berisa

What the oncologist told that tumor marker is no use for SCLC patients. It is weird, when I refer to your link, they said ADH (tumor marker) is for SCLC patients.

Surgery for Advanced Lung Cancer Questioned Wed October 22, 2003 02:23 PM ET By Megan Rauscher NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Does surgery improve survival of people with advanced lung cancer compared with that achieved with chemo and radiation alone? The results of a large trial show no definite advantage with either strategy. Dr. Andrew T. Turrisi from Wayne State University in Detroit presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Salt Lake City. In an interview with Reuters Health, Turrisi noted that the best treatment has yet to be defined for patients with late-stage lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes. "Two influential but small reports--one from Europe and one from Texas--suggested that chemotherapy followed by surgery was better than surgery alone," he explained. "Another very large randomized trial showed that if induction chemoradiotherapy (i.e., chemotherapy plus radiation therapy) followed by resection led to clearance of disease from the lymph nodes, but not necessarily the primary tumor, that identified a group of patients who were going to survive remarkably well," he added. Turrisi's team tried to isolate the benefit of surgery by randomly assigning 392 late-stage lung cancer patients to a chemoradiotherapy-only arm or to a group given chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. "Our statistical goal was a 10-percent benefit in the surgical arm. Also, we expected that the non-surgical arm would survive at a level of only 25 percent at 2 years. Neither proved true," Turrisi said. "A very important fact is that the 2-year survival for the chemoradiotherapy arm without surgery was 15 percentage points higher than we expected," he continued. Since the nonsurgical therapy group did much better than expected, and the surgical group fared no worse than anticipated, the outcomes were similar. "With current follow-up, there is no difference in survival between the two treatment arms that is worth talking about," Turrisi said. Specifically, at 3 years, the survival rate was over 30 percent in both arms. An analysis of the data showed that surgery did slow the progression of cancer, but on the other hand it was linked to significantly more deaths related to surgery itself and to non-cancer causes. As Turrisi pointed out, "Any benefit that you might derive from better cancer control was balanced by some loss from surgical mortality, which was about 6 to 7 percent, and non-cancer deaths, which was about 10 percent." So how would he advise a patient faced with a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer? "When presenting this to a patient," he replied, "one would have to say that surgery might be better in the long run, but in the short run you might have excess mortality, treatment-related toxicity and deaths from the procedure."

It is a good news. Can it be used on Small Cell Lung Cancer patients? Hope it works for them too.

Dear all, I am so grateful for all your suggestions and advices. Really appreciate !!! You all like a dictionary. I have listed out all questions and all medicine you all suggested. I will print it out for my mom to ask the doctor tomorrow. Thank you again.!

My Dad has severe dry cough these two days especially starting from evening till sunrise that he was sleepless for these two days......you know, when a person could not get into sleep, his immune system will not be good. What should I do? This Friday, he will see the doctor, I plan to set some questions for asking the doctor as follows : 1) Why he has such severe dry cough? What happen on my Dad? What causes him having sever cough? Pneumonia? 2) How do stop that cough? How can make him sleep (because he could not fall into sleep because of the dry cough)? Medicine or what? 3) Are X-ray & CT Scan needed? What questions you suggest me to ask? What actions you suggest me to do for my Dad? Actually, he always has problems of getting into sleep before diagnosis. Fortunately that he could get into sleep bcoz of the chemo fatigue in past few months. Friday visit is the first time seeing doctor after all treatments completed. No X-ray or any other tests/scans have been done so far. Thank you for your advice.

Carleen, it is really good to know about your positive attitude. Keep it on! I pray for you and Keith.

Bonnie, sorry for your friend. I hate cancer

Susan, I am so sorry to hear about your mom's current situation. But at least I think, she is doing well with the pain. Spend much time with your beloved mom and I will pray for your mom and you and your whole family. Hang in there. Let's follow the heart. Don't constrain yourself.

Joe, I am sorry to hear about your loss. Please accept my deep condolence.

Trisha, my Dad has SCLC as well. He just finished all treatments last week. If you have any questions or feelings you want to share, feel free to post, we are a big family.

Andrea, Cheers!!

Carleen, i am so sorry for the despair you both have, but you should be strong especially at this moment and standing up for helping him get the best treatment or option for your love. I know this is very difficult to go through this dark valley but Be STRONG. First, Iressa is for NSCLC, not for SCLC. Iressa is not an option. Second, I have one question, how many rounds of chemo (no matter what regimen) did he finish? Could you please list the details out? Frankly speaking, what your oncologist said regarding even additional rounds of chemo (on top of more than 6 rounds) have no significant effect on SCLC patients right after first-line chemo treatment completed is correct. Additional rounds only cause many side effects and toxicity to the patients but no change/positive effect on the tumor size. If insisting on getting new chemo regimen, the quality of life will be affected. The longer the interval time between the first-line chemo treatment and the second-line chemo treatment, the better the response to the new second-line chemo treatment......In fact, what the oncologist said is the fact. He did not tell lie. Actually, while you refer to SCLC board of what I posted under the subject of "CPT-11", JonathanS mentioned some other chemo regimen for SCLC. Maybe you could seek other advices from other oncologists. Seek more opinions from professional. Carleen, you should hang in there. You have us..... Try to seek others' help such as your friends & Keith's friends and family etc...don't take all responsibilities on your own.... Post more and we are all supporting you and definitely praying hard as well.

My Dad has dry cough as well now, especially every evening the cough happens more frequent. Dad has asked the oncologist about the dry cough and asked if X-ray should be done for that dry cough. The answer was "NO NEED", the oncologist changed the type of drinking medicine, my Dad told me this medicine makes him cough less and feels better. My Dad thinks the dry cough is caused by the radiation. He thinks that the lung becomes more thinner after chest radiation that it is irritated by anything easier than before. He thinks his lung becomes more sensitive than ever before..

Good news. You always can make it....

Lucie you are GREAT and many years are ahead.

Finally, I could post in Good News Board for my Dad. Today my Dad just finished the last time of PCI. He finished all treatments since dx SCLC in April this year. He is doing perfectly well and keeps a positive attitude. Pray for continuous good health Moreover, I want to take this opportunity to show the gratitude for all your prayers and please remember my Dad -- Mr LAM, in your prayers...........Truly thankful

Thank you Johnathan Today the oncologist answered that they will use CPT-11 for the relapse SCLC. Thanks.

Kathy, I am so sorry about hearing that news. I am sorry!!!!!

Cindy, found from net that Camptosar = CPT-11 = Irinotecan, so your first round treatment was Cisplatin + CPT-11 that the result was really remarkable. My Dad was not as lucky as you that could receive that chemo regimen. According to the Japanese study, CPT-11 + Cisplatin regimen is better than VP-16 + Cisplatin, so NOW MY CONCERN is..... 1) Could CPT-11 + Cisplatin be used for relapse SCLC? 2) Hycamtin (=Topotecan) is better for relapse SCLC OR CPT-11 + Cisplatin is better for relapse SCLC? Which one is the better second-line treatment? I know everyone response differently to particular chemo regimen, but in general, wanna know any medical findings/articles for comparing these two regimen for relapse SCLC!! I know my Dad finished all first-line chemo (VP16+Carbo) already. But I am doing more researches for information (just in case for contingency). Thank you.

Amazing Experience. Praise the Lord!

thank you for all your contributions. Can CPT-11 be used with Cisplatin on Recurrence SCLC?? Does this chemo regimen work for recurrence? Did anyone have CPT-11 on the recurrence? I am doing the research. Thank you.

don't worry too much at this moment, CT Scan is the more further test on the suspicious "thing", after CT Scan, if doctors still suspect this is cancer, they will do the biospy/bronochospy for checking the cell whether this is cancerous, CT scan just only tells the size and location of that "thing", but it is not a MUST equal to Cancer. Take it easy first.

Hi today I attended a seminar regarding the new trend of treating Lung Cancer, the onc. has mentioned CPT-11 for Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient, do you know anything about this? He didn't tell any regarding Small Cell as the seminar time is quite short and he just focused on NSCLC for most of the patients are in this category. If you know any about this CPT-11 or you are having / had it, please share the info with me. Thank you.

hi Nancy, we are all "GIVERS" and "TAKERS", no need to say thanks....

don't be scare! Feeling weak is normal as the chemo side effect is accumulated. Sleeping all day long is normal. Try to give your husband some fluid-like food such as ENSURE milk etc. For the stomache problem, i don't know as I am not a doctor, should follow what doctor tells you. Hope this helps!