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Lung Cancer EGFR Mutation Stage 4: What treatments did you have?
Lung Cancer | Last Active: Jul 12 9:06am | Replies (57)Comment receiving replies
Hi Lisa - My oncologist calls at 3.95 the radiologist called at 3B. Being on the Tagrisso Has everything considerably so the decision now is do the radiate the whole area with the intent to cure the cancer or do they only radiate what is still visible with the risk of cancer coming back elsewhere? Mayo Is my second opinion I go there next week and then after their recommendations, obviously I’ll make the decision on where to go from there.
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@tinae, my understanding is that surgery, radiation, and medicine such as Tagrisso are used for different sizes of tumors. If the tumor is too large, surgery may be the only option. Radiation can be used to kill smaller tumors. And, if they are small enough, then Targrisso alone can be used to kill the cancer. Doctors always want the least invasive option.
After that, Tagrisso is what keeps the cancer from coming back. And, if there currently are cancer cells somewhere else in your body that are still too small to be seen by either a CAT or PET scan, Tagrisso will kill them before they can grow. Chemo is supposed to do the same thing, but chemo doesn't get to the brain, which Tagrisso does. Unfortunately, lung cancer does metastasize to the brain.
On this issue, I'm speaking from experience. My oncologist is keeping me on Tagrisso because he's worried about the possibility of multiple sites appearing in my brain at the same time.
I'm glad to hear you're getting a second opinion and glad to hear it's at Mayo. Let us know what they recommend. Until then, stay positive!