husband's ext sclc "stable"

bancroft
bancroft Member Posts: 16
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Haven't been on for a while.
After 5 months of chemo and radiation. My husband has had total of four scans to see how he was responding to treatments. Basically one ebery 2 months.
By second scan, largest of two masses, in right lung shrunk and pulled away from superior vena cava(impairing breathing and causing swelling of face, both symptoms are normal now)
Third and fourth scan showed some slight improvements otherwise stable from the second one.

He's had 6 rounds carbo/irinotecan and 22 rad treatments during this time

Had/has lesion on 11 and 12 vertabrae which has improved and can see bony part healing.
Soft tissue encroaching on 20th rib has remained unchanged thru all treatments since August 2010. On new injection drug XGEVA - first dose was Monday 1/24/11 - suppose to strengthen bones and make them resistant against invasion of cancer cells

By now we had wished for remission but, Dr. said stable is good. Not spreading. or anything getting larger.

Main complaint is extreme fatigue which we hope is mostly from agressive treatments.
He's lost 20 pounds. Gaining it back one to two pounds here and there.

Anyone out there with ext sclc facing anything similiar.

Bancroft

Comments

  • luz del lago
    luz del lago Member Posts: 449
    #2
    Stable is good!
    In the world of cancer, a stable report is very good! To me it meant that there would be time. Time to rest, re-energize and should things become "unstable" down the road, have gained strength to begin the battle again. And I feel this is a gift for both, survivor and their caregiver.

    As he begins to regain his energy, take advantage of the time, and do stuff you all were unable to do during treatment. Live, love and laugh!

    Best Wishes,

    Lucy
  • karenbeth
    karenbeth Member Posts: 194
    #3
    stable is good
    Hi Bancroft,
    My partner has ext sclc...he has had whole brain radiation and 4 rounds of carbo/etopocide. We got scan results yesterday and were told basically the same thing--stable. The tumors in his lung and adrenal glands shrank a little, and one on his pancreas remained the same. Small spots in his brain also resurfaced but are very tiny.
    I wasn't expecting remission given how advanced this cancer was at diagnosis (over 20 lesions in his brain). So we were pleased with the results and he will go for 2 more rounds of the same chemo. They said if it continues to work, and he can tolerate, they would do up to 8 rounds.
    It's an uphill battle. As everyone on these boards reminds me, you have to celebrate the small victories, no matter how small. Yes, stable is good.

    Karen
  • bancroft
    bancroft Member Posts: 16
    #4
    karenbeth said:

    stable is good
    Hi Bancroft,
    My partner has ext sclc...he has had whole brain radiation and 4 rounds of carbo/etopocide. We got scan results yesterday and were told basically the same thing--stable. The tumors in his lung and adrenal glands shrank a little, and one on his pancreas remained the same. Small spots in his brain also resurfaced but are very tiny.
    I wasn't expecting remission given how advanced this cancer was at diagnosis (over 20 lesions in his brain). So we were pleased with the results and he will go for 2 more rounds of the same chemo. They said if it continues to work, and he can tolerate, they would do up to 8 rounds.
    It's an uphill battle. As everyone on these boards reminds me, you have to celebrate the small victories, no matter how small. Yes, stable is good.

    Karen

    stable is good
    thanks for responding
    so much - bad and good - happens very quickly, as you both know.
    he was diagnosed August 2010 and the decline I see in him made me ask the question.
    Karen, good luck to you and your partner. Hope he can to..lerate more treatment if needed
    and remain stable
  • bancroft
    bancroft Member Posts: 16
    #5
    luz del lago said:

    Stable is good!
    In the world of cancer, a stable report is very good! To me it meant that there would be time. Time to rest, re-energize and should things become "unstable" down the road, have gained strength to begin the battle again. And I feel this is a gift for both, survivor and their caregiver.

    As he begins to regain his energy, take advantage of the time, and do stuff you all were unable to do during treatment. Live, love and laugh!

    Best Wishes,

    Lucy

    stable is good
    Lucy,

    Thanks for taking the time to respond - as one caregiver to another.

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