Lung Cancer in the News on ABC.com

[karen335]

Hi All,

Just finished watching ABC news here in California. Lung cancer in the news for advanced LC. New meds Avastin and Tarceva. Has anyone heard of any Clinical Trials using these targeted medicines or id anyone in these trials currently?

Please post any information you may have regarding these meds or whatever you may know.

Go to abc.com Go to: Shows A-Z, then ABC News, then World News Tonight, then Hope for Lung Cancer..........

Praying for a "Cure" for all of us.

God Bless

Karen

[Guest Michael]

Thanks for posting. I wasn't aware of the broadcast. I just reviewed it and it was quite interesting especially early detection using CT Scan. I'm a caregiver to someone with lung cancer and also lost someone to this disease 4 years ago. Since I'm a former long term smoker, I've been having a CT Lung Scan every year since 1999 (no doctors prescription is necessary). The cost is $250 at a major non-profit medical center. After the first year, it's FREE every year thereafter. This program is supported by a very wealthy family who have set up a Foundation to provide this test to former and current smokers. Private centers charge about $425. Money well spent. I'm having another one late this month for free. I've advised many long term smokers and current smokers to get this test and not one has done so. One of the reasons is that it's not reimbursable. One person told me, "if I have lung cancer, I don't want to know." The CT Scan can detect a tumor the size of a sesame seed. I'm very close to a long term current smoker and even offered to pay for the test and she refused. "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink."

[Guest]

Ok Michael,

Where is this CT center?

[Guest Michael]

It's in New York City. www.wehealnewyork.org/earlylung. The phone is 212 590-2999. I just looked at the site and they have changed there policy. The first scan is FREE. After the first one there is a nomimal charge. Also, the site indicates you must be at least 50 years old. Now this makes absolutely NO sense. This means that someone who is 45 years old and has smoked for 30 years doesn't qualify. Well, I guess when it's free they can make these rules. What I like about the program is that you don't need permission from a doctor to get this CT Scan. About a week after the test they send you a letter regarding the result or you can telephone the next day. If you don't qualify or don't live in NYC look for a diagnostic center near you and get the test done. To find one use a search engine and type in the words CT Scan followed by your city. Example: CT Lung Scan Atlanta. You should also consider taking a CT Heart Scan at the same time. I did the first time in 1999 and was told that I had above average calcification in the arteries. My score was 334 which was high for my age. Above 400 = DANGER ZONE. I immediately made some diet and lifestyle changes and I'm taking supplements for the heart like CQ10, Hawthorne Berries, Garlic, Alpha Lipoic Acid and several others. I'm having another one late this month and hopefully I'm still at 334 score. PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE. Doctors will never tell you about these tests. Why? Well, there's no profit in prevention only in treating illnesses. For cancer prevention, the #1 supplement is the trace mineral Selenium which cost about 4 cents a day. Also Green Tea is another winner. I'm a caregiver to someone with lung cancer and have lost many family members, coworkers and friends with both cancer and heart disease. For this reason, I consider prevention crucial. Of course there are no guarantees. I'm certain of one thing: I won't die young (LOL) not at my age. My apology for the long message but hopefully it will help someone.

[bobmc]

Hey Karen, thanks for the info., Yes, more Hope on the Horizon!!!

And Michael, take it from a 1- lunger, what your doing is very, very smart. , So sorry for your friend though, might want to tell her that denial can get her dead, better, yet show her some messages here.

I'm looking at the watch on my wrist, got it with Marlboro Miles, Yea, cost me a lung and I'm one of the lucky ones. Thinking, it sure would have be nice to use them miles for scans. To only, know then what I do today. Just dreaming, but actually there the suckers who otta be paying for the scans. Yea, I'm a little bitter.

Anyway, enough,

God bless and be well and keep doing what your doing

Bobmc- NSCLC- stageIIB- left pnemonectomy- 5/2/01

" absolutely insist on enjoying life today!"

[karen335]

Michael,

Thanks for the information. Any medical news that we all can read that is beneficial to all who read it is truly a plus. I know speaking for myself, I didn't know all the tests or things I should be aware of being a smoker. We didn't have all the warnings about the harm we were doing to our lungs and body. We smoked and became addicted and it was the cool thing to do. Now we are paying the price for ignorance. But we will beat this ugly monster. I truly beleive there is a "CURE" in the horizon.

I am so glad that the news media is finally promoting the stop smoking campaigns. The states are finally spending the tobacco money awarded for something other than special interests. I wouldn't have said this back in January, but I think cigarette tax should be imposed each year until it gets to the point of where no one can afford to buy them. Then a law needs to be written that the money cannot be used for anything else except research and promoting stop smoking ads.

I guess I'm just ranting. Thanks for listening.

Bob, you are very welcome.

God Bless and praying for a "Cure" for all of us....

Karen

[Remembering Dave]

Hi, this is David C's wife, Karen.

Yep, he has a couple of things he got with Marlboro miles. Wouldn't it be nice if you could earn CT scans with miles, I LOVE that idea!

The only reason I mention to folks that Dave's smoking caused his cancer is because it did. When he was in the hospital being diagnosed, the oncologist looked him straight in the eye and said "your kind of lung cancer is almost always caused by smoking and if you smoke again, no matter what we do for you, you will probably die" I assume by "your kind" he meant SCLC. I was glad he was so straightforward with Dave and he is a kind man, he did not say it as punishment, just wanted to arm Dave with every bit of information he needed to fight this thing to win.

So, I mention to people I know who are smokers that my husband has LC and his smoking caused it. I walk right up to them on the loading dock of our office bldg where they smoke and tell them. All I get are blank looks, looks that say "sorry, but it won't happen to me". I will say, however, that this past weekend I was at a family wedding out of town and was telling a cousin's 23 year old daughter this - she smokes - and she just looked at me, her jaw dropped, and said "wow". I would bet she stops. She is a budding musician and admires Dave so hopefully I got through to someone in time.

All of that being said, there are plenty of folks on this board who never smoked and got lung cancer. They don't deserve to be pre-judged by anyone because people may assume they smoked. The folks on this board who did smoke and got lung cancer certainly don't deserve to be judged, either. No one deserves to get this nasty disease, whether you were very careful with your health or not. It is probably the most awful thing that can happen to a person.

I just wanted to add my two cents worth.

Oh, by the way, I do tell some folks if they choose to continue smoking they should get their lungs checked periodically. One lady I work with tells me her husband smokes - and he is a technician who works on the radiation machinery at the big teaching hospital here in town (one of the top cancer centers in the country). He SEES people's xrays and CT scans and stuff from lung cancer - she asked him to get his lungs scanned and he said it wouldn't happen to him!

God Bless to everyone on this Board,

Karen C.