Help... Any information on Stage 3B Lung Cancer

positivevibes
positivevibes Member Posts: 5
in Lung Cancer #1
I have just had a VERY close family friend diagnosed with Stage 3b Lung Cancer and am in need of support and prayers for him and his entire family. Please if anyone could give me information on what to expect throughout the recovery process and tips on how to be there for him more. We are all still in disbelief and would really appreciate some positive stories and just let us know that there can be light at the end of this long road he is going to face... We are going to find out the final results on Thursday as the preliminary results were Stage 3B... we are praying that the doctors will come back with better results. Please anything will help me get through this..

Thank you soo much

Comments

  • mamacita5
    mamacita5 Member Posts: 254 Member
    #2
    How was your friend
    How was your friend diagnosed? Did he have a PET scan, and they see that there is activity apart from the main tumor? Has he had a biopsy yet to determine the type of cancer he has, such as non small cell, small cell, etc. There are lots of folks on the board who are doing very well and would love to help answer questions for you! It is helpful to know what type he has and what his docs have planned for him so others that have gone through the same thing can relate their experiences. Please keep us posted. There are many here to help you get through this scary time.
  • Ex_Rock_n_Roller
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller Member Posts: 281 Member
    #3
    What Mamacita said, chapter and verse
    The more detail you can share, the more encouragement we can provide based on personal experience. I'm 3B a little over a year past the end of treatments, with an outcome nobody could complain about, so far.

    There are tons of variables and definitely no guarantees of anything, and among the things that are NOT guaranteed is an immediate bad outcome. There is cause for hope.
  • Dan620
    Dan620 Member Posts: 220
    #4
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller said:

    What Mamacita said, chapter and verse
    The more detail you can share, the more encouragement we can provide based on personal experience. I'm 3B a little over a year past the end of treatments, with an outcome nobody could complain about, so far.

    There are tons of variables and definitely no guarantees of anything, and among the things that are NOT guaranteed is an immediate bad outcome. There is cause for hope.

    3B also
    3B nsclc dx in may 2008... In operable, had 4 chemos (taxol & carbo) 35 treatments of radiation, it will be 3 years August 27th since last treatments.... Not easy but it can be controled. I go every 3 months for test, next one Sept 7th.....Stay postive and best wishes.... Dan
  • positivevibes
    positivevibes Member Posts: 5
    #5
    mamacita5 said:

    How was your friend
    How was your friend diagnosed? Did he have a PET scan, and they see that there is activity apart from the main tumor? Has he had a biopsy yet to determine the type of cancer he has, such as non small cell, small cell, etc. There are lots of folks on the board who are doing very well and would love to help answer questions for you! It is helpful to know what type he has and what his docs have planned for him so others that have gone through the same thing can relate their experiences. Please keep us posted. There are many here to help you get through this scary time.

    So he had been sick with
    So he had been sick with what he thought was a chest cold since June. Then in late July they put him on some antibiotics for phenomia. When they realized it wasn't getting better that's when they scanned his lungs and found the spot did not shrink. They did a biopsy last Friday and that's when they gave the preliminary results of stage 3B non small cell lung cancer. There was another small spot of the other lung which they biopsied as well. We are all praying that the spot is not related. The doctors all met today to review the results and biopsy and My friends will find out the results of that meeting on thursday. I really appreciate the responses so far and am going to relay the information so that my friend can get a little more confident with what lies ahead. Do you think they will start aggressive chemo or radiotion right away? What should I expect from that treatment. He has been my WINGMAN for years and now it's my turn to be his and I want to be as educated as I can for him. Thank you again
  • mamacita5
    mamacita5 Member Posts: 254 Member
    #6
    Dan620 said:

    3B also
    3B nsclc dx in may 2008... In operable, had 4 chemos (taxol & carbo) 35 treatments of radiation, it will be 3 years August 27th since last treatments.... Not easy but it can be controled. I go every 3 months for test, next one Sept 7th.....Stay postive and best wishes.... Dan

    3A
    In May 2010 I was dx NSCLC 3a with 6cm tumor and mets to 3 lymph nodes in immediate area of the tumor. I had a lower left lung lobectomy immediately. I started chemo June through August, rested about 3 weeks, then had radiation Sept through October. I started back to work in early October during my radiation treatments. So far so good. I just had a brain MRI that came out clear and I am awaiting results of a recent CT scan of the rest of me. Other than the down time from my surgery and chemo I have been living a relatively normal life. I will not lie, I worry all the time about recurrence as I get used to living with this body that feels different than it did before. I think it just takes time. Best of luck to you and your friend, and stay in touch.
  • grannylove
    grannylove Member Posts: 183
    #7
    mamacita5 said:

    3A
    In May 2010 I was dx NSCLC 3a with 6cm tumor and mets to 3 lymph nodes in immediate area of the tumor. I had a lower left lung lobectomy immediately. I started chemo June through August, rested about 3 weeks, then had radiation Sept through October. I started back to work in early October during my radiation treatments. So far so good. I just had a brain MRI that came out clear and I am awaiting results of a recent CT scan of the rest of me. Other than the down time from my surgery and chemo I have been living a relatively normal life. I will not lie, I worry all the time about recurrence as I get used to living with this body that feels different than it did before. I think it just takes time. Best of luck to you and your friend, and stay in touch.

    Different
    Mamacita5, I too feel totally different in my body. Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed with not knowing this body and alot of the new feelings. Thank you so much for sharing as I have been very emotional the last few days about my abilities at my job, which is very physical with alot of steps. Wearing a 1/2 face respirator also seems to restrict a good breathing pattern and I have been trying to adjust. The people at work have been very supportive and patient. I guess I am not a patient patient! :>) Just wanted you to know your post meant alot to me. Hugs Cheryl
  • Jww 16
    Jww 16 Member Posts: 5
    #8
    Dan620 said:

    3B also
    3B nsclc dx in may 2008... In operable, had 4 chemos (taxol & carbo) 35 treatments of radiation, it will be 3 years August 27th since last treatments.... Not easy but it can be controled. I go every 3 months for test, next one Sept 7th.....Stay postive and best wishes.... Dan

    Husband has 3B
    My husband has finished radiation and the light chemo.It's been two months.His chest still hurts and he's still very tired.Went to chemo Dr. today.He can't start the aggressive chemo until he's stronger.We go back to the Dr. on Oct.6th.He was diagnosed in April this yr.They will do a petscan in Oct.sometime.Have you had this problem or anyone else?He can't eat without his chest hurting.Still drinking ensure.
  • positivevibes
    positivevibes Member Posts: 5
    #9
    Jww 16 said:

    Husband has 3B
    My husband has finished radiation and the light chemo.It's been two months.His chest still hurts and he's still very tired.Went to chemo Dr. today.He can't start the aggressive chemo until he's stronger.We go back to the Dr. on Oct.6th.He was diagnosed in April this yr.They will do a petscan in Oct.sometime.Have you had this problem or anyone else?He can't eat without his chest hurting.Still drinking ensure.

    Thank you for your reply, I
    Thank you for your reply, I really hope your husbands chest stops hurting soon. They are going to hit my friend with Chemo and Radiation at the same time. I am a little nervous for him and hope he can handle it. Is there anything that you would recommend that i could possibly suggest to make it a little better on him. I am totally new to this whole thing and have no idea what to expect....

    thank you
  • Jww 16
    Jww 16 Member Posts: 5
    #10
    positivevibes said:

    Thank you for your reply, I
    Thank you for your reply, I really hope your husbands chest stops hurting soon. They are going to hit my friend with Chemo and Radiation at the same time. I am a little nervous for him and hope he can handle it. Is there anything that you would recommend that i could possibly suggest to make it a little better on him. I am totally new to this whole thing and have no idea what to expect....

    thank you

    3B
    Your friend will need a lot of rest,once he starts the treatments.My husband ate pretty good until the 3rd week.He drank Ensure everyday.Everyone is different,I'm told.He also slept a lot.It makes you very tired or it did him.He's still tired.Best of luck to your friend.

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