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Waiting to hear...Infectious Desease Doctor

Donnaone
Donnaone CSN Member Posts: 9
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Hi,
I have NSC right lung, surgery removed middle lobe. Stage 2A, have not had PET Scan yet.

I went to my first Oncologist appt yesterday and was told that I would have to have 4 6-hours chemo treatments 3 weeks apart. The doctor was asking about family history and I told her that my mother passed away at age 37, she had TB but died from the cure that they were using in 1957. It was air put into her with a needle, some air got into her blood stream and went to her heart and killed her. I was with her when she was contaigeous and they said that I could have dorment TB in my lungs and that giving me chemo could active the TB because of the white blood cells being lowered.
Has anyone heard of this before??
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Comments

  • reinstones1
    reinstones1 CSN Member Posts: 92
    #2
    I'm sorry about your Mom. That's a sad story.

    In answer to your question, no, I haven't heard of dormant TB becoming active due to the start of chemotherapy. Do you trust your oncologist, or have reason NOT to believe that what he/she is telling you? It sounds like you have consulted another infectious disease physician, so please let us know what they say.

    My best to you.
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  • Plymouthean
    Plymouthean CSN Member Posts: 262 Member
    #3
    Hi. I'm a five year survivor of NSCLC, 3A.
    About three years prior to my diagnosis of NSCLC, I tested positive for TB because I had been exposed to a contagious TB carrier. I'm sure that I had undiagnosed lung ca at the time. I was treated with a prescription protocol, the name of which I can't recall. I never developed the latent(?) TB. Certainly, the oncologist and infectious disease doctor know best, but I would investigate the pros and cons of immediate cancer treatment, in relation to the potential for activating dormant TB. My prayers and best wishes to you.
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  • cabbott
    cabbott CSN Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #4
    I'm no doctor, but have they done a TB test to see if you test positive? And should you test negative with the skin test, do you need a test on your lungs or the surgery specimen to see if they are negative too?
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  • Donnaone
    Donnaone CSN Member Posts: 9
    #5
    cabbott said:

    I'm no doctor, but have they done a TB test to see if you test positive? And should you test negative with the skin test, do you need a test on your lungs or the surgery specimen to see if they are negative too?

    Hi,
    My oncologist said that once you test positive you are aways positive.
    It will be interesting to see what they come back with on the 26th. I will also have had my PET scan on the 20th, so I'm thinking that my appointment on the 26th with my oncologist will answer my questions.
    I will post what happens.
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