Can someone help..Need Answers

cdevito
cdevito Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
My father in-law was diag with lung cancer. He is 65. He has two options weiging on him and our family. The treatment center is amazing where he is at right now. That is not the problem, the problem is when you haven't gone through this before what is the right decision...

They found a mass in lt upper lobe, x rays , ct scans, bronscopy results did confirm the diagnosis. No signs of spreading to esph or brain. It is contained in the lung a some lymph nodes attached to the lung.

There are options for removal of mass by lobectomy followed by treatment. But they might have to take the entire lung.
The second option the doctors suggest we have to have chemotherapy & Rad first before so it can shrink (maybe)and then surgery.

He was diagnosied of stage 2B NSSLC adenocarcinoma 2 weeks ago

can anyone of you advice me wat should be done next...

This is so confusing...We just don't know where to turn next...

Comments

  • Plymouthean
    Plymouthean Member Posts: 262
    #2
    Hi. I certainly can't tell your Dad what option to select, but here is my experience. At age 67, I was diagnosed with nsclc, stage 3a, inoperable/incurable. I was given 3 rounds of chemo (Cisplatin/Etoposide), and 55 radiation treatments. The treatments reduced the tumor by 75%, and it was removed surgically. I just passed 5 years out from surgery, and I am cancer free. Look up my personal web page under "Grateful Survivor". I hope this is of some help. I'm sure that you will hear from others here. Best wishes and prayers to your father-in-law, you and your families.
  • ernrol
    ernrol Member Posts: 90
    #3
    I had stage IIIb/IV lung cancer and like plymouthean it was inoperable and incurable. I was given chemo along with Tarceva and when they got to where they thought they could use radiation there was nothing there to radiate. I have been cancer free since November 2005. I hear that if you can be operated on that that is usually the best, but I am not sure. Each person seems to be a little different. I can say that I think I am better off physically now because I did not have an operation or radiation. I never had a sick day and I am back to running 2.5 miles a day. My story is posted here just put ernrol in the search widow at the top then click on ernrol at the right. If I can answer any questions let me know.

    Ernie
  • cdevito
    cdevito Member Posts: 3
    #4
    Plymouthean said:

    Hi. I certainly can't tell your Dad what option to select, but here is my experience. At age 67, I was diagnosed with nsclc, stage 3a, inoperable/incurable. I was given 3 rounds of chemo (Cisplatin/Etoposide), and 55 radiation treatments. The treatments reduced the tumor by 75%, and it was removed surgically. I just passed 5 years out from surgery, and I am cancer free. Look up my personal web page under "Grateful Survivor". I hope this is of some help. I'm sure that you will hear from others here. Best wishes and prayers to your father-in-law, you and your families.

    You know life is funny, one day you think today is a bad day maybe your kids aren't listing or maybe your hair doesn't do the thing you want it to. Then something else happens, something you would have never expected something like this. Everything else seems so trivial, small like how could you even have thought like that before. Like those were the worst thing that could happen that day. Life gives you unexpected decisions; choices to make, choices which you hope are the right ones.
    Thank you for your story, thank you for caring.
    I wish you the best too in everything.
  • cdevito
    cdevito Member Posts: 3
    #5
    ernrol said:

    I had stage IIIb/IV lung cancer and like plymouthean it was inoperable and incurable. I was given chemo along with Tarceva and when they got to where they thought they could use radiation there was nothing there to radiate. I have been cancer free since November 2005. I hear that if you can be operated on that that is usually the best, but I am not sure. Each person seems to be a little different. I can say that I think I am better off physically now because I did not have an operation or radiation. I never had a sick day and I am back to running 2.5 miles a day. My story is posted here just put ernrol in the search widow at the top then click on ernrol at the right. If I can answer any questions let me know.

    Ernie

    Ernie,
    Thank You...It is wonderful to know you are doing so well..I will contact you if I have any other questions..Thanks
  • karenlee3sons
    karenlee3sons Member Posts: 35
    #6
    Hi, I was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma 8 years ago!!! I had an upper right lobectomy followed by chemotherapy(taxol and carboplatin). After that I had 33 days fo radiation. There had been spread in the lungs. 8 years later I am 63 and enjoying good health. Keep being positive and he will be too. As I keep saying, lung cancer is not always a death sentence. There are many more survivors than people realize. All the best.
    Karen
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #7
    I don't know which decision will be right for you, but I do know that it makes a difference which way they do the surgery if that turns out to be the decision you make. I had barely heard of the VATS procedure when I was first being diagnosed. It is like laproscopy and needs to be done by someone very skilled in it to be done correctly. It reduces recovery time by a lot. While it isn't right for all lung surgeries, it is worth looking into. By the way, my lung surgeon kept telling me that I would be okay with less than two whole lungs. I had a hard time belieiving him, but my surgery was completed Aug. 2nd of this year and I'm already back at the gym every morning. Good luck with your decisions!

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