Stage 1A and Chemo

[nonni]

Hi ya'all....I have been reading past posts and come across one where the patient was wondering about taking chemo being she was an early stage...

I was 1A and my onc was strongly against chemo even thou it had just came out it may be benefical for some early stage....I think they meant 1B..not sure..

Connie B. you mentioned in this particular post that 'they are coming out more and more to have chemo for early stage"...I would like to know where you read that...since I have been dx ..I have researched and researched and I have not read ONE THING about having chemo for 1A...matter of fact they are strongly against it...being it would be far more risk than beneficial....Connie..no pun intended but if you could find an article on chemo for 1A...please sent it to me...I will show my onc...thanks...

Best wishes to everyone...stay well ...get well and God Bless each and every one of us....hugs PamS.

[gail]

I asked about the same thing when those reports first came out, maybe 2 years ago. My onc told me I still wouldn't be recommended for chemo.

gail

[DrWest]

The vast majority of the research on giving chemo after surgery is in stage IB to IIIA NSCLC. A "meta-analysis" that pooled data from several clinical trials of post-op chemo for various stages concluded that chemo for stage IA was detrimental. Although there are some controversies about who should be recommended to receive post-operative chemo, stage IA has little or no controversy, because just about every expert as well as regular oncologist agrees that, at best, there is little or no evidence for it, and it may be harmful.

I summarize the evidence on post-operative chemo on my website. This includes very little on stage IA, because this stage is felt to have too good a prognosis to offer a treatment with a real toxicity risk that could be greater than the minimal or no added benefit expected. The relevant posts are here:

http://onctalk.com/2006/10/28/chemo-aft ... cer-nsclc/

http://onctalk.com/2006/10/30/what-are- ... motherapy/

In short, no experts or guidelines for best treatment make a recommendation to give post-operative chemo to stage IA.

I hope that helps.

[Don M]

My first cancer was stage 1b. I did no chemo. My second cancer was staged 1A after surgery. Since it was my second cancer and within a year, I asked for and received adjuvant chemo. It apparently did not do any good though, since I had a 3rd cancer in my remaining lung within another year.

Don M

[nonni]

Thank you Dr. West for clarifying this for me...It alway's was to my understanding ...no chemo after 1A surgery...and of course listening to my surgeon and my 'onc'...and chief oncoligist at the John Hopkins seminar...

Thank you Katie and for all that replied...and I am sure Connie was talking about a later early stage..

Sorry guys...just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything...

Dr West...thanks again for being 'aboard' for us...I am SURE you will be a tremendous help to all of us...regards...PamS.

[Connie B]

I'm sorry Pam if I mislead you on some information. I would have to see the post your talking about, but I sent you a PM. I think I stated early stages but I didn't say which early stage. (I'm sorry) I got this information from (ALCASE) Alliance for Lung Cancer over a year ago. I don't think even that article stated stages, I think it was worded (early stage lc). I believe you can still find it on there website. Plus it was on the World News, plus we have Onc. Doctor's attend our In Person Lung Cancer Support Group that shared this information with us about a year or so ago. They to were talking in General when they said (early stages) They honestly didn't state which stage.

Onc Doc's come to our Support Group as Guest Speakers and they answer questions for all of us LC Survivors and then they share News of new treatment options they may hear of, etc, etc, etc., with us after they have attended the Cancer Confrences.

Best wishes. (((((((Pam))))))))))