Susan Cornett

Welcome to our little corner of the world. i was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma 17 months ago today. I've had surgery, two rounds of chemo and a round of radiation. You found a good place with M.D. Anderson. I'm originally from the Houston area and I grew up knowing it was one of the best in the world. If your medical team hasn't mentioned it, ask if your cancer will be tested for biomarkers. For certain markers, immunotherapy is a very good therapy. I did not have any markers but have responded pretty well to traditional chemo and radiation. Given the variety of cancers and stages represented on this forum, you're almost guaranteed to find someone at the same diagnosis, stage, and treatment path. Let us know how we can help you.

I'm generally an anxious person anyway so I'd be super-crazy waiting for next steps. In fact, when I had my biopsy in 2015, it took almost 2 weeks to get the results (that were wrong anyway) and I was a basket case. But once the decision was made to remove the mystery mass, the thoracic surgeon got things going quickly, with surgery scheduled less than 2 weeks after my first appointment. I was discharged from the hospital on February 27th and started treatment by March 19th. Obviously this has to be your decision, but if the NP can get the ball rolling, it might give you some peace.

LexieCat - glad that your surgery went well. We'll cross fingers and toes for 1A.

Hi, Lily. Sounds like you've really been through the ringer the last few months. How are you feeling now, other than anxious for a decision? There are several members here who live life with only one lung. There may be some challenges adjusting, but it can be done. I lost half of my left lung in 2016 and yes, it was a big surgery. But given your age, you should bounce back faster than some of us old folks here. That said, if they choose not to remove the lung, is there a treatment plan? I would certainly want to address those lymph nodes sooner rather than later. In my opinion, they just cause trouble. My cancer had spread to my lymph nodes in my chest, and my recurrence that I'm currently treating is also in a lymph node. I will also add that after I had the portion of my lung removed, my breathing improved and my asthma is almost non-existent. Keep us posted on your progress.

Hi, Renee. I'm glad you found this forum. There is a lot of good information on the Lungevity site, but there are also a lot of experienced survivors on this site. By experienced, I mean 10+ years past late stage diagnosis and treatment. I also have/had stage IV NSCLC adenocarcinoma. I say "have" and "had" because my initial diagnosis was in 2016 but am currently in treatment for a recurrence. Is there anything we can help you with? Information, tips, etc.? Please let us know. We've been where you are.

I spent the weekend before my surgery taking cooking classes so as not to think about it. I am sending good vibes!

Being the caregiver is a tough role. Not to make it about me, but here is my situation: I'm an only child, married, no kids so my husband is my caregiver. My parents live about 4 hours away, and my mom wants to be here for every chemo and appointment. Her biggest obstacle is that she is my dad's caregiver so being here all the time just isn't feasible. On infusion days, I'm joined by my friends. My husband joins me at appointments. When my husband and I go for scan results, he steps out to text Mom as soon as the oncologist provides the results. She checks with him to see how I'm doing, and he sometimes runs interference for other well-meaning friends and family. All that to say we've found what works for us. It can be a delicate balance for all involved and there are no easy answers. You do have to take care of yourself first, or you won't be able to take care of your wife.

Good morning, Dave. Thanks for the update! I finished 30 radiation treatments at the end of May. While I didn't have many side effects, the fatigue did me in. I continued to work (at home) through treatment and spent my "lunch hour" napping. Once you've finished all of your treatments, you'll start to bounce back - your appetite will come back, the throat will begin to heal. Then you can be the handsome, fit guy staring back from the mirror. I'm currently going through the hair loss. Every time I take a breath, more falls out. I may take matters into my own hands this weekend and just take it all off. Besides, it's hot in Fort Worth! Sounds like you have a fantastic support system. I believe that is the key to success when defeating cancer. Hang in there and please continue to update us.

Good morning. Go ahead and be mad and frustrated and speechless; get it out and then get ready to fight. My first bit of advice? Don't look too closely at the statistics. They do not consider your wife's overall health. They are an aggregate of patients diagnosed 5 years ago, before we had all of the additional treatment options that we have now. They don't reflect the individuals who opted out of treatment during the process, or never took the treatment. Besides, if any of us gave any credence to the statistics, we'd all be in our respective corners crying. You'll find many long term survivors on this forum. Some of them should have died, statistically speaking, 10+ years ago. Given the location of your wife's tumors, do her docs have a plan for treatment? My oncologist tells me that they are having great success with radiation for the brain. Any chemo or surgery on the horizon? Let us know how we can help you. We're here.

Good morning, Terri. I'm so sorry that your family has to deal with this. Cancer stinks. The toll it takes on both patients and family is horrible. Have any of your mom's physicians discussed palliative (not hospice) care? If not, ask what is available. The care provided can give your mom some relief from her symptoms while her docs try meds. We're here for you. Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can assist you in any way.

Hi, Julie. That time to exhale after initial diagnosis and treatment is a good feeling, but we all eventually hold our breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was diagnosed in February 2016 and am currently fighting a recurrence. I was just shy of my one year mark when it was found. As Tom said, a lot of us have or had recurrences. It stinks but, if yours is a recurrence, it can usually be treated. I read a tweet from a fellow lung cancer patient that said he hoped to just keep getting patched together (dealing with recurrence and metastasis) until better treatment options are available. Here's hoping your tests reveal a boring, benign spot.

Thank you for sharing the update, Kaly. I'm happy to see that they're trying another treatment.

I was diagnosed as stage IV in February 2016 and clicked along with NED scans until March of this year. I'm currently fighting a recurrence. The silver lining to all of those frequent scans is catching a recurrence early. Your dad was also fortunate to have his initial diagnosis in an early stage. That is a huge benefit in this fight. Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Hi, John. Welcome to the club that no one wants to join. We're glad you're here. I wouldn't give your smoking history another thought; doesn't matter. What matters now is that you assemble a great team of medical professionals and develop a plan to fight. LexieCat asked about a biopsy; if you've had one, do you know if the pathologist tested it for any markers/mutations? For some, lung cancer can be fought with immunotherapy if certain markers/mutations are present. This forum is full of wonderful people, long-term survivors, understanding souls who've stood in your shoes. Tony might be interested in joining so that he can benefit from the caregiver discussions. Let us know how we can help and please keep us posted on your journey.

Has he had a CT or a pet scan? Those tests are generally more accurate than xrays for detection of cancer cells. Are you dealing with his oncologist, PCP, or other doc on the side pain? Surely one of them can address this with you. Just keep asking until you get answers. We have to be our own biggest advocates and sometimes that means asking the same question again and again.

Hi Charlotte. I'm glad you found this site; it has been the best support for me since my diagnosis last year. If you don't mind sharing, what chemo are you currently taking? Among the members of this forum, I'm sure some of us have taken the same therapy and might be able to give you some help dealing with side effects. Like Michelle, my cancer is also non-small cell, but we have a dedicated forum for small cell patients. Has your team indicated how long you'll take chemo, or what next steps would be? We're here for you so please let us know how we can support you.

I'm on a 90 day scan cycle. Super Doc says when I go 2 years without a recurrence, he'll move me to the 6 month cycle.

Kaly, I'm sorry that your brother's results were not what you had hoped. I pray that his oncologist can suggest additional treatment options.

Thinking about your daughter and you, and praying for only the very best results.

A treatment plan gives peace and a place to focus, at least in my mind. Good luck as you start your treatment!

Hi, Raymond. I'm glad you found us - we're great listeners because we've all been in your shoes. Based on your post, it sounds like there is a lot of uncertainty with a treatment plan. Do you have a new oncologist and surgeon or are you still using those that were unclear as to how to proceed? Has your surgeon indicated if you'll have the VATS (robotic) surgery or the traditional surgery? Both are effective but VATS is less invasive than the traditional surgery. Any questions we can answer for you? There is a wealth of knowledge here, especially from the "old-timers".

Good morning, Dawn. Quite a few of us were similar to your dad - no real symptoms or symptoms that didn't seem respiratory in nature and then all of a sudden, we're sitting here with advanced lung cancer. Do you know if your dad's tumor was tested for any genetic markers/mutations? There are some great targeted therapies available based on those results. As for your other question, no, we really don't have any idea how long he can live with his cancer. The oncologist, if asked, will give you the 5 year survival stats that are very discouraging for late stage patients. Here's my opinion about stats: ignore them. They're usually based on patients diagnosed 5 years ago and don't take into account your dad's overall health. The stats also don't reflect the new treatments made available to lung cancer patients in the last 3 years. They also don't reflect if people dropped out of treatment or chose not to pursue treatment. There are several individuals on this forum who, statistically, should have died years ago but they're still here. I know this is overwhelming for you, your dad, and your family. But if I can give you one piece of advice, it's this: find a reason to smile and celebrate each day, even those crummy chemo days. None of us know when our last day is, and it would be a shame to spend each day worrying if it was the last day. I did that last summer. Wasn't worth my energy. We're here for you.

JustMe, Good morning. I'm sorry about your husband's diagnosis. Lung cancer stinks. I was diagnosed in February 2016 following removal of my left upper lobe. I'm currently in treatment for a recurrence. I tell you this because, although I'm an amateur compared to others, it is possible to move forward. I spent a good deal of time last summer in tears and mentally giving away my belongings. I couldn't imagine that things would get better, but they did. There are so many 10+ year late stage (III or IV) cancer survivors on this site. There is hope. We have more treatment options today than just three years ago. I truly believe this diagnosis is as hard on the loved ones as it is on the patient. Please know that we're all here for you, your husband, and your family. Ask us anything.

Good morning. I'm not a doctor, but I agree with your husband that a second opinion is warranted. If, God forbid, it is cancer, it's important that you get an oncologist and a plan to move forward. A second opinion will hopefully include a biopsy to determine what you're dealing with. I hope this helps. Please keep us posted.

Hi, Nichole. I just wanted to check in and see how you are doing.