treatment/nsc

Billy'sDaughter
Billy'sDaughter Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
my dad had stage 4 non small cell adenocarcinoma. the doc said that he wasn't a candidate for radiation or surgery. I understand if the tumor is invasive that surgery is difficult, but why not radiation, I don't quite understand what makes some people a candidate and others not. Could someone explain.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • michaelcie
    michaelcie Member Posts: 133
    #2
    hi, I am mike and also have inoperable small cell lung cancer, it depends on how extensive it has spread. I had radiation for six and a half weeks and it did nothing for the tumor anyway. you might check into a new proceedure called i think, IMRT, radiation treatment, sorry I haven't helped too much but I will keep your father in my prayers. Mike
  • amberg
    amberg Member Posts: 16
    #3
    Hello,

    My dad was diagnosed with the same thing last July. I would suggest getting another opinion or going to a cancer treatment center or cancer hospital. There is one called Cancer Treatment Centers of America they are located is several locations in the US. Then in Houston Texas is MD Anderson. Keep the faith. People have overcome this. You are in my prayers. Amber
  • tomsbc
    tomsbc Member Posts: 19
    #4
    A lot also depends on the location of the tumor. The radiation can do some pretty serious tissue damage other than the target, and the result may be even more serious or even deadly than the cancer.
    Tomsbc
  • Seeker
    Seeker Member Posts: 8
    #5
    At stage 4, the disease has spread beyond the confines of the lungs - typically to distant parts of the body - this process is referred to as metastasis. At this stage, the disease is considered systemic - meaning that cancer cells are dispersed everywhere. Surgery is not a viable option because the cancer cannot be readily removed and the patient is usually to ill to sustain such an operation. Radiation is also not a viable option, except in a palliative (symptom/pain reducing) role, because like surgery, it is designed for localized treatment. Stage 4 NSCLC patients are typically treated with a chemotherapy cocktail of 1, 2, or more drugs in an attempt to stem the growth and spread of the cancer. Stage 4 patients who do not respond to standard treatment are referred to clinical trials. Clinical trials test the efficacy of new treatment options - notably combinations of chemo agents, anti-angiogenesis drugs, gene therapies, cancer vaccines, and several other promising technologies. Having said this, do not lose hope. I know several cancer survivors with multiple years of survivorship that have been diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC and are still alive, and living highly productive lives - some even had metastasis to the brain. Here are some links that you may find useful:
    http://www.mdanderson.org/diseases/lung/ http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/376.cfm http://www.lungcanceronline.org http://www.alcase.org http://www.cancer.org http://www.canceradvocacy.org http://www.clinicaltrials.gov http://www.nih.gov http://www.cancer.gov http://www.lungusa.org
  • Carolyn48
    Carolyn48 Member Posts: 7
    #6
    Seeker said:

    At stage 4, the disease has spread beyond the confines of the lungs - typically to distant parts of the body - this process is referred to as metastasis. At this stage, the disease is considered systemic - meaning that cancer cells are dispersed everywhere. Surgery is not a viable option because the cancer cannot be readily removed and the patient is usually to ill to sustain such an operation. Radiation is also not a viable option, except in a palliative (symptom/pain reducing) role, because like surgery, it is designed for localized treatment. Stage 4 NSCLC patients are typically treated with a chemotherapy cocktail of 1, 2, or more drugs in an attempt to stem the growth and spread of the cancer. Stage 4 patients who do not respond to standard treatment are referred to clinical trials. Clinical trials test the efficacy of new treatment options - notably combinations of chemo agents, anti-angiogenesis drugs, gene therapies, cancer vaccines, and several other promising technologies. Having said this, do not lose hope. I know several cancer survivors with multiple years of survivorship that have been diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC and are still alive, and living highly productive lives - some even had metastasis to the brain. Here are some links that you may find useful:
    http://www.mdanderson.org/diseases/lung/ http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/376.cfm http://www.lungcanceronline.org http://www.alcase.org http://www.cancer.org http://www.canceradvocacy.org http://www.clinicaltrials.gov http://www.nih.gov http://www.cancer.gov http://www.lungusa.org

    What are the effects of whole brain radiation? My husband is starting his second week and we are wondering what to expect?

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