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Bruce u

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Posts posted by Bruce u

    Update after meeting with Onc.

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    Thanks for everyone's advice on the CT scans over x-ray. That is the advice everyone here agreed on before I met with the oncologist on Thursday. That is why I was surprised when he recommended x-ray over the CT scan. My other concern is the length of time since my surgery. They usually start adjuvant chemo 6 - 7 weeks after surgery. Because of all the delays with the surgeon being out of the country then waiting for the first onc. appointment then getting a 2nd opinion, it will be over 12 weeks. I asked the onc. if this would decrease the effectiveness of the chemo and he said they didn't know for sure. He felt there was still a benefit to having the 4 treatments.

    Update after meeting with Onc.

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    Met with the oncolgist this morning to get my 2nd opinion on adjuvant chemo for stage 1b. I had already made the decision to have the chemo. H explained that mine was classified as T2/No/Mo. He said the only reason it was T2 and not T1 is because it had entered a blood vessel but not the pleura. He went on to say that itis easy for cells to enter a blood vessel but very difficult for them to get ou and they usually die in the bloodstream. I asked if the chemo would kill any that did get into the blood vessel and he said it would. He also said that an x-ray would be as good as a CT scan every 3 months. I asked him about a PET scan. He said that a PET is not always reliable and often produced a false positive and he gave me 3 examples of his own patients that it happened to. This onc. specializes in L/C and Melonoma at the Cross Cancer Institute.

    Mom will start chemo

    in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER

    Posted

    I smoked for over 30 years and had my last 1 on the hospital steps before I went in for a lobectomy. The spot on my lung was superficial and did not enter the lining. The quitting was alot easier than I had anticipated but you certainly need to have the desire.

    It is great that you can spend the time there for emotional support.

    Strange Days

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Reading your stories will be heartfelt by everyone reading them. Quoted on my Dad's headstone " Gone but not forgotten. " We will miss our loved ones that have passed away but we will always have the memories. Funny how most of the memories are not of the big milestones in our lives but of small things that seemed insignificant at the time. Those are the memories we will cherish.

    new here and scared

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I had a lobectomy in September and they removed the upper lobe of my left lung.I was only in hospital for 3 days. It my first operation and even the first time I was hospitalized. So I was very nervous but it was not near as bad as I had anticipated. The "spot" turned out to be cancerous and it was 2.1cm. I am starting adjuvant chemo. this week.

    Update on my Dad

    in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER

    Posted

    Hi Drea

    I had surgery in September and had 40% of my left lung removed. I was released from hospital after 3 days. A week later I developed a fever which turned out to be a kidney infection and was treated with medication. I am a stage 1b and will start adjuvant chemo. next week.

    My decision on adjuvant chemotherapy

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I would just like to thank everyone for their encouragement, advice and support. I have been receiving conflicting recommendations from the professionals over the past 3 weeks.I found this site and it was the feedback that I have received that convinced me to have the treatment. When you can make a difference in a stranger's life by sharing your experience's, it demonstrates how important this site is. Thank you again.

    My decision on adjuvant chemotherapy

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I got a 2nd opinion this morning on having adjuvant chemo. for stage 1b. Actually this oncologist, a lung specialist, would not make a recomendation but wanted to discuss it with the other 5 specialist at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. He informed me of the U.S. study that included stage 1 which reported a 12% benefit but then said the data was incorrect on almost half of the participants. He then discussed the study completed by the Ontario Cancer Centre last month. This study reported a 15% benefit but included stage 2 as well as stage 1. They did not recommend it for stage 1b. The basic guideline at the Cross is if it is greater than 4cm they recommend chemo but smaller and they do not. Mine was 2.1cm. The 5 other specialist: 2 said they would not recommend it, the other 3 said they would discuss it with their patient but then let the patient decide. If the patient decided to have chemo, they would include that the evidence did not support this decision. I decided to have the chemo. If a study next year finds here is a benefit, I will be ahead of the game. I begin next week for 4 treatments of Cisplatin and Vinorelbine ( Navelbine ).

    What can we expect after surgery?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Hi Mike and Sharon

    I had my upper lobe on my left lung removed in September. The breathing is starting to get back to as it was before surgery. I had minimal invasive surgery which went well. I too am building our retirement home approximately 450m from where I live. I had alot of the same concerns as you have. I drove there on a weekend 7 weeks after my surgery just to see if I drive it without overnighting. Not only did I make it, but the next day I built a bedroom in the basement and drove back on the 3rd day. It was a relief to know that I will be able to finish our home without having to hire contractors. Hope this helps.

    Message from (Bruce u)

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Thanks Randy.

    I am being treated at the Cross Cancer Institute at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Unfortunately for stage 1b, most people are still undecided. The last study I am aware was released on Oct. 26, 2007 from the Ontario Cancer Clinic. Basically stated that they do not recommend adjuvant chemo for stage 1b on a routine basis but maybe beneficial in specific cases. Difficult for a patient to make a decision when the professionals are undecided.

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