Confused! - cell types and progression

[Bettina]

Hi all,

Unfortuantly my mums "hopefully NED" did not turn out to be NED.

Brain clear, Lung clear - YES! And an enlargement of af node in the axilla area meas. 1,3 x 1,7 was noted.

But doctors were pretty sure it was reactive from surgery. Untill she examined..

Suddently she was looking vey stressed, and told us there were two nodes high in the axilla. Were talking about biopsy and ultrasound.

Mum went to ultrasound and biopsy last week. The doctor took the test, and told her "it almost looked infectious" - mum were thrilled!

Last week we went to see the oncologist for answer: It was metastasis. I asked for a cell type to be sure: They told me it was an adenocarcinom. I was quite confused: After surgery our doctor told us it was the large-cell in the lung, and now they are talking about an adeno being a metastasis of the lung?

Also confused because there were no metastasis elsewhere, and the doctor examined the nodes in chest to be N0 during and have not spread to the chest wallsurgery?

Both her brain metastadis were gone after her first round of cisplatin + vinorelbine, but axilla nodes wasn't there at surgery in march, but 2 x 2 centimeters now? Is such a mixed progression normal?

And now what is making me really angry: They have said they would treat it like an lung cancer, and give her taxotere. Wouldnt it make sene to make a mammography at this point? And wouldnt radiation help at this point?

I know this is a very long post - sorry! Just wanted to get your opinion

Hugs,

Bettina

[john]

I think a patient can sometimes be staged as N0 but there may be micrometastasis that can not be seen.

Since there was an isolated brain met then it is stage IV. And since it was isolated there was surgery in both the lung and brain. (I think this is the right approach from what I have read, but am not a Dr not medical professional, so my opinion doesnt count much)

Pathology is not always exact. I was told large cell neuroendocrine by one Dr and another said adeno???

There are two types of cancer

small cell and non small cell

Non small cell has three sub types

1) squamous

2) adeno

3) large cell.

Large cell is the categorie if the "look" of the cells do not match squamous or adeno. Also cancers can be mixed.

The bottom line is that it does not matter what subtype of non small cell the cancer is: The treatment is based on stage and other factors.

Until targeted drugs are developed for the different types of cancer