Pancoast tumor

Bunky620
Bunky620 Member Posts: 6
in Lung Cancer #1

My husband was diagnosed 2 months ago with a nonsmall cell squamous cell pancoast tumor.  He has completed 5 weeks of radiation concurrent with 2 chemo cycles of cisplatin and etopside and is now being referred for surgery.  The surgery for this type of tumor looks terribly invasive and is risky because of the proximity to major nerves and blood vessels, and I'm not sure my husband is a good candidate.  I'm trying to learn more about cyberknife and otherh alternative treatments.    I've read that a pancoast tumor is a very rare type of lung cancer.  Does anyone have experience with treating a pancoast tumor?  

Comments

  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #2
    Bunky, if you haven't already

    Bunky, if you haven't already found the site, visit cancergrace.org.  It is monitored by oncologists from NCCN affiliated cancer centers of excellence.  Please know this- they only do surgery when they believe they can effect a cure.  So surgery might be a good thing. 

  • Jonah B
    Jonah B Member Posts: 2
    #3
    dennycee said:

    Bunky, if you haven't already

    Bunky, if you haven't already found the site, visit cancergrace.org.  It is monitored by oncologists from NCCN affiliated cancer centers of excellence.  Please know this- they only do surgery when they believe they can effect a cure.  So surgery might be a good thing. 

    Help looking for advice

    They say I have a 3-4 cm pancoast tumor on upper left lung and into 2 back ribs.  They want to do outpatient surgery just to check lymph nodes, then later on do a needle biopsy through my chest into my lung.  Then radiation and chemo, then another PET scan.  Then more than likely a big surgery through my back to take upper lobe of lung and 2 back bones.  I really dont want this big surgery, I feel like using cyberknife or gammaknife along with radition/chemo would probably do the job.  I need some feedback quick because they have scheduled the first one on 9/9/15. 

  • Karen428
    Karen428 Member Posts: 1
    #4
    Stage 3A non small cell pancoast

    Hi. I am 42 yr old female,  I was diagnosed with a pancoast tumor in May.  I finished 34 rounds of radiation and 3 rounds of chemo.  I am going back for recheck next week.  Can anyone tell me what to expect?  Has anyone survived this?

  • ClaCla
    ClaCla Member Posts: 136 Member
    #5
    Karen 428 Question

    Karen, I don't know anything about that cancer, but while you're waiting for someone to respond, you could enter "pancoast lung tumor" in the search engine of this site.  It brought up a couple of pages of lists of discussions about it.  You might also inquire at inspire.com, and someone above said to check out cancergrace.org on the topic.  Very best success and God bless. I'm very sorry you're going through this.

  • JeanP77
    JeanP77 Member Posts: 3 Member
    edited April 2022 #6

    Hi Karen. My name is Jean Paul and I'm a Pancoast tumor survivor, (2019 - 2022). I'm reaching out to you in an attempt to create a support group for people who are going through or have been through what we have. I'm interested in your story and I feel we can help each other just by speaking to each other. I'd be really grateful if you could contact. Thanks.

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