wondermom Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Just wondering if it is possible to be restaged from stage 4 to something better? My mom is currently stage 4 and it is disheartening to see that many clinical trials are only for stage 3 or up. If she would respond well to her chemo/radiation, would it be possible for her to be restaged or once you are diagnosed are you always stage 4 even though you may roller coaster back and forth? Do the clinical trials only look at your initial diagnoses when deciding to allow you in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda661 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 This has been a past issue of debate since I joined here. Your "staging" never changes as I understood it here, but you can be deemed improved from it (i.e. getting better or not). I know our docs. did do re-staging tests on my mom along the way. I would imagine that you could qualify for clinical trials if conditions improve along the way, based on a re-staging after treatment. Hopefully others might know more than me here, but it is plausible that you could qualify later on from what my experience and research has been (not an expert though). Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 i can not find anything to for or against this question on-line. I would sugggest for an officvial answer to direct you to the Ask the expert forum. Dr Wesrt is our official Oncologist her and I am sure He can help from a professsional standpoint with this question. Good Luck and sending prayers tonite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I understand that your staging stays the same, unless it is a new cancer. You can have stage IV and have it considered IIIb by a different doctor. Mine was stage IIIb and I was told that some doctors would consider it stage IV and they did. I don’t know if that helps any. Stay positive, Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Another option that it is probably a small one is trying to get a drug under "compassionate use" You have to remember though that a clinical trial might actually make QOL and life shorter than longer so it is difficult decision. http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/100_exp.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Initially I was staged as 3b......the doc at NIH thought perhaps I had been overstaged, but due to many circumstances it remained unclear. At any rate.....I was 3a or 3b. Then I had chemo, rad., surgery, and adjuvant chemo and attained a NED status. Carolhg and I were believing that this would change one's status. The head of thoracic oncology at the National Institutes of Health told me this......I am a 'recovering' stage 3 whatever. It does NOT change. I thought I could start all over again at stage 0 ! You CAN, however, progress from stage 1 or 2 or 3 upward.....just can't go back. That is my understanding of what he explained to me. I meet with him Wed. morning and if I get through all the other issues I need to discuss, I will double check his reasoning. Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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