Has anyone ever had sugery when they were diagnosed stage4?

[wondermom]

Just wondering if anyone was diagnosed stage 4 nsclc and told no surgery was possible and then ended up having surgery because the chemo or whatever treatment you were having worked well enough that surgery then became an option?

[john]

I don't think surgery is used for Stage 4 after chemo.

There are certain stage 4 patients that qualify for surgery such as an isolated brain or adrenal met. This is not usual though.

For stage IIIa and maybe b, sometimes radiation/chemo is used first and then surgery may be done if there is a good response.

Surgery and radiation (in general) is a "local" therapy. Patients that are stage 4 have a "systemic" disease so the whole body needs to be treated.

[Donna G]

I met an 8 year stage 4 lung cancer survivor just a couple of days ago. When he was first diagnosed he was stage 4 and he had aggressive chemotherapy. He became NED! He did have a reoccurance after a few years but since it was just one place with no other signs of lung cancer that did a thorocotomy followed by more chemo and now cancer free since 00'

Donna G

[wondermom]

Thanks Donna!

That is extremely wonderful to hear. Do you know where his mets were that made him stage 4? My mom's are in her brain. She has two small ones.

Jill

[SBeth]

My husband had brain surgery to remove several mets to the brain after being diagnosed Stage IV NSCLC in May 2005. Shortly after recovering from the brain surgery, he endured a wedge resection to the lung to remove the tumor on the lung. Best of luck to you in your treatment.