Prognosis's

tach1
tach1 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
My husband who is 53 was dx w/CA Jan 10, he complained to his dr @ muscle spasmn in hip that got worse & they prescribed a muscle relaxer then pain rx -after him using back patches and tubes of bengay his dr finally ordered mri's then bone scan and they found bone CA but that was not where it came from 1 mo ltr a bone biopsy was ordered the surgeon said are u seeing an oncologist -i said why? they then told us it spread and is definetely CA. after a CT our dr said its lung Ca thats metastisized into adrenal & bones.

hes finished 2 wks of Rad & 1 trmt of chemo. inbtwn had plasma transfusion, no one tells u this can happen. No one tells u what to expect. Its hush hush.
hOW CAN I GET OUR DR TO GIVE MY HUSBAND AN ESTIMATED PROGNOSIS? iTS STAGE 4 and in gods hands i was told. meanwhile he is scheduled for 6 more chemos of avastin and another rx. w/shots for infection. i've looked on the internet and for lung ca they say average time is 8 months. His CA pain had been very painful starting out and now is sort of getting better, but not sure what to expect and if he should go thru all the chemo? what if he gets nauseous, his back is fractured and broken from the cancer he couldnt take it? has anyone been thru this?

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    prognosis
    Unless your husband has an expiration date stamped on his forehead, any prognosis regarding end of days is speculation wrapped inside of statistics that are based on data that is probably several years old at least.

    Personally, I do not think that a particular date or timeframe is as important to know as is the realization of mortality and the associated notion that all of our time alive is precious.

    With that in mind, it is hard to argue against the continued application of the treatment, particularly since, according to your post, it seems to be helping him ("sort of getting better").

    Decisions about when to cease treatment are very personal and depend on a number of factors, principal among them the ability to tolerate the treatment. If your husband is not yet sickened by them, there is a chance that he may not experience nausea at all: I didn't during my second go-round. Even if he does, he may determine that he likes it here enough to withstand the discomfort, the pain.

    There is no getting around the fact that your husband's diagnosis is a very serious one, indeed. It is likely that you will both have a bit more peace of mind, if that is possible at this time, by taking some steps that will make things easier down the road, if, in fact, the worst-case scenario should come to pass. These include things like getting him on disability at once; estate planning; living will; learning about hospice.

    At the same time, there is some cause for hope within the cancer community, and those with lung cancer are included. Scientists are sounding very optimistic about results with genetics and epigenetics, about targeted therapy, and about vaccines even. A friend of mine on this site once indicated her game plan: to live five years, while they find an elixir that will allow her to live five years more, during which time they will find... and so on.

    That is optimistic, that is hopeful, and it allows her to celebrate each day, as well she should. I am hopeful that you and your husband can learn to do the same.

    Best wishes to your husband and his family.

    Take care,

    Joe

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