Husband Stage 3B Non Small Cell Lung Cancer

honeycomb27

my husband was diagnosed last year 3b had chemo and radiation - now they say just wait - went to doctor today he said could be 6 months could be 3 years they dont know just that 3 year survival rate is 30% - he said just watch your husband for symptoms - it just feels strange as he flew thru chemo and radiation - never got sick at all lost some hair no biggy and he seems just fine other then the persistant cough and gets tired easy - just hard for me to believe looking at him he could die in 6 months or even 3 years

Jorge

Cancer mets

Hi,

I'm 5 years out with no sign of cancer. Initially 3A, had lobectomy and standard adjuvent chemo. 1 1/2 years after finishing the chemo, I had 2 mets in my other lung. Another bout of chemo plus a real dietary, lifestyle, and alternative medicine push, which all continue today, and the mets are gone Just got back from scuba diving in the S. Pacific. It's a very atypical course, perhaps, but possible. All of my lesions were biopsied and confirmed as NSC adenocarcinoma. The initial lesion, for which I lost my right upper lobe, was the size of a small orange. 

This is very scary stuff. I'm glad to share the list of lifestyle, dietary, and alternative things I pursue, in addition to my standard treatment regimen. There is little in vivo, randomized controlled evidence that the alternative medicines I used work, although there is some laboratory research and anecdotal evidence that they may help. I'm convinced enough to keep following it. 

George

honeycomb27

Jorge said:

Cancer mets

Hi,

I'm 5 years out with no sign of cancer. Initially 3A, had lobectomy and standard adjuvent chemo. 1 1/2 years after finishing the chemo, I had 2 mets in my other lung. Another bout of chemo plus a real dietary, lifestyle, and alternative medicine push, which all continue today, and the mets are gone Just got back from scuba diving in the S. Pacific. It's a very atypical course, perhaps, but possible. All of my lesions were biopsied and confirmed as NSC adenocarcinoma. The initial lesion, for which I lost my right upper lobe, was the size of a small orange. 

This is very scary stuff. I'm glad to share the list of lifestyle, dietary, and alternative things I pursue, in addition to my standard treatment regimen. There is little in vivo, randomized controlled evidence that the alternative medicines I used work, although there is some laboratory research and anecdotal evidence that they may help. I'm convinced enough to keep following it. 

George

Cancer Mets

would love to know your list of alternative medicines will try anything

thanks

april

Ladylacy

Husband

I am like you right now.  My husband first was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer for which he underwent 35 radiation, 3 chemo and then total laryngectomy in March 2011.  NED for a year.  Then when having a procedure done, they found a tumor at the cervical of his esophagus.  Doctors said second primary.  Another 35 radiation and 7 chemo.  NED for about 3-4 months.  Then a PET/CT scan showed a reoccurrence of cancer at the cervical of his esophagus, much larger this time, but also spread to his right lung.  Very small nodules that at first they thought they couldn't biopsy but were able to which caused his right lung to collapse and he spent several days in the hospital.  We were told surgery was out due to spread as was radiation due to all of his previous radiation.  Only chemo for which it would only prolong, possibly hasten and not cure.  Three doctors told us this (2 at a cancer center).  Also we were told that since he wasn't having any symptons, they wouldn't do chemo now.  I found that so hard to believe since they knew the cancer was in two places.  All this was in January/February of this year.  We weren't given any time because the doctors said they just didn't know.  Well my husband decided he wanted quality over quantity of the time he had left.

To date he is doing fairly good.  Not much pain and what pain he has is controlled with pain medication.  He has a hard time eating so relies on his PEG tube and rarely eats regular food then it is a very small amount and without the PEG tube I don't know where he would be now.  The only difference I see now is that his energy level is low and he doesn't do that much anymore.  But I look at him and I wonder how long and will it be like all of a sudden and he just goes downhill real fast.  Up until he was diagnosed first in late July 2010 he was a very active 73 year old and could do what he wanted.  He still works in the yard but has to rest a lot but our yard still looks great.  He still drives but only if he has had no pain medication so I find him holding off his pain medication if he needs to go to Lowe's or Home Depot.  He has no cough.

Wishing you and your husband the best.  Sharon

Ex_Rock_n_Roller

I got a solid two years ...

... from first-line treatment for the same diagnosis, and with what sounds like the same regimen, as your husband. I then had a recurrence (outside the treated area), and was lucky enough to be found ALK positive, which made me eligible for Xalkori, which must be one of the most tolerable cancer drugs ever. It's not unknown to have first-line treatment like your husband's turn into long-term remission.

Bottom line, I'm gonna blow through three years firing on all cylinders and feeling better than I have since probably at least two years before I was diagnosed. The scary part is how fast three years go by when you're feeling good.

Jorge

Alternative therapy

Send me an email address at george@senecacenter.org and I'll attach my regimen which I have gradually recorded as it changed. I can't see how to attach it on this page. 

George

honeycomb27

Jorge said:

Alternative therapy

Send me an email address at george@senecacenter.org and I'll attach my regimen which I have gradually recorded as it changed. I can't see how to attach it on this page. 

George

alternative therapy

thanks the email address is ed@spaparts123.com

April

honeycomb27

Ladylacy said:

Husband

I am like you right now.  My husband first was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer for which he underwent 35 radiation, 3 chemo and then total laryngectomy in March 2011.  NED for a year.  Then when having a procedure done, they found a tumor at the cervical of his esophagus.  Doctors said second primary.  Another 35 radiation and 7 chemo.  NED for about 3-4 months.  Then a PET/CT scan showed a reoccurrence of cancer at the cervical of his esophagus, much larger this time, but also spread to his right lung.  Very small nodules that at first they thought they couldn't biopsy but were able to which caused his right lung to collapse and he spent several days in the hospital.  We were told surgery was out due to spread as was radiation due to all of his previous radiation.  Only chemo for which it would only prolong, possibly hasten and not cure.  Three doctors told us this (2 at a cancer center).  Also we were told that since he wasn't having any symptons, they wouldn't do chemo now.  I found that so hard to believe since they knew the cancer was in two places.  All this was in January/February of this year.  We weren't given any time because the doctors said they just didn't know.  Well my husband decided he wanted quality over quantity of the time he had left.

To date he is doing fairly good.  Not much pain and what pain he has is controlled with pain medication.  He has a hard time eating so relies on his PEG tube and rarely eats regular food then it is a very small amount and without the PEG tube I don't know where he would be now.  The only difference I see now is that his energy level is low and he doesn't do that much anymore.  But I look at him and I wonder how long and will it be like all of a sudden and he just goes downhill real fast.  Up until he was diagnosed first in late July 2010 he was a very active 73 year old and could do what he wanted.  He still works in the yard but has to rest a lot but our yard still looks great.  He still drives but only if he has had no pain medication so I find him holding off his pain medication if he needs to go to Lowe's or Home Depot.  He has no cough.

Wishing you and your husband the best.  Sharon

Husband

thanks for sharing it would be so nice if the doctors could tell you more of what to expect, my husband is 68 and looking at him he seems fine other then the cough and a little tired its just so scary as both his best freinds died in the same year of cancer and went so fast - one of them opted for no treatment and the other had all treatment available including surgery but did not seem to prolong his life and i remember watching them both and it was almost as if one week they were fine and laughing like my husband and then they were gone. im 20 years younger then my husband we have been together 16 years and i lost my father, my brother and my son all in one year and just cannot imagine not being with my husband in 6 months or a couple years from now. i also take care of his 88 year old mother and we have not told her he is sick

our daughter runs our business for us since he got sick last year so at least i get to be with him 24 hours a day and with his lung collasped now i am afraid to be away from him at all i just want so bad to help him and make it all better - we go back for another pet scan at end of July the waiting is just terrible

thanks

april

dennycee

Please do not listen to those

Please do not listen to those percentages.  They do not include the new targeted therapies.  Get a second opinion, one of the teaching hospitals affilliated with the national cancer institute of the NIH will be more current. Also, get his tumor tested the way ExRocker did.  There are some really wonderful new treatments available.  

http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/index.html