Immunotherapy

[Lalo]

CCRT is over and now waiting to be scanned end of October to see how and if treatment worked. If tumor shrunk enough they will start immunotherapy. However we have asked the question what if it did not shrink enough or other things prohibit immunotherapy. Then what?  Do you just sit around and wait for the end?

Also during the wait time to be scanned again is it normal to have the side effects they talked about at beginning of treatment?  Chemo ended 13 days again and radiation ended 7 days ago. Now no appetite, throat is burning, and sleep constantly. The whole 30 days during treatment there were literally no side effects. Does this mean treatment wasnt effective? 

73 yr old male dx with stage iiib non operable squamous cell nsclc

Are there signs if treatment worked or did not work?  Does it always work?  Basically i cant seem to find what happens next if immunotherapy is not an option. Any insight is appreciated. 

[Steff]

Lalo-

My mom's exhaustion didn't kick in until the last week or so of radiation.  It is like that for some people and doesn't mean that treatment did not do its job.  I understand that you are looking for signs that the treatment did work, I think we all do that while we are on the wait-and-see schedule.  But it's impossible to know without further testing.  If plan A (immunotherapy) cannot begin as hoped, there will likely be a plan B.  And plan B does not mean that it is the end of the road - my mom just finished plan C and has had no evidence of disease for over 1 year.  Her plan C is now a standard treatment for her type of cancer.  

So, your reality is now the waiting game.  It's out of your control.  Scans are scheduled for specific times based on the type of treatment - we are stuck with it.  What's important now is to help your husband recover from his treatment.  He will slowly get stronger, you will find your new routine while awaiting the scan.  The end of October will be here before you know it.  Perhaps the fall season will provide you with a beautiful scenery to enjoy with your husband while you wait and while he recovers.  Perhaps the memories you can make during this time will outweigh the stress of waiting.

Take care,

Steff