JerryM

Tony & Sue, The fact that you found us means you are out there looking. Get all the information you can and remember you have choices and can say "No". A second opinion is always helpful. Diagnosed 3B a year ago. Upper left lung - inoperable. Treatment: Chemo - Cisplatin & Etopiside. Took scheduled etopiside but declined 3rd dose of cisplatin as the kidney function numbers were too risky as far as I was concerned. Also got radiation - 36 zaps. Result after 2 months following treatment - tumor shrunk to 1/2 it's original size. Two months later it had grown back to it's original size and continued to grow. As of 3/9/11 it was 7.9 cm x 6 cm. The good news was that it was not detected in any other place. Due to that situation, I began the second Chemo treatment - Carboplatin, Paclitaxel & Avastin. My spirits are good and, other than those rough days during treatment, have been good. Take your time and walk through this. It takes awhile to digest everything and "learn the language" This situation can be an amazing opportunity to receive gifts you never new existed. Love & prayers, Jerry

Well I'm finally back on the treatment trail. Results of recent pictures do not show cancer has traveled. It seems to like it's current environment in my left lung and is growing every day. I am on a one day in three weeks schedule of carboplatin, pacilitaxel and avastin. Started Wednesday. They will evaluate after the third infusion. I got a second opinion from a cancer center here in Columbus. They pretty much concurred with the findings and treatment that I had. It was a relief to get the same story. Hoping all is going well with you all. Jerry

Thank you ts and Annette for your response, info and encouragement. It was staged as 3B because it could not be a 4 as it had not appeared elsewhere. It was inoperable as it had invaded the mediastinum, its proximity to the aortic arch and its size. I'm taking a drive to Texas, near San Antonio, to visit with family on Tuesday. Be back in 10 days. Take care.

I'm not sure this is going to work but I'm giving it a try. I was diagnosed stage 3B lung cancer Feb 2010. Went through treatment April 22 - June 21 (Chemo - cisplatin & etopiside, Radiation - 36 doses) These ran concurrently. In Aug PET CT showed tumor shrank to 1/2 original size = 3.5 x 3.9 cm. The next PET CT in October showed tumor size = 6.1 x 6.4 cm almost back to original size. Three weeks later a CT showed additional growth. The treatment team offered a second chemo regiment (Carboplatin, Paclitaxel and Avastin). As the first regiment which included radiation basically did nothing, I do not hold much hope for "just a secondary" chemo regiment. My kidneys took a hit on the first and will take another hit with the second. I don't want to be dealing with dialysis as well as the tumor. If anyone has had success with a secondary treatment after the first one failed. Please let me know. Other than minor pain in both sides (the right side is recent) I feel very good. I can function well and my spirits are good. I am currently getting a second opinion from another cancer treatment center. Thanks for being here. Jerry