Guest Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Hi I am 59 and was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in 11/00. I received 6 cycles of chemo (cartoplatin & VP-16) and 30 rounds of radiation to the spot in my lung. I went into remission for about 1 year. A new spot appeared in the other lung (much, much smaller) in January of 2002. I am again going thru the same chemo (cycles are every 3 weeks). My tumor is stable and the cancer is not anywhere else in my body. I have seen Doctors in North Carolina (Duke University) and Las Vegas (SW Cancer Center) and Chicago. They all agreed on my past treatment. 2 of the Dr.s do say I should change my chemo medication. One Dr. does not agree with my Dr. on taking my chemo one day by IV and 2 days with pills. I need to research this more. Update: 3/14/03..New c-scan shows tumor is a little larger,altho cancer is nowhere else..just lung..recent biopsy shows it is small cell again. .I on new chemo once a week (Taxotere) Have nupregen shots 3 times a week..Feeling ok..Anyone else similar situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlon Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Hi Fran, I don't know much about small cell LC, but my mom was a stage IIIB/IV NSCLC patient with malignant fluid around her lung. I just wanted to mention Block Medical Center to you, because that's where my mom switched over to. They are in Evanston, and along with regular chemo, give you additional support such as supplements, herbs, exercise and special diet to help you beat this thing. The chemo is the same exact dosage you would get at a hospital. My mom's recent PET and CT scans came back clean, and now she is recuperating from her lung re-expansion surgery. They say that the reason why cancer recurs is because the underlying terrain, the body, is still not healthy enough, and thus is conducive to the growth of recurrances. The center's had lots of successes with recurrences. They do take insurance, so you don't have to worry about that. But the most important thing is that with their protocol, you will deal with less complications, less side effects, and less hospitalizations. Most people don't even lose their hair. Just letting you know. 8 months after a "terminal diagnosis", my mom is showing all the signs of being in remission now. Also, you can look into chemosensitivity testing, where they take a sample of your tumor and try all the chemo drugs and combinations on it. They say with this test you have a 2 - 3 times higher chance of response, and SCLC responds pretty good to chemo. The place that does it is in Long Beach, and they are called Rational Therapeutics. My mom's oncologist at Block Medical Center works with them routinely, because they like to think outside the box when appropriate. Their website is rational-t.com I imagine you've already tried Northwestern Memorial. Other than that, I would recommend Lutheran General. That is where my mom had surgery. They have a lot of specialists and they have been wonderful to us so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveG Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Fran: Welcome to Lung Cancer Survivors for Change. As our name implies we are about SURVIVING. We offer HOPE, FAITH, LOVE, and SUPPORT. You will probably find heavy doses of LOVE AND SUPPORT. Everyone here has a vey close relationship to Lung cancer, be it either a survivor, or family member/caregiver. I have one question: Which Chicago Suburb? If you don't wish to say here, send me a Private Message, by clicking on the PM at the bottom of this post. I noted your age and see we are the same. I grew up in Park Ridge and graduated from Maine East (61). My trip to and settling in Baraboo is a long story which spans 20 years of my life and literally 10's of thousands of miles (I was career Army). All of us, who are survivors, have experienced the pain of lung cancer, whether we have been through surgery, chemo, or radiation. Many here understand, quite well, what you are going through. Again welcome to LUNG CANCER SURVIVORS FOR CHANGE. We are sorry that you have had to find us. Please, make yourself at home here. You are among many friends and one big family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Fran, I don't have good advice for you as my limited experience is with NSCLC, but just wanted to say "hi" and that I'm glad you found this message board even though the circumstances are not the best. Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlon Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Dave, What a coincidence. My mom had her surgery at Lutheran General which is in Park Ridge. But you probably already know that Small world ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveG Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 During my Sophomore and Junior year of high school, we used to sit in the class rooms, on the east side of the high school, and watch the construction of Lutheran General. It was big hospital back then and, from I understand, even bigger now. I haven't been back to Park Ridge for years. I think the last time I was there was in 1988, or 89. I have heard that there is no more room for building. When I left there in 1961, I think the population was about 30,000. There 775 in my graduating class. When my daughter graduated from Baraboo High school in 1990, her graduating class was 190. In june of 1961, it took 3 hours to hand out the diplomas, I think my daughter's graduation was over in 30 minutes. Yes, it is a small world. I do enjoy the small town atmosphere of Baraboo. 12 cars down our road in a day is a traffic jam. The other night I stepped outside and heard coyotes howling in the distance. On any given day, I can step outside our house, see deer in the 90 acre field to the south, look to the sky and see a hawk or bald eagle soaring, and in the summer see the sand hill cranes circling overhead with their interesting way of flying. We have Devils Lake State Park to the west and Devils Head Ski area to the east. I have 20 acres of land which is mostly natural woods. About a week ago I walked my woods for the first time since either my surgeries. I haven't gone out to walk my woods because my land is on the side of a hill, and is really some pretty rough terrain to walk. I am having my woods logged out this year, oak (15 inches indiameter minimum) and hickory only. By the time they are done looging, it will be diffuclt, from the road, to tell that the woods have been logged. I probably have 10's of thousands of trees on my land and they expect to take maybe 500-600 trees, which will be only a small dent. The woods were last logged out in 1981 and it has overgrown emmensely since then. I pray that your mother is doing well. Also that Fran is doing well. I love this group as we get to know each toher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny G. Posted April 17, 2003 Share Posted April 17, 2003 Hi Fran, I just wanted to see how you are doing and thank you for the help you have given me. I feel like we probably have a lot in common. You're just a little ahead of me in what you have gone through and are going through. I hope you have settled into a plan of action and things are going well. Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Hi Jenny, I had a little scare this past month. I was feeling real blah and my voice was hoarse. I went for chest c-scan & brain MRI...showed no cancer anywhere else..but left lung and maybe nodes. Tumor did grow a little so we changed my chemo from taxotere to taxol. This past week i coudn't walk 10 feet without losing my breath..Went to Dr. today for weekly Chemo and she ordered me a chest xray...because she heard something in my right lung....Very nervous...I waited for the xray films, brought them to my Dr. and she said I have a bad cold....YES...!! I was so nervous thinking my right lung was cancer too...but No..God is still with me...As I know he is with you... HOw are you with your chemo/radiatiion treatments? Take care, Have a happy & healthy Easter season.. Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyd Posted April 18, 2003 Share Posted April 18, 2003 Dear Fran, God bless that cold, and God bless all the sneezes from the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanna M. Posted April 22, 2003 Share Posted April 22, 2003 Fran, I am so sorry your cancer has come back. I am praying that this new treatment works and kicks this new tumor's butt!!!!!! Hang in there, we're here for you. ((((((hugs)))))))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jonathan Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 I want to reccommend a couple of things to you. The first, is that I want you to know that we have one of the top ten cancer hospitals in the United States right here in Chicago! The University of Chicago Hospitals' and the Center for Advanced Medicine are ranked 6th best in cancer by US News and World Reports annual rankings of America's bes hospitals. they have oncologists there that work together in teams, and are experts in lung cancer. Dr. Charles Rudin MD PhD specializes in small cell, and there is all kinds of research going on there. Even though you live in the suburbs, TRAVEL! Trust me it is worth it!!! The care is so superb and on the cutting edge there! If you do not believe me go to www.uchospitals.edu and order your free cancer video and learn about how they treat cancer. You seem to be in the early stages and you seem to uusually have some resistance to it because it went and stayed into remission for so unusually long. I want you to have the best shot! If you ever want to talk, call me after 9pm, at (773)817 2494. I live in the Bridgeport area, (near Comisky park) around 35th street, and I am a premed student that is going to go into oncology. See, my mom died of this disease, and i am dedicated to helping others to beat it!!! By the way, the other thing i wanted to tell you about is a drug called CPT-11 (irrenotecan) which is a new drug that is showing dramatic results in sall cell patients. Please call me or email me at te11t@aol.com I would love to help you. Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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