comments please!

[Guest mona61]

My husband has completed 6 weeks of chemo and 36 radiation treatments. They will be doing no more radiation on tumor. We will be having a ct scan done next Wednesday. They have staged him at 3B, it is supposable in some lymph nodes but not certain. Also has not spread to any other organs. . I had asked the doctor if the tumor had shrunk and the lymph nodes did not light up then would it be possible if tumor is still there to do surgery. He has said before that surgery will not be done. Because he feels that putting him through that would not be worth it. And, also once chemo and radiation is done that surgery is not the way to go. That he will continue chemo if cancer still there. I have been watching these boards and it seems that surgery is the way to go. Husband is in good shape and has no other problems. We will be getting a second opinion when ct scan comes back. I was wondering what you thought of his comments.

[kimblanchard]

It depends. Surgery in 3B lung cancer is very controversial and it all depends on what is making it that stage. Are the lymph nodes in the opposite side of the chest involved? Is the tumor too close to the trachea to allow an adequate margin? Assuming that full dose radiation (i.e. 6000+ rads) has been delivered, the risk of surgical complications, especially breakdown of the bronchial stump will be very high and those complications can be fatal. Also, some patients with 3B disease are cured with radiation and chemo alone. Every case is individual and has to be thought over VERY carefully. Surgical resection is usually a good thing but in some cases, survival could very well be better without it. A second surgical opinion in this kind of case is always a good idea.

[Andrea]

Mona,

Jamie's dad was IIIB at diagnosis, had radiation and chemo and then surgery if I remember correctl y , look for her posts Good luck!

[mhutch1366]

A second opinion is always a good idea.

My tumor was close enough to the spine to be almost 3B -- but it wasn't. The surgery originally planned was palliative, then they planned the chemo/radiation protocol around the surgery, so I didn't exceed the amount of radiation recommended if you're going to get surgery. If you get too much surgery, you won't heal.

My tumor was completely killed by the chemo/radiation, and I often wondered if I had just let it be, what wouldhave happened? I think it was too large to resorb, and there were missing rib issues etc, but a small tumor could more easily be resorbed.

A dead tumor is a good thing. If it's dead, maybe surgery isn't wise.

Welcome, and good luck.

XOXOXOXOX

Prayers always,

MaryAnn

[lilgna]

I am IIIb also, and completed 7 weeks of radiation along with 17 chemo treatments, I was ABSORBED with the thought of surgery... literally.. I thought and maybe somewhat still do that it is the answer to long term survival, the surgeon even did a mediasinoscopy to confirm Ap lymph node invovlement , yet all the DR's on my case indicate that it may not be the best for my particular case. I was disappointed. yet now the primary tumor does not show up on Ct, I also have lymph nodes that are vanishing, and I have been stable since I completed treatment. maybe someday I will hold out for the surgical answer and maybe or maybe not it will come. But I guess some survive without it and that has to be better than the actually surgery.. I wish you enternal peace with this issue, I know it can be overwhelming.