nd opinion. :)
  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #15
    AlinaM said:

    Oh, and I am getting chemo
    Oh, and I am getting chemo treatment if I didn't mention that already, so there is some plan besides just palliative.

    Lung and liver mets
    Hi Alina:
    I recently had lung mets and a liver met removed.
    I will follow with chemo.
    I find your picture so inspiring!
    Hoping everyone is feeling as best they can physically and emotionally!
    Barb
  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #16
    AlinaM said:

    Oh, and I am getting chemo
    Oh, and I am getting chemo treatment if I didn't mention that already, so there is some plan besides just palliative.

    Lung and liver mets
    Hi Alina:
    I recently had lung mets and a liver met removed.
    I will follow with chemo.
    I find your picture so inspiring!
    Hoping everyone is feeling as best they can physically and emotionally!
    Barb
  • barbebarb
    barbebarb Member Posts: 464
    #17
    barbebarb said:

    Lung and liver mets
    Hi Alina:
    I recently had lung mets and a liver met removed.
    I will follow with chemo.
    I find your picture so inspiring!
    Hoping everyone is feeling as best they can physically and emotionally!
    Barb

    Sorry for 2 posts!
    !!!
  • AlinaM
    AlinaM Member Posts: 18
    #18
    barbebarb said:

    Lung and liver mets
    Hi Alina:
    I recently had lung mets and a liver met removed.
    I will follow with chemo.
    I find your picture so inspiring!
    Hoping everyone is feeling as best they can physically and emotionally!
    Barb

    Thank you Barb!!! My yoga
    Thank you Barb!!! My yoga practice has kept me sane and grounded during this whole experience. Best wishes to you!

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