Husban's Stage 3b Lung cancer

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Roxana
Roxana Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Hi i'm trying to find information,my husband has stage 3b lung cancer chemo and radition are the only thing the dr's can do for him surgery is not an option for him due to the condition of his lung and the cancer has spread,at the monent he's fighting two mayor infection i've try asking what happens when someone in this condition start's treatment he has no energy all i can get him to eat is very little can't get answer from the dr's the thought off losing my friend off 32yrs is hard to take in.I know there's no easy answers but maybe someone here can share infromation with me.

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  • hope0310
    hope0310 Member Posts: 320
    #2
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    So sorry...
    Can you tell us what type of cancer and where it has spread? Most times, if it has spread surgery is not an option, only chemo/radiation therapy..

    Stay strong~
  • stayingcalm
    stayingcalm Member Posts: 650 Member
    #3
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    Roxana (pretty name!)
    When I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 = don't know what stage, but I had one large tumor in one lung, a small one in the other and some lymph node involvement - my thoracic surgeon planned to remove part of my right lung. But when he peeked inside he decided my lungs were in no condition to stand up to surgery (I have emphysema and had numerous bouts of pneumonia and subsequent scarring).

    So, what I could do was chemo and radiation. I did Cisplatin and Etoposide, which didn't seem to work, then Taxotere, and then a targeted clinical trial drug which I stayed on for a couple of years. The radiation actually did work, it shrank my tumors a lot. The clinical trial drug kept my lungs clear, but allowed brain mets, something we weren't watching for. I had brain surgery, whole-brain radiation, started taking Tarceva, and here I am a year plus after starting Tarceva, in remission.

    I guess my point being - you can (or rather, he can) get through this without surgery. I would imagine the docs are treating his infections fairly aggressively so he can start cancer treatment, which might be part of the reason he has no energy and not much interest in food. Is he on antibiotics?

    Anyway, not having surgery is not the worst thing in the world - I was kind of glad to wake up still having two lungs, no matter what condition they were in :) Radiation and the right drugs can still get the job done! Best of luck to you and your husband,

    stayingcalm
  • marijune
    marijune Member Posts: 45
    #4
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    stayingcalm said:

    Roxana (pretty name!)
    When I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 = don't know what stage, but I had one large tumor in one lung, a small one in the other and some lymph node involvement - my thoracic surgeon planned to remove part of my right lung. But when he peeked inside he decided my lungs were in no condition to stand up to surgery (I have emphysema and had numerous bouts of pneumonia and subsequent scarring).

    So, what I could do was chemo and radiation. I did Cisplatin and Etoposide, which didn't seem to work, then Taxotere, and then a targeted clinical trial drug which I stayed on for a couple of years. The radiation actually did work, it shrank my tumors a lot. The clinical trial drug kept my lungs clear, but allowed brain mets, something we weren't watching for. I had brain surgery, whole-brain radiation, started taking Tarceva, and here I am a year plus after starting Tarceva, in remission.

    I guess my point being - you can (or rather, he can) get through this without surgery. I would imagine the docs are treating his infections fairly aggressively so he can start cancer treatment, which might be part of the reason he has no energy and not much interest in food. Is he on antibiotics?

    Anyway, not having surgery is not the worst thing in the world - I was kind of glad to wake up still having two lungs, no matter what condition they were in :) Radiation and the right drugs can still get the job done! Best of luck to you and your husband,

    stayingcalm

    stayingcalm, please answer questions
    I had breat c 5 years ago, then in jan 2010 a different tumor was found in my right lung with lymph node involvement. The dr took out the lower lobe thru surgery but almost immediately it spread to the other lobe and brain. I have not recovered from the surgery yet. I am now doing whole head brain radiation and they are going to start me on tarceva pill once a day. The side effects worry me and i was wondering if you could tell me more about this pill since you are taking it. Are there goood days to enjoy life or am i doomed? You seem to be doing good and that gives me some hope. The rashes i seen in the book look horrible and other side effects are very scary also. Will i be sick and nauseous all of the time?. If you or anyone taking this pill could give me advise i would really appreciate it. I am very scard and need someone to talk to. Thank you very much for reading this.
  • stayingcalm
    stayingcalm Member Posts: 650 Member
    #5
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    marijune said:

    stayingcalm, please answer questions
    I had breat c 5 years ago, then in jan 2010 a different tumor was found in my right lung with lymph node involvement. The dr took out the lower lobe thru surgery but almost immediately it spread to the other lobe and brain. I have not recovered from the surgery yet. I am now doing whole head brain radiation and they are going to start me on tarceva pill once a day. The side effects worry me and i was wondering if you could tell me more about this pill since you are taking it. Are there goood days to enjoy life or am i doomed? You seem to be doing good and that gives me some hope. The rashes i seen in the book look horrible and other side effects are very scary also. Will i be sick and nauseous all of the time?. If you or anyone taking this pill could give me advise i would really appreciate it. I am very scard and need someone to talk to. Thank you very much for reading this.

    Side effects are minimal
    Marijune, Hi!

    The side effects from Tarceva are far and away easier to deal with than the side effects from chemo! Tarceva doesn't cause the nausea that chemo causes, for example. The rash is really not a big deal - at 150mg it was pretty bad for me, but my dosage was adjusted down. Now I occasionally have a red bump or two on my face or arms; they go away within a couple of days. If you have some diarrhea, take Imodium, it works. Drinking lots of water is good, to stay hydrated, because Tarceva dries you out. My skin has gotten very dry - I use Vitamin E oil and Eucerin. My eyelashes grew so long I had to trim them back - more of a benefit than a side effect :)

    Some people have fatigue, including me, but it's nothing I can't deal with. If I need a nap after work, that's what I do. Marijune, 99% of my days are good days; I work, I cook, I - well, I don't do much housecleaning, just push the dust around now and then :) I walk around town, bus to the mall, read a lot, go online a lot, etc. I have a normal life, limited only by my emphysema, which turns little hills into Mount Everests.

    I wish you all the luck in the world with the Tarceva. Don't focus too much on the pictures of the rash, I suspect they put the absolute worst cases in the booklets!

    Deb
  • marijune
    marijune Member Posts: 45
    #6
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    stayingcalm said:

    Side effects are minimal
    Marijune, Hi!

    The side effects from Tarceva are far and away easier to deal with than the side effects from chemo! Tarceva doesn't cause the nausea that chemo causes, for example. The rash is really not a big deal - at 150mg it was pretty bad for me, but my dosage was adjusted down. Now I occasionally have a red bump or two on my face or arms; they go away within a couple of days. If you have some diarrhea, take Imodium, it works. Drinking lots of water is good, to stay hydrated, because Tarceva dries you out. My skin has gotten very dry - I use Vitamin E oil and Eucerin. My eyelashes grew so long I had to trim them back - more of a benefit than a side effect :)

    Some people have fatigue, including me, but it's nothing I can't deal with. If I need a nap after work, that's what I do. Marijune, 99% of my days are good days; I work, I cook, I - well, I don't do much housecleaning, just push the dust around now and then :) I walk around town, bus to the mall, read a lot, go online a lot, etc. I have a normal life, limited only by my emphysema, which turns little hills into Mount Everests.

    I wish you all the luck in the world with the Tarceva. Don't focus too much on the pictures of the rash, I suspect they put the absolute worst cases in the booklets!

    Deb

    Thank you stayingcalm
    I really appreciate you for taking the time to reply. It meant so much to me. I have bad news since jan 2010 and its hard to handle much more. I was hopeful with surgery but that didnt work out and it spred. I am terrified to take anymore tests. Your letter has helped give me hope and i cant thank you enough. I am praying that my luck will improved and i will have some good days to spend with my family. I try not to let them see cry, but try to act brave ( which im not). I havent re-couped from my surgery yet so i cant walk far and i have such a bad tightness around my chest. Going to the hospital every weekday for the brain radiation is also tiring especialy since it is a 2 hour round trip. Again i want to thank you very much as it meant alot to me and i am so happy that things are working out for you.
    Mary
  • stayingcalm
    stayingcalm Member Posts: 650 Member
    #7
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    marijune said:

    Thank you stayingcalm
    I really appreciate you for taking the time to reply. It meant so much to me. I have bad news since jan 2010 and its hard to handle much more. I was hopeful with surgery but that didnt work out and it spred. I am terrified to take anymore tests. Your letter has helped give me hope and i cant thank you enough. I am praying that my luck will improved and i will have some good days to spend with my family. I try not to let them see cry, but try to act brave ( which im not). I havent re-couped from my surgery yet so i cant walk far and i have such a bad tightness around my chest. Going to the hospital every weekday for the brain radiation is also tiring especialy since it is a 2 hour round trip. Again i want to thank you very much as it meant alot to me and i am so happy that things are working out for you.
    Mary

    WBR
    Marijune,

    Whole brain radiation is a trip in itself - I had it too, for 20 treatments. Want to talk about fatigue? Wow! I can't imagine trying to do that after lung surgery - you really are a trouper!

    I believe you will have many good days and years with your family, you just need to get through the bumps along the way, and when you look back they won't seem so big any more :)

    Best of luck,
    Deb
  • cool49
    cool49 Member Posts: 27
    #8
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    hi
    iam so sorry that he has cancer do u know what kind it is .i was diasodned 9 11 09 of lung cancer in both lungs mine is a rare type it is called basal cell carcinoma mesatiseted to both lungs.they did a biposy thinking it was meloma and my doctor had a plan but when the pathogist send the report it read basal cell carcinoma from the skin theirs know cure i tryed to get on clinic trails they where all closed out.but they are hoping that that hedge hog inhibtor will be on market by frist of year .god has keep me alive theirs only three hunderd case in the world since 1895.have u got a second opionion on him iam real trired to that goes alone with having cancer,how long has he had it did he just fine out.iwould talk to his doctor more and if he dont giver u the answers u need get a second opion.my prays are with you and youre friend and god will look over himand all of u just keep the faith dear and i will be praying for u and him god is mighty and power ful leave it in his hands and he will guide uthe right way. cool49

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