1. < Lung Cancer
Profile picture for bovic21

Wife's Diagnosis SCLC: Chemo Next Week-What Should I Do?

Posted by bovic21 @bovic21, Feb 11, 2025

Hello, my wife had a biopsy of a lump on her neck on Jan. 31,2025. It was determined she has SCLC, An xray revealed a mass in our right lung. Met with an oncologist and he ordered a PET scan and MRI of the brian. The results came back and no other cancer locations were found, PTL!
A port was put in today and chemo starts next Tuesday. We meet with a radiation doctor Friday. Radiation treatments will start soon. Chemo treatment is carbopatin/etoposide.
Is there anything I can do to better help her with the chemo side effects? Anything I should get prior to treatments? And any other suggestions or comments on our journey?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Cancer Support Group.

Profile picture for Lisa, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Apr 5 2:31pm
In reply to @mimicmckay "@lls8000 Tarlatamab was FINALLY approved by my insurance company but I ended up in the hospital..." + (show)
Profile picture for mimicmckay @mimicmckay

@lls8000 Tarlatamab was FINALLY approved by my insurance company but I ended up in the hospital with a chest tube. So far 5 liters of fluid and counting. The good news is they are able to start the Tarlatamab while I’m already here so VERY grateful about that. I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed I get my first dose tomorrow.

Jump to this post

@mimicmckay, How are you doing? Has the fluid buildup at least slowed down? I hope you are starting to feel better.

REPLY
Profile picture for mimicmckay
mimicmckay | @mimicmckay | Apr 5 6:03pm
In reply to @mimicmckay "@lls8000 Tarlatamab was FINALLY approved by my insurance company but I ended up in the hospital..." + (show)
Profile picture for mimicmckay @mimicmckay

@lls8000 Tarlatamab was FINALLY approved by my insurance company but I ended up in the hospital with a chest tube. So far 5 liters of fluid and counting. The good news is they are able to start the Tarlatamab while I’m already here so VERY grateful about that. I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed I get my first dose tomorrow.

Jump to this post

Got my test dose on Friday. So far no issues except a slight fever. Pleural effusion has resolved after draining 5L and chest tube being in for a week. Heading home today after a 9 day stay. Happy to be back home with the family on Easter.

Happy Easter everyone 🐣

REPLY
Profile picture for bovic21
bovic21 | @bovic21 | May 17 9:03am

My wife has been receiving Tarlatamab every other week for 3 months. A body PET scan and a brain MRI was recently done. The scan showed that Tarlatamab was reducing her cancer in all spots below the neck! But the 2 brain tumors had grown slightly and 2 new little ones have appeared.
Because of this growth and new brain tumors, she is going to have Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Her radiation doctor calls this sniper radiaition. Tomorrow she goes for a face mask fitting and then she will receive either 1 or 3 sessions of radiaiion.
I was just wondering if anyone has had an experience with this type of brain radiation? and if so, how successful was it? and how bad is the mask fitting and wearing?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for Lisa, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | May 18 1:03pm
In reply to @bovic21 "My wife has been receiving Tarlatamab every other week for 3 months. A body PET scan..." + (show)
Profile picture for bovic21 @bovic21

My wife has been receiving Tarlatamab every other week for 3 months. A body PET scan and a brain MRI was recently done. The scan showed that Tarlatamab was reducing her cancer in all spots below the neck! But the 2 brain tumors had grown slightly and 2 new little ones have appeared.
Because of this growth and new brain tumors, she is going to have Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Her radiation doctor calls this sniper radiaition. Tomorrow she goes for a face mask fitting and then she will receive either 1 or 3 sessions of radiaiion.
I was just wondering if anyone has had an experience with this type of brain radiation? and if so, how successful was it? and how bad is the mask fitting and wearing?

Jump to this post

@bovic21, Sorry that you and your wife are facing this good news/bad news situation. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for treatments to help our bodies, but not our brains. The Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) can also be referred to as 'gamma knife'.

@tvichkon, are you still doing well after your gamma knife procedure? (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1507460/)
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/stereotactic-radiosurgery/about/pac-20384526

REPLY
Profile picture for tvichkon
tvichkon | @tvichkon | May 18 1:36pm

Yes I'm still doing well. Thank you

REPLY
Profile picture for bovic21
bovic21 | @bovic21 | Jul 25 9:19am

My wife has been on Tarlatamab for around six months. She is tolerating the treatments well, with the only side effects being loss of taste and fatige. But we're learning what foods do still taste ok and which do not. And we're retired so there is time for naps!

She had a Pet scan this week that showed the tumors below her neckline are getting either smaller or are gone, except for one. There is one in the left adrenal gland that is showing a slight increase. Her doctors are now deciding if radiation or cryoablation might be needed to additionally treat this one tumor.

Has anyone else had a tumor treated with cryoablation? And if so, how were the results and side effects of that trestment?

Next up is a MRI on the brain in 2 weeks. Praying for good results from that.

REPLY
2 replies
Profile picture for daisydays
daisydays | @daisydays | Jul 25 2:41pm
In reply to @bovic21 "My wife has been on Tarlatamab for around six months. She is tolerating the treatments well,..." + (show)
Profile picture for bovic21 @bovic21

My wife has been on Tarlatamab for around six months. She is tolerating the treatments well, with the only side effects being loss of taste and fatige. But we're learning what foods do still taste ok and which do not. And we're retired so there is time for naps!

She had a Pet scan this week that showed the tumors below her neckline are getting either smaller or are gone, except for one. There is one in the left adrenal gland that is showing a slight increase. Her doctors are now deciding if radiation or cryoablation might be needed to additionally treat this one tumor.

Has anyone else had a tumor treated with cryoablation? And if so, how were the results and side effects of that trestment?

Next up is a MRI on the brain in 2 weeks. Praying for good results from that.

Jump to this post

Hello @bovic21,
I’m glad your wife is tolerating her treatments well. It’s good you are finding which foods are tasting okay to her now, such huge life changes for you both … 🤗 hugs.
Great that the tumors are smaller or gone ! One remaining, and it seems her doctors are right on it, making a plan.
I don’t have experience with either treatment, I am thinking positive thoughts, prayers are being sent your way for her new treatment and the brain MRI.
Daisy

REPLY
Profile picture for Lisa, Volunteer Mentor
Mentor
Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Aug 10 5:05pm
In reply to @bovic21 "My wife has been on Tarlatamab for around six months. She is tolerating the treatments well,..." + (show)
Profile picture for bovic21 @bovic21

My wife has been on Tarlatamab for around six months. She is tolerating the treatments well, with the only side effects being loss of taste and fatige. But we're learning what foods do still taste ok and which do not. And we're retired so there is time for naps!

She had a Pet scan this week that showed the tumors below her neckline are getting either smaller or are gone, except for one. There is one in the left adrenal gland that is showing a slight increase. Her doctors are now deciding if radiation or cryoablation might be needed to additionally treat this one tumor.

Has anyone else had a tumor treated with cryoablation? And if so, how were the results and side effects of that trestment?

Next up is a MRI on the brain in 2 weeks. Praying for good results from that.

Jump to this post

Hi @bovic21, Just checking in, how is your wife doing? Any decisions on future treatments? How are you holding up?
Naps are strongly encouraged!, for you too. 🙂

REPLY
Profile picture for bovic21
bovic21 | @bovic21 | Aug 12 9:25am

Hi Lisa @lls8000 , thanks for your concern. My wife is doing pretty good, but getting awfully tired of all the doctor appointments and treatments. She has three or four appointments every week. And the infusion treatments are almost a whole day process. In her condition getting ready for those appointments is drain on her energy. Luckily she's hasn't givien up on the fight yet.
The treatment decision on the tumor in her adrenal gland was radiation, five treatments over two weeks. That has started this week. Her brain MRI on Monday showed that the prevouis four tumors that were radiated are gone! That was great news, but two new tumors have showed up, After radiation on the adrenal gland is done then they will radiate those two. The hits just keep coming, haha.
Thanks for asking about me. Some days I feel worn out also, but I do try to walk a couple of miles everyday and that helps keep my energy level up. And I do sneak a nap in every once in a while!

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for bovic21
bovic21 | @bovic21 | 3 days ago
In reply to @bovic21 "Hi Lisa @lls8000 , thanks for your concern. My wife is doing pretty good, but getting..." + (show)
Profile picture for bovic21 @bovic21

Hi Lisa @lls8000 , thanks for your concern. My wife is doing pretty good, but getting awfully tired of all the doctor appointments and treatments. She has three or four appointments every week. And the infusion treatments are almost a whole day process. In her condition getting ready for those appointments is drain on her energy. Luckily she's hasn't givien up on the fight yet.
The treatment decision on the tumor in her adrenal gland was radiation, five treatments over two weeks. That has started this week. Her brain MRI on Monday showed that the prevouis four tumors that were radiated are gone! That was great news, but two new tumors have showed up, After radiation on the adrenal gland is done then they will radiate those two. The hits just keep coming, haha.
Thanks for asking about me. Some days I feel worn out also, but I do try to walk a couple of miles everyday and that helps keep my energy level up. And I do sneak a nap in every once in a while!

Jump to this post

@bovic21 The radiation on my wivfe's adrenal gland finsihed 8 days ago.
The problem now is the radiation irritated her stomach so much she is not able to drink or eat anything. She has been in ther hospital for 5 days with fluid IVs, but still not eating.
The doctors are now talking about giving her nutritions thru a tube. It is called TNP.
When I goggled TNP I saw that there are some risks involved.
I was wondering if anyone has some history or knowledge of TNP.
Thanks,
Vic Read

REPLY
1 reply
Please sign in or register to post a reply.