Guest TeeTee Posted November 14, 2004 Share Posted November 14, 2004 We find out tuesday whether mom has 3a or 3b but the surgeon was pretty sure it was 3a (waiting path reprots.) We have been told that if it was 3a that she would have chemo and or radiation THEN surgery. However, I saw posts on this board from 3a survivors saying they ahd surgery THEN chemo and radiation. We have not spoken to the ocn about a course yet-we will do that on tuesday but I would love to ehar thoughs before we go in. thanks- TeeTee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shineladysue Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 H i Tee Tee, First , every case is different so it is hard to answer that question, but I do know of one case. A close friend of ours was a 3a and had chemo and then surgery. Hers was done in an effort to shrink the tumor before operating. That was 3 years ago. She had chemo, her right lung removed and is cancer free as of this time. Will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Hi Tee Tee, I also had chemo, and radiation to shrink the tumor down before surgery. Chemo may kill micromets scattered throughout the body. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Tee Tee, Every case is different, but with my mom IIIA, her timeline was as follows: Nov 2003 Diagnosis Nov 2003 Chemo March 2004 surgery May 2004 radiation Currently---NED which means No Evidence of Disease; just waiting and watching and wondering as someone else here who is wise puts it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 I am probably not a good example for you here. I was originally diagnosed as Stage 1 and when I had surgery they found much more cancer than anticipated and was restaged 3a. Seems to me the majority of the folks in this category have chemo/radiation first then surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisa Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 I was 3a and had surgery first then chemo. I had the surgery first because the tumor plus 2 escaped nodes (the 2 nodes pushed me to 3a) were all self-contained in my right middle lobe. One of the little escaped nodes started to attach to the chest wall, but my cancer was found in time that the surgeon was able to get all cancer out by removing my whole lobe and some chest wall tissue. After the surgery I was considered NED, but I had adjuvant chemo to help prevent a recurrence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tami Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 chemo first, surgery, then chemo.. then everything went nuts. But my onco/surgeon rationale was... Chemo first to shrink the mass and kill it (hopefully)I think that makes it easier and safer to remove, and also wipe out all the micro cells. Just like everyone has siad all cases are different but that was his reasoning anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Dear Tee Tee, Well, every cancer patient diagnosed is different. It all depends on where the tumor is, and if there is lymph node involvement, etc... etc... However, I had my surgery first, then 7 weeks later did chemo and radations. See my Profile below. I know many people that had surgery first then chemo and rad, then on the other had, I also know many that had chemo and rad or just chemo first and then surgery and then chemo and rad after. Talk to your Doc. Don't get set on the fact that So and So had this first and then that second. That doesn't work being a LC patient/survivor. (sorry)!!!! God bless and Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeniseMarie Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 Hi there- My mom has IIIA--tumor in her right lung and lymph nodes in medistinum--she did chemo/rad then surgery (removal of upper lobe) and 4 rounds of follow up chemo--her last is tomorrow. She is in the process of testing to see if she is a good candidate for Iressa. We'll know how well everything worked in a few weeks when she has her follow up CAT scan/PET scan. Best wishes Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe B Posted November 16, 2004 Share Posted November 16, 2004 Depends on the situation. In my case they thought I was stage 1. When the path report came back after surgery with a positive lymph node, I was staged to IIIA and then went through concurrent chemo & radiation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted November 17, 2004 Share Posted November 17, 2004 I had chemo and radiation before surgery to shrink the tumor away from nerves and blood vessels. Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elnodel Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 Len had surgery first but he was staged as IB to begin with; then the surgery revealed the one mediastinal lymph node (which was removed) so he was bumped up to IIIA. He then had chemo, followed up by radiation in the mediastinum as a prophyllaxis. So far, so good... Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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