SURGERY???

don09
don09 Member Posts: 108
in Lung Cancer #1
Hi everyone..................For those of you who are Dad's, happy Fathers day! I have been corresponding with a fellow Lung cancer survivor, which brought my attention to something concerning my status on staging, which got me to thinking. Originally dx. Sept.09 NSCLC stage 111b, with no metastasis. Feb.2010 surgery was attempted but was not an option due to location. I then had more radiation/chemotherapy and went into remission. March of 2010 a tiny spot was detected in lower lobe of opposite side which was not NSCLC. It was removed by VATS in April of 2010. Since April, 2010 to present I have had no recurrences and all scans have been clear. What I am questioning is: the staging and the options. I was told by my Surgeon that had this new spot put my present status of 111 to a 1V that they would not consider doing the surgery. I am curious if I have been misinformed, is standard surgery still an option for a stage 1V patient????? If so would like to hear from those of you who are, and had surgery. Appreciate any and all input on this.

Comments

  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #2
    Surgery
    I know on the correctol board there are stage IV survivors who have had wedge resections and radiation tx to zap mets that have arisen in the lung. I don't know how lung cancer is different. I know on Inspire a poster has had lung nodules show up every 6 years and has had them surgically removed. Hopefully others will chime in. Lori
  • don09
    don09 Member Posts: 108
    #3
    z said:

    Surgery
    I know on the correctol board there are stage IV survivors who have had wedge resections and radiation tx to zap mets that have arisen in the lung. I don't know how lung cancer is different. I know on Inspire a poster has had lung nodules show up every 6 years and has had them surgically removed. Hopefully others will chime in. Lori

    THANKS Z
    For responding back to me, I have noticed over the months that more and more of the people on this site are fewer, don't know why that is, but I also visit Inspire quite a bit too, maybe that's where they all are! Thanks again and I am hopeful that as you said it best "more will chime in". Stay well.
  • Dapsterd
    Dapsterd Member Posts: 291
    #4
    Good Question
    Hello!...here is the little I know. I was IIIB, then had brain mets and had surgery and gamma knife on brain, they moved me to stage IV. They performed surgery on one met Only because it caused immediate need (it was pressing on things and I was dizzy, vomitting, and so on). If this was not the case would they have zapped them all? I believe they would have. SO I think they will try chemo and radiation and no surgery with stage III/IV unless it is of immediate concern of life/death. Because with stage IV and others stages, the cancer is in the "system" even if NED because we are never cured they say. This is why they will not do lung transplant on a patient that has lung cancer in any shape or form.

    Thanx..>Dave
  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #5
    don09 said:

    THANKS Z
    For responding back to me, I have noticed over the months that more and more of the people on this site are fewer, don't know why that is, but I also visit Inspire quite a bit too, maybe that's where they all are! Thanks again and I am hopeful that as you said it best "more will chime in". Stay well.

    Slow
    There are a lot of great people here and I think most people really do check both sites. I think the issue here is that the server is slow. It takes a long time for entries to load.
  • Ex_Rock_n_Roller
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller Member Posts: 281 Member
    #6
    My understanding is just like Dave's.
    IIIB inoperable here, also. So far as I know, they consider surgery in the advanced stages (III + IV) if it's an immediate life-or-death or quality of life issue (i.e. essentially palliative), the assumption being that the fix will last you awhile. I think it's typically ruled out as a long-term or curative-intent treatment, since the stats say it doesn't buy you anything in increased lifespan.

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