small cell lung cancer with mets in bones

luz del lago
luz del lago Member Posts: 449
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Does any one have experience with this? Would you mind sharing? Thought the lung cancer and liver cancer had been "slowed" with 6 sessions of chemo. Today we found out that it is in my husband's bones. Thank God he is asymptomatic, I've read were it can be painful. Will be meeting with the Oncologist tomorrow to schedule Zometa treatment. He will also begin PCI next Monday. Damn cancer is being aggressive! We've got to throw everything they have at it!
Thank you in advance, for any experience anyone can share.
Lucy

Comments

  • All I can say is "bless your
    All I can say is "bless your heart". I know you want to fight til there is nothing else left to do. I wanted to take my mom to a doctor that specialized in alternative treatment I had read about in Suzanne Sommers' book, Knockout. But she just wanted to let the disease take its course. She was 78 years old and she didn't last long.
  • chad76
    chad76 Member Posts: 52
    sorry
    Sorry to hear the news....he can fight this!..you both keep your spirits up and stay positive..you are both in my prayers!..please keep me posted!..God bless you both
  • luz del lago
    luz del lago Member Posts: 449
    chad76 said:

    sorry
    Sorry to hear the news....he can fight this!..you both keep your spirits up and stay positive..you are both in my prayers!..please keep me posted!..God bless you both

    Hi chad76
    Thank you for the prayers and encouragement. Dennis has had 4 treatments of WBR so far this week. He is doing very well, physically. Just had a slight headache the first 2 days that Tylenol took care of. We pray that he continues in this path.
    What's been tough on him was the mets in his bones and that the last chemo didn't do anymore to shrink the remainder of the lung mass and lesions in his liver. He has done so well, and as he says," if they hadn't tested and diagnosed him with cancer, he wouldn't know it". He never had any pain or symptoms before and not since. It is hard for him to believe! This, combined with the fatigue that he is beginning to experience, has put him in a state of depression. He has always been the "optimist" and "funny guy", but not so much anymore. He is taking Celexa and we see a therapist. God willing, he will begin to "feel" better soon. Because of the bone mets, he will also begin Zomeda after WBR. He was hoping that "treatments" would take a break so we could take a break. This is another aspect that is getting him down. Oncologist told us not to worry, she will always work treatments, when safe to do so, around any plans we may make.
    How are you all doing? We have kept you and your wife in our thoughts and prayers. Lord willing, you all will be laughing, living and loving everyday together.

    God bless,
    Lucy
  • Hi Lucy
    I have extensive

    Hi Lucy
    I have extensive SCLC, have done 4 rounds of chemo. The half way scan showed up widespread hardening of the bones in spine/ pelvis, which I was really upset about, cause it seemed like it was metastases, which weren't there earlier. But the oncologist wasn't concerned, because the cancer has been shrinking so well in the lungs. He said that you couldn't have it shrinking rapidly in one spot and growing rapidly in another. So, he felt that it was most likely either damage from chemo, or metastases which were dead due to chemo. I also have no symptoms of anything in the bones, and have had such improvement in symptoms from chemo.
    Good luck with all the treatments, and stay strong mentally and physically.
  • luz del lago
    luz del lago Member Posts: 449

    Hi Lucy
    I have extensive

    Hi Lucy
    I have extensive SCLC, have done 4 rounds of chemo. The half way scan showed up widespread hardening of the bones in spine/ pelvis, which I was really upset about, cause it seemed like it was metastases, which weren't there earlier. But the oncologist wasn't concerned, because the cancer has been shrinking so well in the lungs. He said that you couldn't have it shrinking rapidly in one spot and growing rapidly in another. So, he felt that it was most likely either damage from chemo, or metastases which were dead due to chemo. I also have no symptoms of anything in the bones, and have had such improvement in symptoms from chemo.
    Good luck with all the treatments, and stay strong mentally and physically.

    Thank you, Warriorprincess,
    Thank you, Warriorprincess, for sharing with me, and your kind words. That is mostly what we were told, also. And that the only definite way to know, was to have a biopsy done. My hubby's oncologist said that she did not want to put his body under that type of stress. He did so well during chemo, only felt nauseous twice and meds took care of it right away. Of course, if in his next CT scan they see growth, or should he begin to feel pain, then they will start chemo again. She says she really wants to see him get through without chemo for at least 3-4 more months.
    How are you feeling? Has chemo been difficult? I pray that you are well and re-gaining your strength. Will you be receiving any further treatments? Sending prayers and good wishes your way. Keep me posted.
    Lucy
  • chad76
    chad76 Member Posts: 52

    Hi chad76
    Thank you for the prayers and encouragement. Dennis has had 4 treatments of WBR so far this week. He is doing very well, physically. Just had a slight headache the first 2 days that Tylenol took care of. We pray that he continues in this path.
    What's been tough on him was the mets in his bones and that the last chemo didn't do anymore to shrink the remainder of the lung mass and lesions in his liver. He has done so well, and as he says," if they hadn't tested and diagnosed him with cancer, he wouldn't know it". He never had any pain or symptoms before and not since. It is hard for him to believe! This, combined with the fatigue that he is beginning to experience, has put him in a state of depression. He has always been the "optimist" and "funny guy", but not so much anymore. He is taking Celexa and we see a therapist. God willing, he will begin to "feel" better soon. Because of the bone mets, he will also begin Zomeda after WBR. He was hoping that "treatments" would take a break so we could take a break. This is another aspect that is getting him down. Oncologist told us not to worry, she will always work treatments, when safe to do so, around any plans we may make.
    How are you all doing? We have kept you and your wife in our thoughts and prayers. Lord willing, you all will be laughing, living and loving everyday together.

    God bless,
    Lucy

    lucy
    I think that depression and fatigue are all very normal with cancer...Linda has been very depressed lately and has had some fatigue from the pci..the docs have changed her meds so we will see if this helps..other than that she is doing well..eating good and gaining some weight back..I will keep you both in my prayers and I'm sending loads of strength your way..god bless you and your husband
  • phillip
    phillip Member Posts: 1
    small cell neuroendoctrine
    Hi, I have been diagnosed with small cell cancer which showed up in my prostrat and bones. I have had radition on the prostrate and bones twice and have undergone 3 treatments of chemo with Cisplatin/etoposide. this is a three day round with white cell shots on 4th day to build up white cells. this is repeated every 21 days. latest scans have shown a decrease in size so it is working. I will being getting another two rounds and then another evaluation. It has spread to my lung (minor) and some limpnodes. Has anyone else had dealings with this cancer? I understand it is an aggresive one and is found in less thaqn 10% of cancer patients.
  • luz del lago
    luz del lago Member Posts: 449
    phillip said:

    small cell neuroendoctrine
    Hi, I have been diagnosed with small cell cancer which showed up in my prostrat and bones. I have had radition on the prostrate and bones twice and have undergone 3 treatments of chemo with Cisplatin/etoposide. this is a three day round with white cell shots on 4th day to build up white cells. this is repeated every 21 days. latest scans have shown a decrease in size so it is working. I will being getting another two rounds and then another evaluation. It has spread to my lung (minor) and some limpnodes. Has anyone else had dealings with this cancer? I understand it is an aggresive one and is found in less thaqn 10% of cancer patients.

    Hello Philip, I am Dennis, Luz del lago's hubby, She is the love of my life and the worlds greatest caregiver. We both read your post and suggest that you might want to go to the subject of rare and other cancers there are people on that discussion board that have had exactly what you have. I have extensive small cell lung cancer with mets to the liver and bone cancer was recently found. I am currently going through PCI. It is a form of preventative brain radiation because small cell tend to send mets to the brain. Yes, small cell is very aggressive, it responds well to exactly what has been prescribed for you. It also is aggressive when it comes to coming back. I went through six session of chemo before the brain radiation. I have no sign of cancer in the brain so this procedure is prophylactic. I too had scans after session 2,4,6. Scans after two and four showed cancer reduced 50% and then 50% more, but after six there was no improvement and then the bone cancer snuck up. There are medicines to treat all this. Bone cancer will see its own medicine begin the 20th of October. It's an IV once a month for about fifteen minutes. Then, should a follow-up CT scan show new or further growth, I will begin second-line chemo. Feel free to come back and let us know how you are doing even if you go to the other discussion group, we have some really awesome people that share here too