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NSCLC stage iv. In for the fight!


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My dad was diagnosed last Friday with Stage iv nsclc. He has a 3 cm subcarinal mass with malignant pleural effusion to the right lung. It’s adenocarcinoma. No lesions in the head or liver, at least from the ct scan. We are pending a MRI brain and pet scan. They sent liquid biopsy (ctDNA) on Friday and next gen sequencing from the malignant pleural fluid. We are super scared my dad is 72. I can’t imagine him not here. The results should be back in 1 to 2 weeks. The wait is driving me crazy.

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Hi 

Try and stay strong for your dad I know it's difficult my children are going through it with me, the wait for results are terrible I'm currently waiting for MRI SCAN results from last week and won't get them until 14th July, I hope you get some good news goodluck all the best 

Justin 

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Holdonhope,

Welcome here.

Waiting drives everyone crazy. While there is little to celebrate about a lung cancer diagnosis, your dad's type--adenocarcinoma--is the one with the most new and effective treatments. Some forms of adenocarcinoma respond to what is termed targeted therapy and here is information about that. Moreover, depending on PD-L1 expression, immunotherapy may be a very effective treatment method and here is information about immunotherapy. The biopsy results will point toward the best treatment. 

Treatment these days works. I know so many diagnosed at Stage IV who've survived and thrived because of these new treatment methods. I would suggest your dad invest in a consultation with a radiation oncologist while waiting for his biopsy results. This discipline is extending their treatment reach using "precision radiation" to take tumors off the table. This precision radiation (my term) has many confusing acronyms but it is effective. One such treatment--cyberknife, a form of stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT--saved my life. Here is some information about radiation used to treat lung cancer.

Here is some support for "holding on to hope". I was diagnosed more than 18 years ago. I endured 5 recurrences and have experienced every form of treatment except immunotherapy. It took me more than 3 years of constant treatment to defeat my lung cancer, but if I can live, so can your father. 

Stay the course.

Tom

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Hope, I was 66 when diagnosed with Stage IIIB adenocarcinoma in October 2019. I'm 69 now. I've been through chemo and radiation and am now on a targeted therapy and have No Evidence of Disease (NED). Your dad's biomarker testing will determine his treatment plan. The waiting is difficult but necessary. 

If your dad is a member of the 9/11 survivor community (like I am), I encourage you to seek the benefits that are available to him. I can give you lots of information to start you off. He does not have to be a first responder. 

Waiting isn't unusual during a lung cancer journey, unfortunately. The best you can do is take the time to become knowledgeable about our disease. This site, the GO2 Foundation and the American Lung Association are good places to start. Register for Lungevity's upcoming International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference, where you'll get current information. And stay away from Dr. Google! 

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