warmpup Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 snippet from surgeon's referal letter; -CUT- "We found a T2 N2 adenocarcinoma of the left lower lobe with nodes positive at station 5. At the time of surgery, grossly the tumor was adherent to the chest wass only partial chest wall resection reconruction, however, microscopically there was no evidence of cancer. I think he will need adjuvant chemo and radiation therepy" -CUT- So I described lymph node as access to the body's super highway to my general doc who replied with 'the prescribed therepy will probably give you five years' Because a lymph node was found affected with NSCLG I now have a limited life expectantcy even with chemo and radiation treatments??? Any one else have lymph node expierence ???? this has like knocked me off the emotional ladder completely . . I am now at the bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Go back and read your profile "they got it all"-- that's what I would concentrate on. With chemo and radiation who knows how long you have? Not a GP, it's not his specialty. Our primary told us John had about 4 months-- it's been over 5 years now. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 What is this need to slap expiration dates on people? They got it all! The chemo and radiation is to make sure. Try to get the "expiration date" out of your head and move forward with your treatment. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolhg Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 I was staged T1 N2 Stage 3A. I had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation before surgery. I had 20 lymph nodes and 1 rib bone removed during surgery and they all tested negative by pathology for cancer. I had two sessions of adjuvant chemo. That was in July 2005 all of my scans have been clear since. Many people have positive lymph nodes found during surgery and followup with chemo or chemo and radiation and live without being give a five year expiration date. Take all of your records and get a second opinion. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 I personally have no experience with lymph node involvement but what i'm reading is there giving you treatment to give you the very best chance of living a much longer life.Cancer is scary and very depressing but why not look at it this way(God has Given me more time to deal with my life)..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze100 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Hi Warmpup, My nodes were OK but I had big tumor too and 0.1mm margin - about the thickness of a hair! So I did chemo and radiation. Now almost 7 years out. Do you ski? When people tell me I am going to fall on a run (especially an expert) then it makes it 10 times harder. I always like to follow someone else down the hill, because no matter how hard it gets I know that it is possible. Sometimes it is very scary, lots of near falls and close calls, but often I am totally surprised to make it. Oh and by the way, my aunt was told basically the same thing as you when she had Breast cancer at age 82. She even passed on the treatment.... She made it to 99+ years old. Don't give up, give everything your best shot. Nobody but God knows how it will end. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 My mom was IIIA, meaning lymph involvement, and it is 3 years out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvillella Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 My Doctors constantly remind me that I am being treated Pallatively and that they can't cure me. What is funny is my wife and I both know this and the Oncologist that we see now can't really deal with his patients dying. Although they never give me a time frame I am almost 2 full years out from the first round and fought 2 others this year and may have one more to fight. Don't let the numbers fool you. You may get the magic bullet and live to a ripe old age. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 My sister had part of her lung removed and had some lymph nodes positive. She had radiation and chemo and 2 1/2 years later is still cancer free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Stay strong! My dad had "limited lymph node involvement," and he just rode the roller coaster at Arnold's Park - one year in to remission! Of course, we had a different type of cancer, but cancer still... Stay strong! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 You might want to ask about clinical trials. They may or not be right for you (your choice), but the more information the better There is NIH's National Cancer Institute, Georgetown and UMD for second opinions if you feel you need them. Obviously Johns Hopkins is one of the best Take care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogfam Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 My mom had lymph involvment as well, and that was seven years ago and she's doing great, even though she had a recurrence two years ago, with more lymphs involved as well. Today, she's NED! So, get back up to the top of that ladder! Stay Positive!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 I had surgery in 2003, news of stage IIIa and T2N2M0 were tossed about. I did radiation and two months of Iressa. No one said anything about merely squeaking by for five years, no one put limits on survival. My cancer was Adenocarcinoma, different animal than yours, but removed with clear margins and extra lymph nodes (three positive) to boot. My "margins"? Both the middle and lower lobe since the tumor fell in the fissure between them. Never EVER ever give someone the power to limit you. Your odds are damn good, step up to a treatment plan and quickly get a second opinion if you are confused on the which path to take. At the time I was going through treatment, adjuvant chemo was not offered, if it had been, I would have done it. Bald is beautiful... C'mon, step up. Now is not the time to be beaten down, you've just begun the fight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 I hope your climbing OFF that emotional ladder you spoke of. That's not the ladder you need to be on. HOWEVER, your story sounds like a LOT of ours and I'm not seeing anything to different in yours that isn't in 1000's of others. Remember I was a stage IIIB with lymph node involvment and I'm still here 12 year later. And I'm Not Alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warmpup Posted July 19, 2007 Author Share Posted July 19, 2007 Without Adjubant Chemotherapy 28.2% alive in 5 years With Adjuvant Chemotherapy 36.9 % alive in 5 years this was pulled from www.adjuvantonline.com 7/16/07 but stats were dated 2006 So I am to bet that I would be in the 'alive' group or the others?!?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raneyf Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Really, I'd say bet whatever you want, but at least you have a realistic chance. I'll trade with you today if you can figure out how to make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 "raneyf" ...I'll trade with you today if you can figure out how to make it happen. Sorry, Raney, wrong gender. I've got dibs on this trade! But there are a few things of my own I'd want to keep, like my opinion of statistics... Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ursol Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Forget statistics, You are cancer free right now..focus on that. Lilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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