Lung nodules

denisesheree
denisesheree Member Posts: 7
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I am stage4 had all cancer removed from bowel and liver along with the chemo, radiation and surgery. Well now its in my lungs and i need to figure out my plan of attack. Anyone that can share their similiar findings and treatments would be so appreciated. Sincerly Denise

Comments

  • sladich
    sladich Member Posts: 429 Member
    Hi Denise,

    I am also a Stage 4 - colon resection and the lower 1/2 of my left lung removed at diagnosis. 6 months of chemo then a recurrence in my liver. I had a liver resection and more chemo. I had another recurrance in my liver and underwent a chemoembolization and Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA). I just had another recurrence (10/07) in my upper left lung. The recommendation from my oncologist was to have surgery. I met with the surgeon, and the plan was to removed just the tumor from my upper left lung. Having had so many surgeries I didn't want to go through another one, so I contacted the radiologist (at a different hospital) that did my liver RFA and asked if they did lung RFA's and they did. So I met with them and had the RFA done in mid-December. It was an overnight stay and there was no pain and I felt fine the next day. The Radiologists believe it was a clean burn and they got it all. I will have a CT scan in a couple of weeks to confirm. The first choice is always surgery because the lung RFA's are fairly new and there's not a lot of scientific data out there. But as I said to my oncologist, if the cancer comes back in my lung, then I'll do the surgery. If you would like more information, please free to email me. Do you have numerous lesions in your lung? I know the anxiety you must be feeling right not but it will work out in the end. Best of luck and keep us posted on what your onc recommends. Take care,

    Debbie
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    Hi Denise,
    So sorry to hear about this recurrence in your lungs. I have had lung mets twice. Perhaps the first question you want to ask yr doctors is whether they feel surgery is an option. That will depend on the number of lesions and also the size and location of the lesions. In my case, both times I had a solitary small nodule. Both times it could be removed surgically, and I had "mop up" chemo afterwards. The chemo was somewhat controversial (is it necessary, when there is no remaining tumour? Does it signicantly reduce the chance of recurrence or increase chance of survival?). But, I went for it. I'm currently NED and feeling great. Happy to answer any questions you might have about the treatment and decisions I went through. Good luck to you. Keep fighting.
    Tara
  • dash4
    dash4 Member Posts: 303 Member
    Hi, My husband was Stage IV 10/04 (had chemo, colon resection and liver reection and ablation and more chemo finished in 7/05)and his reoccurence in 10/05 was a lymph node deep in his abdomen and also 2 in his chest. He started with weekly erbitux and biweekly irinotecan in 11/05. This has kept him stable and only recently there is progression into his lungs.

    You may have other options as your other posts have mentioned since there is only progression in your lungs. But, I wanted you to know how successful the erbitux and irinotecan has been for over 2 years for my husband. He could not do radiation or surgery or RFA's due to the locations, but chemo was the best option for him.
    Keeping you in my prayers.
    Mary Kay