Thanks Tom! We were fortunate enough to have an MD Anderson lung oncologist review my mom's medical record and she came up with the same recommendation. So Tom you are right that the solution is quite standard, but given the severity of the situation it is nice to have the confirmation. The doc also recommend CT scan after three months and decide whether to add radiation therapy. The doc in China plans to do CT one month after taking Gefitinib, which is even better. CT is a lot less expensive in China. My mom has started taking her first pill so we'll see how it goes.
At the same time I'm trying to see what is good time for her to come to US since subsequent treatment options are much more abundant here. I know she takes the pill once a day. It might take a while to transition from China's doc's care to a doc here. The doc here may want to redo some tests. I'm trying to figure out the logistics so she will not have gaps of care.
Also insurance coverage is an issue too. I plan to buy individual policy on the marketplace. Do the health insurance policies cover all the treatment options: first line, second line, third line?
Thanks for the encouragement!
Blue Fish