lovelife Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Hi Everyone, I called Moms doctor in regards to the radiation she just started (which we thought was the reason she was becoming confused this past week.) The saw her right away and discovered two lesions on the brain. ITs been almost one year since she has had brain surgery and radiation (partial)...We hoped this would never happen... that it would come back but it looks like it did... she just did a brain scan three weeks ago that looked perfect....Cant believe how quickly things changed.... Just last month at the doctors appt they said no cancer activity in the whole body, and they were just doing radiation on the lung for the one tumor that is visible but died, so they wanted to get rid of it... Does anyone know if that tumor in lung most likely became active which caused lesions in the brain... I thought that has to be a tumor or some kind of activity somewhere else in the body for it to go to the brain. I'm sure they will do another pet scan they just did one last month. Hopefully the steriods they put her on last night before she left the hospital will bringing the swelling down in her brain, so she will be less confused. I saw a difference this morning, seemed better then yesterday. you can have a normal conversation with her , but she can even tell you when she is having a moment and gets confused. She said to me I hope the doctors dont tell me I can die... It breaks my heart to see her upset, but i'm being so very strong for her. She is waiting for the brain specialist the one who actually did her brain surgery last year to call her. They are gonna meet and go over a game plan. I hope there is a game plan and they can do something. THe radiologist said one lesion is very very small and the other one is larger. She's beat all the odds this year, I asked myself this morning, can she do it again? is it possible to get rid of these two lesions? or is god telling us something? I stayed up all night in tears, and today I start fighting. IF anyone can share anything with me I would appreciate it.... I"m the one that holds my family together and puts on the strong face. So thank you for letting me share my feelings.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlysue50 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I am sorry to hear your mom's brain tumors have recurred. Do you know if they were considered metastases from her lung cancer or if they were unrelated brain cancer? My understanding, from my own situation, is that once the cancer spreads outside of the original tumor, is that there are cells in that new location that can grow. In metastatic spread, the cancer cells are spread through the blood stream to new locations. In my case I have spread to bones, brain, adrenal gland, liver and the second lung. My treatment has been able to shrink tumors in all those areas and except the liver and the lower left lobe of my lung. They consider those areas scar tisue. I guess it is important to find out what stage your mom's cancer is at. If it is stage 4, it is not curable, but can be treated as a chronic condition. I have been treating my cancer for over one year now and am doing very well. People can live for many years with stage 4 cancer. They are usually monitored closely and will usually be undergoing some sort of treatment during those years. Also, I can't remember if you mentioned what type of lung cancer your mom has. I have non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adenocarcinoma. When I went to my oncologist, I had him write things down for me. I did not know what all the terms meant, or how they would affect my treatment. It took awhile, but the more I learned, the more managable it all seemed. It is important to get all the information you can and be sure your mom gets the correct treatment for her condition. Things can seem pretty scary when you are not sure what is happening. When you get the information you need to find out what is really going on, you can focus on your treatment plan, and how you can best support your mom through it. I know it can be intimidating to ask the doctors questions, but the more you know, the better you will be able to support your mom. It is natural to be afraid, but as you see the stories of hope on this forum, there are many others going through similar situations. You might want to try posting in some of the other forums to get some new perspectives: Lung cancer survivors, the General forum. Survivor stories. There are always good stories in the good news forum and the Just for Fun forum has positive news from the daily lives of those of us surviving lung cancer or someone who loves someone with lung cancer. It will help you believe that life can go on and you can have joy in your life, even while facing down this disease. Focus on what you can do, not what is out of your control. Love your mom and be strong for her. When YOU need support come here and we will support and encourage you the best we can. You are not alone. (((HUGS))) Susan Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianew Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I will be keeping you and your mom in my prayers. I do know that once you have all the information, and treatment has started, things seem more manageable. Please keep us posted. Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 It is a roller coaster ride. Please keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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