hope4life Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Hi all, Mom just finished 4 cycles of chemo (carbo/gemzar) a few weeks ago. She has NSCLC adenocarcinoma stage IIIA after left upper lobectomy last September. Her oncologist only recommeded adjuvant chemo and no radiation. After reading many of your profiles, it seems that most if not all people with stage IIIA or above have also received radiation along with the chemo. Just wondering if anyone else out there also did not receive any radiation (or chose not to) and why your oncologist made this decision. Thanks in advance for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiredmom959 Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 You can read by my mom's profile that never, in her 18 months of treatment, did anyone ever suggest radiation. I know she had great doctors ... right after her death, I asked Dr. West why that might be on onctalk. He said that unless there is one concentrated area of cancer, they use a more systemic chemo. Or in a case where a tumor is blocking an airway, pressing on something, etc. I questioned why it wasn't an option as opposed to surgery when the cancer had shrunk and was believed to just be left in one lobe. Dr. West says the treatment my mom had sounded very typical (and as I said, I definitely don't second guess the docs she had). But I'm with you, it does seem like so many on this board get radiation of some type at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary colleen Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 My husband was stage 2b at diagnosis, had a lobectomy, and had chemo...no radiation. I guess my take is that once the actual primary mass has been removed, there is nothing to radiate. Chemo is then the systemic approach. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I agree with Mary Colleen. What is there to radiate? You need something to aim at and if the lobe is gone, any cancer surrounding the tumor would be gone too. Yes, some who have surgery also have radiation, but I think that's done if the cancer comes back and for whatever reason, surgery isn't an option. I had surgery followed by chemo. Muriel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leela Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 My mom's radiation oncologist explained it this way - "I am like a spot welder - just concentrating on a problem area. The chemo goes throughout the body to take of the rest." Don't know if that helps at all, but like the others have said, there would be nothing there to radiate. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisa Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I was stage 3a (see my profile below) and did not have radiation. Maybe because it appeared "they got it all" so there was nothing they could see to radiate. I was told I only needed adjuvant chemo in case of any escaped cells that couldn't be seen. Or maybe the doctors thought to save the radiation should it be necessary for me in the future .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley (MLC) Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 My mom (stage IV) presented with a very large tumor in her right lung (over 7cm) I believe the Dr. felt this was too large an area to radiate as it could cause too much damage to the tissue around the tumor. She has only had chemo (so far) Shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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