new biopsy shows small cell carcinoma

mandm1
mandm1 Member Posts: 21
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
well group We thought we had it over the barrell the beast had receded from the chest wall and let loose from her aorta the squamous cell stage 3b was collapsing and shrinkin lymph nodes were cancer free.....now small cell carcinoma lower left lobe...new chemo with carboplatin and etoposide to start on monday 3 days 18 day rest and repeate...another ct scheduled for jan 21 to check if shrinking brain scan some time this afternoon.....I would like to ask for a complete body scan to see where it might have leaped to right now..don't want more surprises...the doc's don't give us a lot of hope past 1 year but it remains to be seen in january anybody have some thoughts

michael

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    one thought
    My thought is that my thoughts are with you mike, and with your wife.

    As for advice, if that is what you are seeking, I would only offer that you keep fighting, the two of you, and that you continue to pursue the options that the doctors make available: as long as there is treatment, there is hope.

    Because I've had cancer in two different places, I have had 'complete body scans'. I am not sure that they actually scanned the entire body. I think, rather, that they went from lower head to crotch level, to be blunt, although I could be wrong.

    Those were not much lengthier, to my recollection, than my typical ones, although I think that the scan is really not a scan, but scans. That is, they scan the upper part of the body, then the torso, and so on. This is probably technology-related.

    For what that is worth.

    The brain scan is typical, if you did not know that, when cancer invades the lungs, although I am fairly certain you do, and is, in my experience not a scan but an MRI. This is the deal-killer, to be frank. If they find cancer in the brain (metastasis, that is), it is likely that aggressive treatment will probably be shut down. Again, I could be wrong.

    Otherwise, I can only wish you two the very best, Mike, along with hopes that continued fighting makes for a happy resolution.

    Take care, my friend, with warmest regards to your wife as well,

    Joe
  • Laura88
    Laura88 Member Posts: 47

    one thought
    My thought is that my thoughts are with you mike, and with your wife.

    As for advice, if that is what you are seeking, I would only offer that you keep fighting, the two of you, and that you continue to pursue the options that the doctors make available: as long as there is treatment, there is hope.

    Because I've had cancer in two different places, I have had 'complete body scans'. I am not sure that they actually scanned the entire body. I think, rather, that they went from lower head to crotch level, to be blunt, although I could be wrong.

    Those were not much lengthier, to my recollection, than my typical ones, although I think that the scan is really not a scan, but scans. That is, they scan the upper part of the body, then the torso, and so on. This is probably technology-related.

    For what that is worth.

    The brain scan is typical, if you did not know that, when cancer invades the lungs, although I am fairly certain you do, and is, in my experience not a scan but an MRI. This is the deal-killer, to be frank. If they find cancer in the brain (metastasis, that is), it is likely that aggressive treatment will probably be shut down. Again, I could be wrong.

    Otherwise, I can only wish you two the very best, Mike, along with hopes that continued fighting makes for a happy resolution.

    Take care, my friend, with warmest regards to your wife as well,

    Joe

    Body Scan -
    Hello Soccerfreaks: First, may I tell you I see your comments here often and you are very knowledgable and offer people much hope and humor. I look forward always to reading your responses.

    I believe a body scan is actually eyes to thighs. After being told I was not a surgical candidate I had chemo/radiation and was apparently "in remission and a surgical candidate" again. They did a body PET (eyes to thighs) to confirm no cancer cells and unfortunately found "activity" in pelvic bone, so I now need to go for an MRI. That was the shortest remission celebration ever -- two weeks!!! Anyway, I am hoping for it to be nothing of course. MRI is next week.

    By the way - has this ever happened to anyone?
  • mandm1
    mandm1 Member Posts: 21

    one thought
    My thought is that my thoughts are with you mike, and with your wife.

    As for advice, if that is what you are seeking, I would only offer that you keep fighting, the two of you, and that you continue to pursue the options that the doctors make available: as long as there is treatment, there is hope.

    Because I've had cancer in two different places, I have had 'complete body scans'. I am not sure that they actually scanned the entire body. I think, rather, that they went from lower head to crotch level, to be blunt, although I could be wrong.

    Those were not much lengthier, to my recollection, than my typical ones, although I think that the scan is really not a scan, but scans. That is, they scan the upper part of the body, then the torso, and so on. This is probably technology-related.

    For what that is worth.

    The brain scan is typical, if you did not know that, when cancer invades the lungs, although I am fairly certain you do, and is, in my experience not a scan but an MRI. This is the deal-killer, to be frank. If they find cancer in the brain (metastasis, that is), it is likely that aggressive treatment will probably be shut down. Again, I could be wrong.

    Otherwise, I can only wish you two the very best, Mike, along with hopes that continued fighting makes for a happy resolution.

    Take care, my friend, with warmest regards to your wife as well,

    Joe

    new small cell
    thanks joe and laura
    MRI comes monday..chemo starts wed...still going to dance in the nutcracker (our 10th year). thinking about a new pet scan and on top of all else my knee blew out and am scheduled for total knee replacement on the 22nd...good god who did I make mad(LOL)
    you words and thoughts are appreciated as well as any one that may have had some some experiance with small cell and ways that they dealt with it ...we remain positive and the docs say it will be treatable...but as you mentioned joe a lot can change on mon with the results from the MRI

    Michael;
  • clsmith
    clsmith Member Posts: 76
    mandm1 said:

    new small cell
    thanks joe and laura
    MRI comes monday..chemo starts wed...still going to dance in the nutcracker (our 10th year). thinking about a new pet scan and on top of all else my knee blew out and am scheduled for total knee replacement on the 22nd...good god who did I make mad(LOL)
    you words and thoughts are appreciated as well as any one that may have had some some experiance with small cell and ways that they dealt with it ...we remain positive and the docs say it will be treatable...but as you mentioned joe a lot can change on mon with the results from the MRI

    Michael;

    Take care
    I am thinking of you and Mitzi. Its a very hard time for the both of you Bests wishes my friend. Take care Cindy
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    mandm1 said:

    new small cell
    thanks joe and laura
    MRI comes monday..chemo starts wed...still going to dance in the nutcracker (our 10th year). thinking about a new pet scan and on top of all else my knee blew out and am scheduled for total knee replacement on the 22nd...good god who did I make mad(LOL)
    you words and thoughts are appreciated as well as any one that may have had some some experiance with small cell and ways that they dealt with it ...we remain positive and the docs say it will be treatable...but as you mentioned joe a lot can change on mon with the results from the MRI

    Michael;

    Hi Dj, i am so sorry to hear
    Hi Dj, i am so sorry to hear about your wife. I met you in chat, Zah told me about your wife last nite. I have stage 4 breast cancer, so i am not familiar with her type of cancer, but i do know about the scans and the reoccurence. It sounds like her doctors are positive so that is a good sign. And now you need a knee replacement! Trying to think of a song to dedicate, will come up with something. Take care
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    Laura88 said:

    Body Scan -
    Hello Soccerfreaks: First, may I tell you I see your comments here often and you are very knowledgable and offer people much hope and humor. I look forward always to reading your responses.

    I believe a body scan is actually eyes to thighs. After being told I was not a surgical candidate I had chemo/radiation and was apparently "in remission and a surgical candidate" again. They did a body PET (eyes to thighs) to confirm no cancer cells and unfortunately found "activity" in pelvic bone, so I now need to go for an MRI. That was the shortest remission celebration ever -- two weeks!!! Anyway, I am hoping for it to be nothing of course. MRI is next week.

    By the way - has this ever happened to anyone?

    Laura,
    In my own experience, PET scans, by their very nature, will pick up infections entirely unrelated to cancer. In my case, for example, in June of 07 they said I had as little as 10 months to live because cancer was everywhere in my lungs. It turns out that I was in the midst of a lung infection that none of us knew about.

    Fortunately, I was taking an antibiotic right after that diagnosis, for cellulitis in the lower head area, and that antibiotic, incidentally cleared up the infection in the lungs too, so that when they did the next scan, it was gone, all of this cancer, but one node left in the lower right lobe.

    The point is, dare I say it, that you may have an infection down in that pelvic area, Laura. (When they "found" all of that cancer in my lungs, Laura, they also "found" cancer returned to my head/neck area, and this turned out to be a tooth infection I could not even feel.)

    I may be in the minority as a result of my personal experiences, but I find the CT scan much more reliable, as it is a comparison study if used in the way I think is correct: do one, wait, do another, compare for anomalous growth. The PET, on the other hand, is a snapshot of hot spots that really could be caused by at least one fairly routine effect unrelated to cancer: an infection of one sort or another. Viruses are viruses, after all.

    I do hope that you have an infection, Laura (:)), and I mean that in the kindest possible way.

    In the meantime, your 'eyes-to-thighs' analysis resonates in a number of ways. I take your word for it, although, in my case, crotch level and thigh level are pretty much the same thing, at least in my virtual world :).

    Truly, I DO wish you an infection and the very best results with things to come.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Laura88
    Laura88 Member Posts: 47

    Laura,
    In my own experience, PET scans, by their very nature, will pick up infections entirely unrelated to cancer. In my case, for example, in June of 07 they said I had as little as 10 months to live because cancer was everywhere in my lungs. It turns out that I was in the midst of a lung infection that none of us knew about.

    Fortunately, I was taking an antibiotic right after that diagnosis, for cellulitis in the lower head area, and that antibiotic, incidentally cleared up the infection in the lungs too, so that when they did the next scan, it was gone, all of this cancer, but one node left in the lower right lobe.

    The point is, dare I say it, that you may have an infection down in that pelvic area, Laura. (When they "found" all of that cancer in my lungs, Laura, they also "found" cancer returned to my head/neck area, and this turned out to be a tooth infection I could not even feel.)

    I may be in the minority as a result of my personal experiences, but I find the CT scan much more reliable, as it is a comparison study if used in the way I think is correct: do one, wait, do another, compare for anomalous growth. The PET, on the other hand, is a snapshot of hot spots that really could be caused by at least one fairly routine effect unrelated to cancer: an infection of one sort or another. Viruses are viruses, after all.

    I do hope that you have an infection, Laura (:)), and I mean that in the kindest possible way.

    In the meantime, your 'eyes-to-thighs' analysis resonates in a number of ways. I take your word for it, although, in my case, crotch level and thigh level are pretty much the same thing, at least in my virtual world :).

    Truly, I DO wish you an infection and the very best results with things to come.

    Take care,

    Joe

    Thanks, Joe
    Hi Joe -- thanks for your comments. I have had a false positive with a PET at my initial diagnosis. The PET picked up what it thought was a rib lesion and my oncologist said no radiation due to stage IV. Bone specialists said no, it was an old injury most likely, so we went ahead with chemo and radiation with great results. Everything clear on the CT and the new PET which was done to see if I were a surgical candidate picked up the pelvic "abnormality". I will say I have had pain in my hip area since Thanksgiving, but it is bilateral. I cannot imagine I have two tumors in the same place on each side. I am just not that symmetrical!! Well, MRI is tomorrow morning so I will do lots of praying tonight. Hopefully there is just an infection of inflammation, which I believe a PET picks up also. Who ever thought I'd be praying for arthritis? Boy this awful disease changes everything about you doesn't it?

    I will let you know when I get results. Joe, you make me laugh and most definitely have given me so much hope from your posts. Thanks so much, Laura
  • pkaz53
    pkaz53 Member Posts: 84
    mandm1 said:

    new small cell
    thanks joe and laura
    MRI comes monday..chemo starts wed...still going to dance in the nutcracker (our 10th year). thinking about a new pet scan and on top of all else my knee blew out and am scheduled for total knee replacement on the 22nd...good god who did I make mad(LOL)
    you words and thoughts are appreciated as well as any one that may have had some some experiance with small cell and ways that they dealt with it ...we remain positive and the docs say it will be treatable...but as you mentioned joe a lot can change on mon with the results from the MRI

    Michael;

    6 yrs out sclc
    Michael I had some experence with sclc

    I am a survivor of small cell lung cancer diagnosed in Aug of 2003 I remember as if it was yesterday when I was told that I had cancer I got sick to my stomach I soon realized that no matter what I did I had to accecpt it for what it was I had cancer --How do we attack this? I was told with chemo,radiation to chest and then PCI to the brain I made sure that I was mentally prepared to go through all the challenges you are presently going through now, stay positive, your opponent is very strong, keep fighting and push through it. Oh! and keep on dancing.

    All my thoughts and prayers are with you, Paul
  • Laura88
    Laura88 Member Posts: 47
    mandm1 said:

    new small cell
    thanks joe and laura
    MRI comes monday..chemo starts wed...still going to dance in the nutcracker (our 10th year). thinking about a new pet scan and on top of all else my knee blew out and am scheduled for total knee replacement on the 22nd...good god who did I make mad(LOL)
    you words and thoughts are appreciated as well as any one that may have had some some experiance with small cell and ways that they dealt with it ...we remain positive and the docs say it will be treatable...but as you mentioned joe a lot can change on mon with the results from the MRI

    Michael;

    MRI Results?
    Hello Mandmn 1 -- I have been thinking of you. Any MRI results from Monday yet? I know it's only Tuesday, but sometimes they give us a break and give us good news early :)

    Please do let us know how you make out. Laura
  • mandm1
    mandm1 Member Posts: 21
    Laura88 said:

    MRI Results?
    Hello Mandmn 1 -- I have been thinking of you. Any MRI results from Monday yet? I know it's only Tuesday, but sometimes they give us a break and give us good news early :)

    Please do let us know how you make out. Laura

    MRI results
    no brain tumor,bleed or acute infarct. NO metastic diseasen to the brain. Chemo is as prescribed and is 8 hrs a day for three days and mitzi will be dancin in the nutcracker at my side as she has been for a decade ..any body in corpus christi for the 18th @ 7:30 pm...19th @ 7:30 pm and 20th @2:00 pm come watch

    Michael
  • clsmith
    clsmith Member Posts: 76
    mandm1 said:

    MRI results
    no brain tumor,bleed or acute infarct. NO metastic diseasen to the brain. Chemo is as prescribed and is 8 hrs a day for three days and mitzi will be dancin in the nutcracker at my side as she has been for a decade ..any body in corpus christi for the 18th @ 7:30 pm...19th @ 7:30 pm and 20th @2:00 pm come watch

    Michael

    Great news
    I am so thrilled for the both of you. Take care Cindy
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    mandm1 said:

    MRI results
    no brain tumor,bleed or acute infarct. NO metastic diseasen to the brain. Chemo is as prescribed and is 8 hrs a day for three days and mitzi will be dancin in the nutcracker at my side as she has been for a decade ..any body in corpus christi for the 18th @ 7:30 pm...19th @ 7:30 pm and 20th @2:00 pm come watch

    Michael

    :)
    That is indeed great news, Mike.

    FYI: Nutcracker? Wear a cup!

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Laura88
    Laura88 Member Posts: 47
    mandm1 said:

    MRI results
    no brain tumor,bleed or acute infarct. NO metastic diseasen to the brain. Chemo is as prescribed and is 8 hrs a day for three days and mitzi will be dancin in the nutcracker at my side as she has been for a decade ..any body in corpus christi for the 18th @ 7:30 pm...19th @ 7:30 pm and 20th @2:00 pm come watch

    Michael

    MRI Results
    GREAT news. I'm so happy for you. Happy holidays. Laura