SamAjunior Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Well, here is the latest on my dad.. We met with the Oncologist last Friday and he started my dad on Radiation treatments this past Monday. This is day #4 and today has been his worst day so far with nauseu and lack of appetite. Yesterday was a better day for him, as were the previous days. The Oncologist imformed us that he has Stage IV NSLC and has spread to the lymph nodes. He feels that since my dad has lost about 15 pounds in the last couple of month and the fact that he's 71 years old, he probably wont be able to handle chemotherapy at this time. So for the time being it will be just radiation, and MAYBE later at some point he will try the chemo... He feels chemo will probably do more harm then good. What he wants to accomplish is to get some "response" from the radiation first, then see how it goes. Any insights on this will be appreciated. Thanks Sam Jr Staying positve REGARDLESS what they say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanS Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Hi, There is a very gentle chemo for NSCLC, and it rarely has ANY side effects and has been known to shrink NSCLC tumorsdown to size, so please ask your dad's onclogist about it....it is called navelbine. I a almost 100% sure that he can handle it. Also, taxotere is a little less gentle than navelbine, but is prety mild, and is used as well......Write this down and ask the oncologist about these drugs for your dad....Hoping for you...... Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norme Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 Hi Samjr, So sorry to hear about your dad's report. My husband is 70 years of age and has lost 60 lbs through all he has been through. Radiation was the worse thing so I can see where your onc is coming from. I have a very hard time understanding all of this for when they diagnosed my husband, they knew he had a tumor in his left upper lobe and decided that they would take the lung, he was 69 at the time.. they talked of giving him radiation and chemo first but said that statistic didn't show it being any more effective that way so surgery was called for. He was found to have two tumors and 5 out of 7 lymph nodes also had microscopic cells in them. After the oper they gave him chemo and radiation. He started at 210 lbs and now is 163. To make a long story short, he now has it in the liver and the onc is going to give him more chemo to try and stop the growth. they can only give him one type of med of the chemo because of his weight loss and his weakness. afraid if they tried two diff meds in the treatment that it would do him harm that couldnot be reversed. This is probably what they are saying about your father although he has only lost 15 lbs. This is the stuff i don't understand. Good luck to your dad....and you too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted July 25, 2003 Share Posted July 25, 2003 I agree with Jonathon, check into navelbine - it is used often for older patients. There have been a few studies where age did not matter so much as how healthy the patient is. How is he as far as health besides the cancer? Are there other lung related or other health problems such as kidney problems? http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=7!gid1=1166 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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