Slow Growing Malignant Tumour On Lung

[naomi24]

Chemo is ineffectual so treated by surgery alone, everything I've read about it tells me it's a rare form of cancer and life expectancy is short - between one and ten years at the most.  I've been involved with cancer of all sorts in my life but I'd never heard of this.  Does anyone have any personal experience of it?   Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[naomi24]

Barry, that really is interesting.  Much I recognise and a lot of food for thought there.  Thank you.

 

Rosetta, Jourdain and Lik - I hope I haven't left anyone out - but thank you so much.  When troubles strike and we need to mull things over this place really comes into its own.  

 

Knowing it's rare, asking if anyone has experience of it was a long shot really but fortunately Barts are on the case and surgery is imminent.  Nevertheless, I've got a horrible feeling about this.  I just hope that feeling isn't justified.

[LadyCG]

The only thing I can add is that surgery would not be done if they did not think there was a reasonable chance of cure. Surgery itself is a massive undertaking (such as an upper lobectomy) and is only ever approved by MDT if they proceeding with curative intent. Surgery is never carried out in the palliative setting.

[barry1010]

I will keep my fingers crossed, Naomi.  

[naomi24]

I am aware of that, LCG, but thank you.

[naomi24]

Thanks Barry.  I might know more once they've operated.

[jourdain2]

That's encouraging LCG. I'll also be thinking of the sufferer. If s/he would like a prayer, I'd be very happy to do so.

[Peter Pedant]

without histology we really dont know - - but

As a class, NSCLC is usually less sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy than SCLC. Patients with resectable disease may be cured by surgery or surgery followed by chemotherapy.

non small cell lung cancer

You 'have a good consultant' and so I wd stick with him, rather than put it out to tender on AB. resectable depends  a lot om stagimg

things have come a long way since Price Thomas took out a lung and the King died three months later. 

[naomi24]

None of us are religious, Jourdain, but it's a kind thought and can do no harm.  Thank you.

[Patsy33]

Hoping for the best outcome, for the person in your thoughts, Naomi. x

[naomi24]

Thanks Patsy.  

[JinnyJoan]

Naomi - sorry to hear of this trying time but hope all goes well.  

[naomi24]

Thank you, JJ.

[Smowball]

I don't know who the sufferer is apart from they are obviously close to you but just wanted to send you all my very best wishes and love x

[rowanwitch]

If surgery is an option then the prognosis might be a lot better,  you haven't mentioned immune therapy, new types coming onstream really quickly, so a good specialist might  find a new trial.  Another option if surgery isn't possible might be a targeted radiotherapy  Google 'cyberknife ' but its not available at every centre.  The options for lung cancer are far better than when Dave was diagnosed, ( his was a very slow growing non small cell and they initially tried surgery which bought him nearly 5 more years and had he been a little luckier would have been curative)

I hope there is something out there that helps,  and the person you are posting about gets the extra good quality time that we had.  

[Peter Pedant]

immunotherapy for lung cancer - christ you are not joking

https://www.cancerresearch.org/cancer-types/lung-cancer

I am not sure if FDA approval = it works. Clearly she needs  the advice of  an oncologist

[Peter Pedant]

New England Journal this week - Alectinib in ALK positive non small cell cancer Y-L yu. 2024 390 1265

seems to give a 20% uplift in survival. It may be worth the patient asking if there is a trial in England