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NSCLC- Metastasis Question


KLK

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My father was recently diagnosed with non small cell lung cancer. The PET scan showed a small mass in his abdominal area, in addition to the cancerous tumor on his lung. They are unable to biopsy the abdominal mass due to my father’s heavy weight. They are also concerned with a biopsy as it is surrounded by several major organs, and the mass is relatively small. His oncologist will monitor the abdominal mass for growth (along with his lung tumor) with another PET scan 3 months after his radiation treatment. My father’s oncologist and radiation oncologist have both said that lung cancer does not typically metastasis to the lower abdominal area. However, they are not ruling it out until they see the results of his 3 month PET scan follow up. Have you or any of your family members/ friends experienced lung cancer metastasis in other areas of the body outside of bones, brain, liver, adrenal glands and lymph nodes- particularly the lower abdominal area?

The oncologists are treating my dad with cyber knife radiation. They will not operate due to his COPD. 

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KLK,

Welcome here.

I have a couple of questions before trying to answer yours.  How was the diagnosis of NSCLC made?  Did the PET show SUV uptake for the mass in the abdominal area?  My reading about lung cancer suggests metastasis occurs in organs (particularly the liver) and bones, not in general abdominal tissue.  But, with cancer, there is always an exception to the rule.   

I suppose the type of cancer is not important to radiation treatment, especially when treatment is SBRT , a category of precision guided radiation including CyberKnife.  I had a successful CyberKnife as my last treatment and it resulted in my current no evidence of disease (NED) state.  So, this form of radiation works.  But normally, treatment does not begin till the type of cancer is known (back to my original question).  

I have a lot of confidence in SBRT.  One of our members had SBRT on Stage IV disease, showing doctors are now being aggressive in attacking multiple tumors with precision radiation.  You can read about her experience here.

I do hope your dad's treatment is successful.  This is the place for questions so feel free to ask again.

Stay the course.

Tom

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