clinical trials

[tipay]

• I finished chemo and radiation dec. 2018.my follow up scan was the end of may, it came back bad to begin with tumor was in right lung and at a stage 3.After scan numerous nodules in both lungs and matesatized to neck.oncoligist informed me it was at a stage 4 and incureable.dr.ordered a biopsie on neck and reffered me to Vanderbilt ingram cancer center where they said I would be a good canidate for a clinical trial,waited on biopsie report it came back as not enough tissue,so another biopsie this time in my lung.it was also sent to pharmaceutical company it has come back so now scheduled for ct scan,brain scan,and numerous other tests.the way this trial works is like a lottery I will either get keytruda which I want to know if anyone is takeing this and how long have you been on it since stage 4 and what kind of relief did you get and side effects.the other drug is exsperimental I asked Dr what he is seeing with this faster shrinking of cells and tumors but could not say about a longer life span.And this is my next question I asked him how long I would have without treatment 1 yr or less and with treatment 2 yrs give or take and I asked how do you come up with a start date he said from my 1st biopsie after follow up ct scan well how can they say that when I haven't been treated since dec.i know it depends on individual.but if anybody wants to shed some light my way t.y ive been doing some research but everything I see isn't good.trying so hard to be positive but during all this wife showed her true colors so now she is ex it is an emotional rollercoaster but I still find reasons to smile and three of them being my children. thanks for listening and any input will be appreciated god bless in yor battle.

[Tom Galli]

Welcome here.

I wish I could offer an answer for predicting life span with lung cancer. Although I certainly worried enough about it to be a professional predictor, my prediction experience hasn't been very good.  I went from death's door at age 53 to celebrating my 69th birthday tomorrow.  The survival statistics your doctor may be citing are based on a 5-year history and small cell treatment breakthroughs have just started to occur within the last year.  Read Leo's experience with small cell lung cancer here! 

My fretting over lifespan during my 3 years of treatment resulted in two things I hope you avoid: severe depression and foregoing the opportunity to experience the joy of live during my treatment and between treatments. 

I don't know the details of your clinical trial but table below shows some of the immunotherapy drugs currently being studied. Keytruda is a FDA approved small cell treatment drug that has demonstrated tumor killing power and is good stuff.  So if you are in an immunotherapy trial, I think you are in a good treatment space. This could be a lottery where you win either way!

Stay the course.

Tom

 

[tipay]

Thank you very much for the input tom and I just turned 56 and my world was changed a little over a year ago,as far as the clinical trial if I get the pharmaceutical drug it only comes with a # no name or keytruda I will know this week.now im going to read leos story.and no I really don't want to waist anytime on negative,I can handle the cancer one way or the other it is all the ex has and is putting me through I think she knows what stress and cancer do.