Mother diagnosed with Stage IV cancer - timetabling

Maeve1976

Hi all

I was reading your helpful posts, and joined up in the hope that somebody might be able to help me with a few questions.

My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on Wednesday. She has secondary cancer in her lungs, liver, ribs, chest nodes, hip, pelvis... They think the primary is lung cancer, but she needs a biopsy to find out.

We were promised that the biopsy would take place "within days". However, it is now nearly a week later, and we have heard nothing. My mother's condition is deteriorating extremely rapidly, and she is in excruciating pain. I am also very concerned that she is developing a cough.

I have been chasing the doctors, but to no avail so far. They keep promising, tomorrow, tomorrow.

Please can you tell me how long it usually takes between initial firm suspicion / diagnosis and biopsy? Can you also let me know how quickly chemotherapy typically begins.

I am trying to do the very best by my mother, who is the most important person in my life, but feel that I am failing in that I cannot get things moving. She is due to have a bone scan tomorrow. A brain scan has been promised for sometime in the week. We are all very concerned that the cancer is galloping, and that unless something is done very quickly, she won't stand any chance at all.

I would be extremely grateful for any information. It will help me argue her case with the doctors when I call tomorrow.

In hope,

Maeve

mamacita5

My timetable
I was seen by a pulmonary doctor to confirm that there was a tumor, she referred me for a biopsy, which I had 3 days later. Confirmed cancer and type. Pet Scan 2 days later. Referred to surgeon on Thursday of that same week, had surgery the following Monday. From diagnosis to surgery less than two weeks. Kaiser Permanente in California. I think I got very lucky as my pulmonary doctor was a woman on a mission!

I hope you can assertively argue for speedy treatment for your mother when you speak with her doctors tomorrow. You and she will be in my prayers.

NayPaul

Time Tabling...
It seems when these things happen that tests cannot go fast enough. However... there was a holiday in there, and the biopsy only confirms the suspicion. I know that there are some who get a biopsy only to find out it was a false diagnosis, but by and large... the diagnosis holds.

You are doing well, keep advocating for your mother, time is important, but there are several balls in the air at the same time. Until most have been juggled, treatment may not start, so as of now it does not sound like you have lost anything.

Also, I will add... EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT. While time is of the essence, so is a correct diagnosis. When it comes to cancer treatment, there really are no do-overs and one does not want to start a treatment only to find that it was the wrong thing and hinders the start of a more appropriate treatment... in my wifes case, it was initially suspected she was stage iii and could get curative radiation and chemo. IF we had followed through with that, when we should have been straight to a higher dose of chemo, she would have had cancer cells growing in other areas of her body while we were wasting time on the original tumor.

However I did review my wife's calendar who was also diagnosed with lung cancer on sept. 10.... as more tests were conducted she was staged at iv as well. Almost one month from initial suspicion of cancer to start of chemo.

Thursday - irregular xray
Friday - CT scan and initial diagnosis

Monday - Biopsy
Wednesday- review of case by panel of doctors
Thursday - Pet Scan
Friday - consultation with onc and MRI of back

Tuesday - second consultation with onc. He was ready to start chemo, but told us that he was cautious to do so until we received a second opinion at a second institution, and that the week or two weeks would not make a difference in terms of survival. This frustrated us, BUT he gave great advice by urging us to get a second opinon
Thursday - Second opinion.... It took a couple of days for records to be sent and reviewed.

Monday - Two more biopsy's on other regions
Tuesday - Brain MRI... Panel of docs at new institution review case
Friday - Final diagnosis and treatment plan with new onc.

Monday - Install power port
Wednesday - Bone Scan
Thursday - first day of chemo

medi_2

Hi Maeve
What kind of lung cancer? sclc or lclc? If it is sclc they usually hop right on it because it grows so quickly. Lclc moves much slower. Also, how old is she? and have you thought of going somewhere else? Hope this all turns out!
Cheers
medi