Small Cell Lung Cancer: Let's connect

Posted by Merry, Volunteer Mentor @merpreb, Jan 12, 2019

Most of the discussions about lung cancer has been about Non-small cell lung cancers. There are many sub-types of this that are included. But there is another type of lung cancer that needs to be discussed and that is Small Cell Lung Cancer. This aggressive form of lung cancer most commonly occurs in smokers. It usually starts in the breathing tubes (bronchi) and grows very quickly, creating large tumors and spreading (metastasizing) throughout the body.
Symptoms include bloody phlegm, cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Treatment includes surgery (for small tumors) as well as chemotherapy, sometimes in combination with radiation therapy.
Lung cancers cells are sometimes classified by where they tend to grow.
There have been huge breakthroughs in lung cancer research of late.
Please join @margot69 and I in this new disussion.

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

margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 19, 2019

In reply to @lady1lake "I can imagine your frustration. Hope you are now getting the attention & good advice you..." + (show)

I saw the Oncologist in town here yesterday. My husband was with me and my daughter asked to do FaceTime during the visit and the doctor said that was fine. He had Dr. Wakelee's notes and recommendations and agreed tgat Chemo should be started, which will probably happen next week. If I can't tolerate it, there are probably no other options. They will try to do it IV to see how that goes before putting a port in. I have GI issues and fight keeping my stomach under control every day, as it is. He is a nice doctor and assured me his office has someone available 24/7. He said that nobody can predict how long a person has but did say, with treatment, I might have a year.

lady1lake | @lady1lake | Jan 19, 2019

In reply to @margot69 "I saw the Oncologist in town here yesterday. My husband was with me and my daughter..." + (show)

Am glad you like your oncologist. Having confidence in him is paramount. Best wishes for your chemo treatments.

Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @margot69 "I saw the Oncologist in town here yesterday. My husband was with me and my daughter..." + (show)

@margot69- I am so relieved and happy that you are finally getting answers and treatments. I know that the answers aren't what you want to hear, but has come a long way. I know that you have a lot of stomach issues but I don't know what they are. I know that you like and trust your GI guy. Do you have a diagnosis for your stomach?

joangma | @joangma | Jan 20, 2019

what are some of the new great breakthroughs

margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @lady1lake "Am glad you like your oncologist. Having confidence in him is paramount. Best wishes for your..." + (show)

Thank you, lady

margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @merpreb "@margot69- I am so relieved and happy that you are finally getting answers and treatments. I..." + (show)

My stomach issues started some years ago, horrible, daily nausea, for one. Lots of tests, lots of different meds over the years. I cone under the umbrella of IBS. I can manage it better now but why Iam so concerned about Chemo making me sick. Doctir is not putting a port in now, woukd be useless if I cannot tolerate treatment. This shoukd be interesting as they have a hard time finding a decent vein for an IV or blood test. I am dreading this. Has anyone had treatments IV? I am tired of talking about, and reading about, cancer! Thanks, Merry. Helps to,have a place to come to to talk about this.

margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @joangma "what are some of the new great breakthroughs" + (show)

Joangma, I wish I knew!! In regards to the the small cell, I have found very little. I ran across a couple of trials but pretty new. I did run across one site that mentions giving two drugs they give for the NSCLC. I need to try to look into that further. In my case, Dr. Wakelee said sge is pretty sure I am dealing with some immune issues. Fir one, I have had all the symptoms of Sjogrens even though two biopsies were negative. Because of this, they would be wary of trying Immunotherapy or trying to get me in a trial. The oncologist here said the same and bith said trials can be risky fir anyone and probably more so for me. I am curious what Anyonee with SCLC has been treated with. Hope more see this and will share.

lady1lake | @lady1lake | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @margot69 "Joangma, I wish I knew!! In regards to the the small cell, I have found very..." + (show)

Margot, I was given carboplatin & etoposide chemo combination for SCLC. I was never nauseated. My oncologist did give me a prescription for nausea, but I never had to take it. Hope & pray that you are able to tolerate whatever chemo they prescribe for you because SCLC does respond well to chemo.

margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @lady1lake "Margot, I was given carboplatin & etoposide chemo combination for SCLC. I was never nauseated. My..." + (show)

Lady, those are the drugs they plan on using for my treatments. I think it will be 3 days in a row then 3 weeks off. I was reading sons of your past posts. I keep reading that people have also had radiation. No radiation was recommended to me. Where is your cancer, Lady? When were you diagnosed? Thanks.

lady1lake | @lady1lake | Jan 20, 2019

In reply to @margot69 "Lady, those are the drugs they plan on using for my treatments. I think it will..." + (show)

I was diagnosed last April & was put on the same time frame as you, 3 days in a row & 3 weeks off. In between the 1st & 2nd rounds they put me on twice a day radiation treatments every week day for 5 weeks. That regime was prescribed by the Mayo oncologist & my local radiation oncologist. My cancer is in the upper section of my right lung. Radiation is not painful, just so many trips (50) Fortunately both oncologist offices are just a couple of miles apart for the overlap days.