Pause in Chemo Treatment?

I had stage IV and I am now cancer free. Do you know if they did a PET scan or a CT scan? After I had 4 cycles of chemo they did a CT scan that showed the tumor was 1.7 cm. They were going to try radiation, but before they did that they did a PET scan and found out that there was no cancer, just scar tissue. I t is normal sometimes to give a break so that your blood count can come back up. Keep a positive and we will put your sister in our prayers.
Ernie

Hi Maryb2,

I'm trying to learn from everyone's cancer story as to what the protocol may be with other treatments. Especially with stage 4 NSLC, my interest is even more piqued for inspiration and information.

My mother is scheduled for 6 rounds of Taxol/Carboplatin at a rate of once each week for 6 weeks. Not until the end of the chemo cycle will she be CT scanned.

Your story made me curious that your sister was CT scanned afer only 2 treatments, then at the 6 treatment point. Is that the norm for CT checks that frequently? Anybody can answer.

Like you and your sister, any idle time where nothing has been done or is done causes second guessing. My mother wasn't diagnosed with lung cancer despite the repeated voicing of concerns by the ER doctors of the lung lesions. The pulmonologist, who is supposedly the foremost pulmonologist in the city, didn't seem concerned or have any sense of urgency until a tapping in his office produced concentrated blood in the fluids drawn from her lungs.

Though I can understand his conservative approach in selecting less invasive and less expensive procedures, we do wonder about the 2 weeks lag time when chemo could have been started. (It probably would have taken 2 weeks from initial consultation to scheduling a biopsy to confirm the cancer.) But the oncologist and another health professional believe the delay didn't impact the arresting of the cancer cells.

Still, we, as laypeople, don't like that idle time. It does make sense to allow for the body to recover from the chemo treatments. We've been told that should my mother's blood count be too low, the chemo would have to be suspended until her blood count returns to acceptable levels. That's understandable as chemo is hard on the body. Luckily, my mother has not suffered any noticeable side effects.

"Her big question is, what can she be doing during this time to help keep this thing at bay?"

I don't feel I am an expert about fighting cancer as I'm a newbie to this via my mother. It's great lung cancer survivors such as both Ernies stick around to hold our hands and lead us the way.

If I may, I'd like to give a few suggestions that may or may not be effective. They come from articles and research I've read on the net. Research is often conflicting and because the study subjects are often with mice and not humans, the results aren't exactly transferrable. Nevertheless, I take credibility of the anti-cancer properties of garlic, ginger, green tea, selenium and the cruciferous vegetables. With garlic, I've read the claims that at least 5 cloves a week (I give my mom a clove a day except maybe the day and day after her chemo) may be effective. The garlic need not be raw as long as you chop the garlic and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes for the sulfur compounds to form.

Vitamin E in the form found in walnuts are supposedly powerful in conjunction with other antioxidants in the fight of cancer. So, I've been feeding my mother walnuts. As walnuts are calorie-rich with the oils and good fats, they also help my mom keep her weight up.

I'm confused with the literature on beta-carotene, as some research has found that beta-carotene supplements (along with vitamin E supplements) seem to increase the risk of lung cancer among smokers. But then, I would read that those with carrots in their regular diet have lower risk of lung cancer.

I'm just as confused about soy. If there is any risk of increasing or aiding lung cancer, I'd just as soon stay away from that particular food despite some research touting its anti-cancer properties. I don't want to risk it.

Someone on this forum took a macrobiotic diet regiment to battle her cancer without chemo. She was cancer free for 5 years, which is amazing. You may want to read her story (sorry I forgot her name...maybe Emily?) for reference while your sister is on sabbatical from medical treatment. The macrobiotic diet certainly won't harm your sister, though the precision seems exacting.

All in all, I'd recommend for your sister to modify her diet to include foods reported to be good against cancer and to exclude those that make one prone to cancer (e.g., red meats, foods with high saturated fats or hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, etc.). Some research have shown those who are physically active and exercise survive cancer better. I don't know if that is a the chicken or the egg dilemma of those who aren't debilitated by cancer can move about more than those succumbing more to it. Regardless, exercise has been touted repeatedly as bolstering one's health and keeping diseases at bay, all things considered.

Another finding you may want to consider is the correlation of vitamin D from sun exposure and better survival rates of lung cancer patients and least rates of cancer incidents.

As I find kinship with all lung cancer patients and their caregivers, I'm pulling for your sister, as I am for my mom. Best of luck and good medicince and diet.