TheJRP Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Hello everyone! I joined this forum as my mom has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Originally the first dr said she only had about a year to live. She has gone through oral chemo treatment as well with radiation. Just today she was informed her lung cancer has gotten worse due to it getting larger. She just did a blood test for the DNA mutation analysis. Now we wait 2 weeks for the next steps. I am trying this forum out as the more popular social media doesn’t provide me with the support I need so I can be strong for my mom. I am happy to get any advise to help me or my mom cope with the next phase or if you have questions about her journey I am happy to answer. looking forward to meeting you! Thank you, Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin1970 Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Hi Jennifer I'm glad you found this forum the people on here are great and very supportive and helpful, has your mum had a biopsy done, and had any chemotherapy and radiotherapy I was diagnosed last August and had chemotherapy and radiotherapy done October to December the cancer has shrunk, I hope all goes well for you and your mom all the best Take care Justin x Izzy and TheJRP 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouT Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Jennifer, Sorry to hear about your mother's condition and glad you found us. The biomarker information they are testing for will be very important. There are a number of people on the site who are under treatment using targeted or immunotherapy and they are still here and living life. Some of our members had been told to "put their affairs in order" and are still here and living their lives years later, so please don't give up hope. You'll find this a great place to get information and support from people who know firsthand what it is to go through this journey of lung cancer. So feel free to ask any questions you may have. Our situations are quite varied so someone will have experience and knowledge to share with you. In the meantime...being a caregiver (even a distant one) is a tough challenge for anyone. We have a forum called "Caregiver Resource Center" and it can be found here. Please keep us updated and ask any questions you may have. Lou Tom Galli, Justin1970 and TheJRP 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheJRP Posted June 29, 2022 Author Share Posted June 29, 2022 4 hours ago, Justin1970 said: Hi Jennifer I'm glad you found this forum the people on here are great and very supportive and helpful, has your mum had a biopsy done, and had any chemotherapy and radiotherapy I was diagnosed last August and had chemotherapy and radiotherapy done October to December the cancer has shrunk, I hope all goes well for you and your mom all the best Take care Justin x Hello Justin, I am happy to hear your cancer has shrunk. Best of luck to you! Back in 2018 she got a biopsy, she had oral chemo (drs didn’t want to do intravenous chemo) and fished that in 2021 and did a few rounds of radiation. So we wait for the next steps of her last test. Justin1970, Izzy and LouT 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy M2 Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Hi Jennifer and welcome. As Lou says, the biomarker results your mom will get from her liquid biopsy are essential for determining her next treatment plan. Just be aware that if those results show no actionable mutation, it would be wise to take a tissue biopsy and send that off for biomarker testing. Not all tumors shed enough DNA material into the bloodstream to be detected. Recent recommendations are to re-biopsy if possible at progression. I just turned 69, was diagnosed in October 2019 at Stage IIIB with EGFR+ adenocarcinoma. I had chemo and radiation first, then started on a targeted therapy in March 2020. I've been NED since April 2021. No one has ever told me how long I have to live--because they don't know. Part of your mom's biomarker testing will also reveal whether she is a candidate for immunotherapy. There are options for personalized treatment, so don't give up hope. TheJRP, Tom Galli, Justin1970 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted June 29, 2022 Share Posted June 29, 2022 Jennifer, Welcome here. Progression (tumor getting larger after treatment) is never a good thing. I had five recurrences after "curative" treatments and each was a nightmare to endure. So I well understand where you and by extension your mom is. Advice? I say saddle up and do the next line of treatment. I'm a progressed Stage IV survivor diagnosed more than 18 years ago. I offer that if I can live, so can your mom! Stay the course. Tom Justin1970 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheJRP Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 On 6/29/2022 at 11:40 AM, Judy M2 said: Hi Jennifer and welcome. As Lou says, the biomarker results your mom will get from her liquid biopsy are essential for determining her next treatment plan. Just be aware that if those results show no actionable mutation, it would be wise to take a tissue biopsy and send that off for biomarker testing. Not all tumors shed enough DNA material into the bloodstream to be detected. Recent recommendations are to re-biopsy if possible at progression. I just turned 69, was diagnosed in October 2019 at Stage IIIB with EGFR+ adenocarcinoma. I had chemo and radiation first, then started on a targeted therapy in March 2020. I've been NED since April 2021. No one has ever told me how long I have to live--because they don't know. Part of your mom's biomarker testing will also reveal whether she is a candidate for immunotherapy. There are options for personalized treatment, so don't give up hope. Thank you so much for your support! Today is the big result day so I hope we have some options! Fingers crossed! 🤞🤞🤞 Justin1970, Tom Galli and Judy M2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin1970 Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Goodluck with the results I really hope you get some great news Take care Justin x Izzy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaThompson Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Hey Jennifer! Welcome here I'm also new and I'm sure community here is awesome! LouT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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