beachnut Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Hi Everone: Wanted to fill you in on the latest with my husband, Jack. We had our initial appt. with the oncologist yesterday afternoon. Really liked the doctor. They say that my husband's second cancer is stage 1B or 2 because it has not spread. That is a good thing. the mass is about 5.5 cm though. He is a candidate for surgery which is the only cure - but with his lung function since his previous surgery and with his other health problems the surgery is too large a risk. He might not make it through the surgery and there would be a 50% chance they couldn't get him off the ventilator. The doctors feel if he made it through the surgery he would be left in a wheelchair and on oxyget 24/7. He would not be happy living in that way. Therefore, we have chosen the treatment route. We have our first appt. with the radiation Dr. tomorrow (Wed.) at 11:30 a.m. He is also scheduled for a CT guided needle biopsy on Friday at Noon. The docs feel this is another NSCLC but won't know for sure until biopsy. We will either have radiation or radiation with chemo. The oncologist stated yesterday that we know that radiation will shrink the tumor atleast 50% but don't know if it will do more than that. He said that with treatment it might stop it from growing but that it would probably start growing again in 6-12 mos. and then we would be looking at chemo. He is not a candidate at this time for cyberknife because of the size of the tumor. They told us yesterday that with treatment we are looking at a probable 1-2 year life span. I know they have to give you the worse case senario so hopefully we can have better results than this. Jack is a little down and I am doing my best to stay positive and keep his spirits up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Please don't get hung up with all the statistics. Nobody can say with any certainty how long someone may survive after tx of any kind. There are MANY right here who have DEFIED the odds and the stats................one gal's mother was given something like 6 months and that was 8 YEARS ago. So hang onto the hope that whatever tx is done will stop the lc in its tracks for a very long time.....maybe even longer than that. Just remember that there are folks on the + side of the stats. Don't know why it couldn't be Jack! Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Bless your heart. Thanks for the update. Keep us posted. Life is most certainly an up and down road. Stay strong and know we are praying for you and Jack. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Hi Shirley, I was wondering how Jack was doing. I am so glad that like his doctor as to have confidence in your physican is very helpful in his treatments. Do not listen to stasticts as they are just a number. So many here have beaten the odds and doing so well. So put stasticts out of your mind and just take one day at a time. Keep that positive attitude and know we are right there in your corner with our boxing gloves on. You have a hull ahead of your but you will get through this. I could understand why he is down, who wouldn't be after all he has been through? Once he starts treatment he will feel better. Also, when the time comes and his nodes have shrunk then maybe he could be a canditate for cyberknife. We are always here for you. NEVER, GIVE UP!!! that is NOT an option. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welthy Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Sending all my best wishes for success with the regimen you have chosen. Hang tough and my prayers for both of you. Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Hi Shirley: From what I have read, a 5.5 cm tumor is not too big for cyberknife. I have a 4.5 by 7 cm tumor and had it treated last June. I had it previously radiated a year ago and ck was the only radiation option available this year. In my case they had to curtail the dose with the objective of controlling the tumor rather than killing it because of its size. They told me that a margin of healthy tissue around the tumor gets 30% of the dose delivered to the tumor, and I needed a larger space of healthy tissue that would not get that level of dose. If I had a smaller tumor, some healthy tissue would get dosed, but not all. So, because my tumor was so large, too much healthy tissue would get a high dose and I would have problems with pneumonitis. Lowering the overall dose gives my healthy tissue a chance to recover. But I think they could kill your husband’s tumor. Have you asked the radiation oncologists at the ck message board about it? If you go with the conventional treatment, and get some shrinkage, you can still hit it later with ck and finish it off. http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/ Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share Posted August 14, 2007 You are all making me feel so much better. I did feel a little down today or maybe overwhelmed would be the word. The support from you all makes it so much easier. We are positive that we can beat this thing down. God bless you all really good because you bless so many folks here on this site. I love you all for being so helpful and kind!!! I just hope that one day I can be as much of a support to someone else as you all have been to me. I will update after our first appt. with the radiation dr. tomorrow. Shirley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Had you considered getting a second opinion on the risk associated with surgery? I had my right upper lobe removed in June 2003 (at age 64). The tumor was 3.1 cm. (1B). Then I had chemo (carbo and taxol - 4 cycles). I had followup CTs everty 3 months. In Nov 2004 (18 months later)a tumor was found in my upper left lobe. I had that lobe removed the day after Thanksgiving. Two and a half weeks later we moved from VA to FL and I started chemo again (cisplatin and gemzar that time). It took a long time to recover from the second surgery and chemo and I was sob for a long, long time. Now, I'm fine. The sob is gone and I have lots of energy. Jack's situation may be very different than mine, but this certainly worked for me. Good luck. Muriel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share Posted August 14, 2007 The surgery risk is higher for him because of other health issues. We have consulted 3 doctors and they all feel that if Jack had the surgery that the likelyhood is great that he would be left a pulmonary cripple. If they could have done a wedge or segment we would have chosen the surgery, but he cannot afford to lose half the left lung and have any quality of life. I sure wish he could have the surgery, but he doesn't want to risk being in a wheelchair and on oxygen 24/7 which is what they said would probably happen. I'm so glad that your surgery went well and that you have done so well. I hope that you will continue to have a wonderful life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welthy Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Beach, Oxygen 24/7 isn't a biggie, but the really bad shortness of breath that reaches wheelchair proportions is a very big thing. That is where we are at with Tony right now and he hates it with a passion. He can't do much of anything because of his compromised breathing. I do think that there are many people who have respiratory therapy and do quite well with less lung tissue, but you are right to factor in his other health issues. I'm sure this has been a very tough call. I would check into cyber-knife as Don mentioned. Good luck. Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share Posted August 14, 2007 Jack is stll working full time right now. He has been in law enforcement for 40+ years. He is the longest serving person in our county. He works at the jail right now and has a cushy job. He supervises some inmates who do the laundry and clean the kitchen and building. He dosn't do any physical work himself, just sits around and makes sure the inmates get it done. He would be miserable if he couldn't work and they are willing to work with him on his hours and time. Right now he works 12 hr. shifts. He works two, off two, works three, off two, works two, off three, etc. He works 6 pm till 6 am. He wants to work as long as he can and we need him to be able to keep his insurance as long as we can, too. All of his friends are at work and they pamper him so he eats it up. He says he would be miserable if he couldn't go in some. They have all been kind and said they would do whatever with his time when he has a problem working. That's one reason he didn't want to become a pulmonary cripple. We have checked into cyberknife and were told to shrink the tumor down some and that we could do that later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Beach, I'm glad your husband has something to do to keep him active. Good luck on getting the tumor shrunk enough for the cyberknife! Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatlemike Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Im so sorry it came back.My prayers go out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlegirl Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Just wanted to let you know that my mom also was not a candidate for surgery because of the breathing issue and tumor was too large for cyberknife. She had chemo and radiation (chemo was cut short as she was having issues eating toward the end) and her doctors have told her she has been in remission for the last year or so. We just had her follow-up visit last week and doc said she is doing great. Reducing the size of the tumor did help to improve her breathing for a bit, it is worse now due to getting over walking pnemonia. Her tumor did not completely disappear, but we believe it is just a dead mass now. Good Luck! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Shirley....Just listen to all this advise and then open up your widest window and throw all of these statistics right out. I think the one things we have all learned from dealing with cancer is that statistics do nothing more than scare us into a complete frenzy. Always explore your options, get second (or third) opinions and always talk things through with Jack. I'll be saying lots of prayers for both of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted August 15, 2007 Author Share Posted August 15, 2007 Had appt. with radiation doc today. Jack really liked him and so did I. He feels that we will be doing chemo along with the radiation. Was tatooed for the radiation today and has first treatment scheduled for 8/22. He will have a CT guided needle biopsy this Friday (Aug. 17) and we will then know more about the dx and the chemo when we get back with his oncologist. Have rescheduled our beach trip from September to 10/20-24 so hopefully we will be able to make it by then. That is what the radiation doc suggested. Just ready to get the biopsy over and done with. Hopefully he won't have a collapsed lung from it. He will have to be in observation for 4-6 hours after the biopsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Don’t bet the farm on the doctor’s predictions. Surgery may or may not be the only cure, but living with cancer and dieing of old age at 99 is a good thing too. When I started my first chemo one doctor said 16 to 18 months tops. Here I am two years later starting my second fight. They don’t predict anymore. Oh yes the first time they told me how sick that I would be with chemo. I haven’t had a sick day yet. Tell jack that I am praying for that he starts feeling better and starts fighting with all he has. Stay positive, Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze100 Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Hi Shirley, This is hard news....I was worried you guys would go surgery route which sounded very risky. Where there is life, there is always hope. Prayers tonight for you and your husband. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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