patches

Hello everyone, It's been a long time since I've visited here. I was diagnosed with lung cancer in March 2006. It's been 4 years and NED! Lung cancer can be cured, I'm proof of that. In the past year I have taken up bicycling (so far 42 miles is the longest ride yet, however I am signed up for a 60 mile ride on June 26th!) My lung cancer was cured with surgery; the surgeon took the upper half of my left lung. I did not have to have chemo or radiation and feel very blessed. I want to do what I can to help advocate funding and research for lung cancer. Not everyone who gets lung cancer is a smoker; I believe there are a lot of reasons for lung cancer including the air we breathe. I would like to see a cure for lung cancer in the near future.

Congratulations Gin! Here's to you on your anniversary!

My friend has recently been diagnosed with sclc extensive stage. It started in her right lung and was found in her liver and lymphnodes, they are testing her bones & brain. Chemo was started on Wednesday. At this time she is very positive and upbeat, with plans to return to work on Tuesday. She has already said she plans on beating it. All I know to do is listen when she wants to talk, be there when she needs a friend and support her in any way I can. Her husband & family are also very supportive. If anyone has any ideas on how her friends can help out further,let me know. Thanks, Mary

I would like to know what happened to the money the tobacco company's had to pay out from the lawsuit years ago? Why isn't that money being used to help smokers quit? Why is it that health insurance companys will only pay for smoking cessation drugs for 6 months? Seems to me it would be less expensive to pay for Zyban for a year than a lung cancer operation and/or chemo. As we know, people who have NEVER smoked are getting lung cancer. It's so frustrating!

Hi Carole, I hope your tests come back NED. Waiting can be so hard. Hang in there. Mary

Glad to hear the surgery went well. Prayers go up for a speedy recovery. Mary

Hi, Thanks so much to all of you for responding to my post. I really appreciate it. There is so much to read on this site I will be here for years, but can't think of a better place to spend some time. Is there a place where I can find the abbreviations used? I don't know what SOB means! Mary

I had a chest x-ray 3 mos after surgery (removed upper left lobe)and the radiologist report said my lung was flat at the top. So my Doc ordered another chest x-ray which was done 7/24/06. Said he may want a CT again depending on the next x-ray report. Has anyone ever heard of this? After reading the posts about chemo or no chemo for stage 1A NSCLC I plan on asking my onc more questions when I see him next. I was told in 4/06 no chemo, now I'm wondrering if I should have had chemo. I'm confused and a little scared. Thanks!

Hi, I have been visiting this site quite often in the last few weeks & it has been extremely helpful. On February 23rd I had a chest x-ray due to bronchitis. On March 1st my Doctor called to say the radiologist found a spot on my left lung. On March 2nd I had a CT scan on my lungs which confirmed a suspicious mass on my left lung. March 3rd I saw a surgeon; he said no need to do any furher tests or needle biopsy, he said either way it had to come out. He said he would not know for sure if it was cancer until he did a wedge resection and had the patholgist look at it while I was on the table, if it came back cancer he would take out the upper lobe of my left lung. It was cancer and he did remove the upper left lobe. When I woke up the first thing I wanted to know is if it was cancer or not; my family told me it was cancer and that I was lucky it was found so early. I was told it was NSCLC stage 1A. My surgeon said I would probably have chemo but it was up to the onc. When I saw the onc he said no chemo. He did a PET scan in April the area of surgery showed up hot, he said because of surgery. I'm scheduled for another PET in August. All of this is new to me as no one in my family has ever had cancer of any type. I am 47 years old, I did smoke for many years and quit two weeks before the x-ray. I was tired of getting bronchitis all the time. I know I will NEVER smoke again.