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New member and newly diagnosed


wenna

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Hello everyone,

I've just been viewing past posts here. It's amazing the support that this board has! Something I need right now. I was just diagnosed with sclc and have had my first round of PET Scans, CT Brain and Chest Scans to determine stage. I have limited, they think. There is one small area in the colon they are concerned about so I will have a colonoscopy on Monday to see exactly what that is. I only thank god I was under dr.'s care and they have caught this very early. I have nodes in my right lung, then a tumor in the bronchial area where they split off to the left and right side lung near a lumph node . I'm not up on my abbreviations and terminology as some seem to be... but I'm sure I'll catch on.

I had a single heart by-pass in Dec. of 2002, and that was why I was still under my cardiac surgeons care. He took weekly x-rays and on the last one before he gave me back over to my regular cardiac specialist; he called to say that he and the radiologist saw something, a shadow, that they didn't like.. and would I please come in for a CT Scan. I did to discover I had the lung spots and the tumor. Then a bronchoscopy to determine for sure that it was sclc; I want to find that radiologist and hug her for being so diligent! I've already hugged my dr... LOL

The oncolgist has said that because it was caught so early that I have a very good prognosis but they will treat it fairly agressive. I start Chemo this coming Wednesday. I will be getting 2 rounds of treatment with one week off in between; then we will see if I need a third. One treatment = to 3 days of chemo; then off 4 days. Then radiation therapy to help make sure it doesn't come back.. he said that not letting it come back was the trick! I will be given Irinotecan (Camptosar) and Carboplatin. He's a no nonsense guy, but lacks on the bedside manners. I'm not worried about that as long as he's upfront with me. He's so optomistic that it's contagious! He acts as tho shrinking the tumor is a foregone conclusion but extra care will be taken to make sure that it doesn't return. So how can I not be optomistic myself!

I'm still apprehensive about what happens next? Besides my hair falling out.. :cry: I've already cut it to get used to having none. My hair was half way down my back.. but is now a little less than shoulder length. And next week, I'll go a little shorter.


Thanks for listening!


wenna

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Guest Jonathan2

The reason I am going YES! is because they caught your dangerous form of cancer so early, when usually it is not caught until very late! - good going to you and your physicians. That heart surgery may have very well of saved your life! I also want you to know that the regimen of drugs that your oncologist put you on is the newest and most aggressive form of first line small cell lung cancer medicine there is today! Good for you! I am glad to see that you are in a place that is certainly on the up and up in cancer medicine, not to menton under the care of a very observant cardiologist. Keep the faith and hang in there- YOU WILL BEAT IT!!! Kudos to you Wenna!!!! God bless you!

Sincerely,

Jonathan

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Dear Wenna,

Welcome to the SCLC group, there are lots of great people here. I admire your optimism, and the quickness with which your doctor's diagnosed any lung cancer, that is really great. :) Your optimism will be really appreciated here :wink: . You'll be in my prayers.

Anne

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Thanks everyone for the encouraging words! I'm trying to stay upbeat on this, but the waiting is getting to me. I've never been a patient person.. LOL

Jonathan, That doctor has saved my life twice now! First with the heart by-pass (I had a 90% blockage) and now, discovering the cancer early. I am truly grateful that I have such good doctors in my area.

Thanks again everyone for helping me to wait.. :)

wenna

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Just a couple of weeks ago I was talking to our local onocologist at work (I am a nurse in a hospital, besides being a survivor) . Dr. Dien told me about 15 % survive SCLC with no reoccurance after chemo therapy, those diagnosed early!! :D Sounds like you are one of "those diagnosed early"

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Dear Wenna,

Welcome to the board. I am wondering who your oncologist is? Is he a lung cancer specialist? Do you go to UAB for treatments? Just wondering.

Wenna, you are very lucky to have an optimistic oncologist. I would like to recruit him for my team!

Take care and be well,

Ada

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Hi Ada!

My doctor's name is Dr. Marshall T. Shreeder. He is with the Comprehensive Cancer Institute in Huntsville, that is located within the Huntsville Hospital Complex. I believe he is in charge there. Everyone that I've talked to has said how wonderful he is... a no nonsense guy tho. He doesn't sugar-coat anything. Which is what I like! And this is what's on his card:

Marshall T. Schreeder, M.D.

Diplomate

American Board of

Internal Medicine

Hematology

Medical Oncology

So you can see he is quite qualified. I like him. He's one of those busy guys but makes time to answer questions. It would be a long trip from Ga. well.. not really (2-3 hrs.?) But that could be exhausting.

I've already met some of "my team" that will be involved in giving and what not associated with giving me my Chemo. They all seem such a happy group!

Donna, wish I could say I was cheered up by the statistics, but that doesn't seem very high to me. But as others have pointed out.. they really don't mean that much. My brother is still a suvivor of leukemia from age 7 and now in his 40's. My mother is another miracle suvivor..she stretched a 6 month diagnosis into 20 years.. lymphoma cancer. Both sisters have had uterine cancer.. come to think of it.. why did I think I could escape this.. LOL Toward the end, my mother developed lung cancer, they removed partial right lung. But then she has congestive heart disease, and she needed a by-pass but couldn't do one as the cancer had then spread and had a tumor that wrapped around the heart, bronchical area.. so all we could do is make her comfortable as possible.

I've got such a good attitude cause before this I was already fighting other diseases. Congestive Heart Disease; Epilepsy; Diabeties; high blood pressure; acid refux (LOL) plus doing pain management for crushed disks and slipped disked. So what's one more?

Sorry this turned into a book.. but it has helped me get thru some of this waiting.. worrying.. lots of encouragement here! Thanks everyone!!

wenna

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Dear Wenna,

Thanks so much for the information. Since I already go to Pennsylvania to an oncologist in Pittsburgh, Huntsville would be a hop, skip and a jump for us. My husband goes to Huntsville on business, so it's not an impossibility. I also have an excellent oncologist here in Georgia, but he is a generalist. I am looking for a lung cancer specialist closer to home.

When I was diagnosed, I told the pulmonologist that my Father passed away from colon cancer. The pulmonologist said, "Oh, you have the cancer gene in your family." I had never heard of the "cancer gene" but it looks like his theory or knowledge bears out in your family's experience. There is so much cancer now, it's shocking. It does sound like you come from a spirited family of fighters and that is on your side.

Good luck Wenna. I'll be thinking of you. I am so happy that your prognosis is good.

Ada

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Guest DaveG

Wenna:

Your humor is fantastic - What's one more disease - I love it. My family, as well, has a history of cancer. My sister is a 17 year survivor of Stage III Breast Cancer, who's original prognosis was "prepare your funeral".

My father waas a 6 year bladder cancer survivor, until it metastasized. He died in 1995. My mother haas personally been spared, but the three most important people in her life have all had cancer.

I believe there is a cancer gene. I think the researchers are correct, when they speak of this "cancer gene".

I am impressed with the credentials of your oncologist, especially the one credential "he takes his time to answer questions". I believe every doctor should be required to take a course in patient courtesy and general "how to be a nice guy" verses "I'm god, and I'm going to cure you".

You are so correct in saying one must be comfortable with the doctor.

Good you have found us, sorry that you have the need to find us.

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