Newbie-stage three lung cancer warrior

[Clarinet bob]

I started treatment today with chemotherapy. Six days on, four weeks off. Rinse and repeat. Radiation Five days a week for approx. 30 treatments. Both the oncologist and Radiation Dr both used the cure word. Lower left love and two closest lymph nodes are affected. I am 60 and play a lot of tennis. Any advice is appreciated.

[Tom Galli]

Bob,

 

Welcome here.

 

I'm glad your doctors are so confident about your treatment.  It may be helpful to share your type of lung cancer and the names of the chemotherapy drugs you are receiving.  Many here may have had the medications you are receiving and can offer recommendations based on their experience.

 

Advice.  I'd read into our disease.  Here is a good place to start - http://www.lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101

 

Radiation for me at the start was a piece of cake until the middle of the third week.  Then, it sapped the energy right out of me and I spend a lot of time sleeping.  Also I experienced sunburn-like skin pain.  My doctor was quick to prescribe heavy duty topical lotion that took care of the pain.  Six days in the infusion chair!  Wow, that is a grueling schedule.  By contrast, I had one infusion every three weeks for a total of 6 infusions.

 

This is a good place to ask questions so feel free to fire away.

 

Stay the course.

 

Tom 

[Donna G]

Clarinet bob welcome.  I was diagnosed Stage 3 in December 1997.   I also started with 2 Chemo drugs and daily radiation.

All shrunk so they did a right upper lobectomy .  After I had more of the chemos.  .  It was a tough road

but well worth it.   I am still here.  I hope you respond well also to the chemo.  Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

 

Donna G

[Clarinet bob]

I wanted to thank you all for your positive support! I made it through the third day of therapies relatively well. Some discomfort, but not bad so far. My initials al diagnosis was adeno carcinoma in the left lower lobe. One single tumorand the two closest lymph nodes on either side of the bronchus? Also, on the initial pet scan, an area lite up in my neck. After further imaging by my radiation Oncologist, she was not satisfied with the imaging and they did not image my brain with contrast, she conferred with the radiologist that there is no lymph node in that area and it was actually a muscle that was involved in my recent cervical spinal fusion which was done Anteriorally. My Oncologist has been on vacation, so he's not aware of the findings. The primary tumor is less than 3 centimeters at it's widest and the two lymph nodes are no larger than 2 centimeters. His initial staging was three b. I'm thinking that perhaps the staging will be lower in number with the exclusion of the neck. Anyway, I'm encouraged. My radiation oncologist is a bulldog! She is a perfectionist. She is having her ct scanner replaced at the moment, so she had to send me elsewhere for the scans. They imaged in grids too large for her liking, but accurate enough to get started. She is going to scan me again next week on her machine with her narrower margins. She's not going to charge me for scans! She told me that my tumors are small compared o what she usually treats! This has been an uplifting day for me. I wish everyone strength in body, mind and spirit.