My dad has stage 4 lung cancer and feels fine

Melissagb
Melissagb Member Posts: 5
in Lung Cancer #1
My father was just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He was a smoker for 41 years and just quite when we found out. He has no symptoms and actually he says he feels better then ever since he quite smoking. Actually he doesn't even have a smokers cough anymore. Did anyone have this experience? Everywhere I read it says by stage 4 he should have several symptoms. Also the doctor told me it's stage 4 bc it went to a lymph node in the left cardiophrenic. Does this sound right ? I thought stage 4 is when it goes to another organ ??

Comments

  • Ex_Rock_n_Roller
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller Member Posts: 281 Member
    #2
    It's not unusual ...
    ... to be diagnosed by chance at an advanced stage and feel perfectly fine. The fact that LC hides so effectively is what leads to so many of us being diagnosed after things have already progressed.

    I'm not sure about the staging fine points. Spread to another organ is one way to get to stage 4, but there are other criteria as well.

    I hope your father continues to feel well, and gets on a treatment regimen that slows the progress significantly.
  • Melissagb
    Melissagb Member Posts: 5
    #3
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller said:

    It's not unusual ...
    ... to be diagnosed by chance at an advanced stage and feel perfectly fine. The fact that LC hides so effectively is what leads to so many of us being diagnosed after things have already progressed.

    I'm not sure about the staging fine points. Spread to another organ is one way to get to stage 4, but there are other criteria as well.

    I hope your father continues to feel well, and gets on a treatment regimen that slows the progress significantly.

    he will
    be starting chemo this Friday, unfortunately this whole process is not new to me because my mother is battling breast and ovarian cancer right now. It has been very difficult for me to accept what is happening to my parents at such a young age and both at the same time. Just a month ago I was telling my father how scarred I was about loosing my mom, not knowing that was sick as well. I still have lots of hope for my father he is such a strong man and I know he will fight this.
  • dove wings
    dove wings Member Posts: 2
    #4
    Melissagb said:

    he will
    be starting chemo this Friday, unfortunately this whole process is not new to me because my mother is battling breast and ovarian cancer right now. It has been very difficult for me to accept what is happening to my parents at such a young age and both at the same time. Just a month ago I was telling my father how scarred I was about loosing my mom, not knowing that was sick as well. I still have lots of hope for my father he is such a strong man and I know he will fight this.

    so sorry Melissa

     

    I am very sorry to hear that "both" your parents are fighting this terrible disease. You have a LOT on your plate right now for sure.

     Do you have other brothers & sisters? Do you live close or with your parents? or others siblings if any? 

    I ask these questions because right now is a time you need to learn all you can and inlist help, if you should need it. 

    My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer last March. His tumor was discovered accidently while having a CT Scan for something else. He had never been sick a day in his life. Well, certainly not enough to ever be hospitalized.

    2 weeks into chemo AND radiation is when he started getting sick. Some people do not. You didn't mention radiation- is radiation going or is that part of his treatment regimen along with chemo? Surgery? 

    Sorry.. I don't mean to bombard you with questions~ It's harder to help and try to give you any info that may help without knowing these things. As you know.. it's not a simple disease.

    God bless you sweetie, stay strong, make sure you know "facts" and these people here are wonderful people with first hand experience. You can ask or say anything you need to. 

    Hope to hear from you and you and your family will be in my prayers. Glad to hear he's a strong man. 
    They obviously have a very loving daughter. I hope you all had a great and Happy Thanksgiving! 

     

     

  • Valb56
    Valb56 Member Posts: 4
    #5
    Stage 4 Criteria

    i believe stage 4 cancer can also be cancer that has spread to a lymph node. Not just to another organ. Glad your Dad feels so good. Hope that continues for a long time!!

  • Cheryn
    Cheryn Member Posts: 1
    #6
    Valb56 said:

    Stage 4 Criteria

    i believe stage 4 cancer can also be cancer that has spread to a lymph node. Not just to another organ. Glad your Dad feels so good. Hope that continues for a long time!!

    Stage 4 lung cancer

    I realize every case is different but I was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the right lung several months ago, my lung kept filling up with fluid and had to be drained and a plerodesis was done that kept the fluid from building back up. The tumor is contained in the right lung although there are lymph nodes involved. I feel great now and will be receiving the pill form of chemo shortly. I am not a smoker nor have I ever been so my diagnosis came as a complete shock to me.

  • Brendacher
    Brendacher Member Posts: 3
    #7
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller said:

    It's not unusual ...
    ... to be diagnosed by chance at an advanced stage and feel perfectly fine. The fact that LC hides so effectively is what leads to so many of us being diagnosed after things have already progressed.

    I'm not sure about the staging fine points. Spread to another organ is one way to get to stage 4, but there are other criteria as well.

    I hope your father continues to feel well, and gets on a treatment regimen that slows the progress significantly.

    Hemp oil

    Both my parents have lung cancer,  I was told that hemp oil help, has anyone heard of this?  I'm willing to try anything

     

     

     

  • Donna1012
    Donna1012 Member Posts: 1
    #8
    Cheryn said:

    Stage 4 lung cancer

    I realize every case is different but I was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the right lung several months ago, my lung kept filling up with fluid and had to be drained and a plerodesis was done that kept the fluid from building back up. The tumor is contained in the right lung although there are lymph nodes involved. I feel great now and will be receiving the pill form of chemo shortly. I am not a smoker nor have I ever been so my diagnosis came as a complete shock to me.

    stage 4 lung cancer

    I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.  I have felt fine and still do.  I've gone through radiation and chemo.  Now I'm on the new drug opdivo.  I have had  treatments so far.  I'm sitting in the hospital waiting to have a CT scan to see if it's working.  I'll know Fri if it's working.  I'm praying everyday that it works.  I've heard that they have had great results with it.

  • Gilberto_Farthing
    Gilberto_Farthing Member Posts: 15
    #9
    On follow up my studies,

    On follow up my studies, Crizotinib is one of the best available treatment. It attacks cancer cells by attaching to or blocking targets that appear on the surfaces of those cells. If chemo doesn't work, you can go with this as well.

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