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Thanks for the info! I know I will have to make decisions on treatment options in the future, so it is good to prepare in advance. I have the impression that doctors think one scan to the next, but I like to plan years out with more than one game plan. So I wish they would elaborate more on possible scenarios.
Yes, I am multifocal adenocarcinoma - I guess we are increasing in popularity since Mayo has now added it as a category under Lung Cancer on their Internet page. My scan in late December identified 5 nodules from pure groundglass to sub-solid and part solid nodules . They removed the most significant one (right upper lobe). My PET scan was hot for both lungs, hottest for the one removed, so now am watching the one in the other lung. That is the one that would get the SBRT or surgery. How many sessions SBRT did you do (for one nodule) and how were they spaced apart. Have you had a problem with shortness of breathe?
You know Mayo group will publish a study in October 2023 purpose to gather preliminary safety and outcome data for the multimodality treatment of lung adenocarcinoma in the setting of multifocal BAC?
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I don't know if you are aware of my history of lung cancer. This October I will celebrate 25 years of lung cancer! It began with a Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma that was very fast growing. That was in 1997. I had a lower right lobectomy. Then 10 years later 3 lesions were found in my upper left lobe and that lobe was removed. Then about 6 years later a lesion was found in my right upper lobe and that was zapped with SBRT. My hospital, Mass General in Boston was the first in the country to get the machine and I was the 5th in the trial that I was a part of to have it done! I'm part of history for SBRT! lol.
Anyway, that first zapping was every other day for an hour for 4 days. Then about 3 years later I had another one all along the staple line of my upper right lobectomy. That was more days and took about 1 1/2 weeks.
Now I have two lesions that are being watched. I have another one that will be zapped, most likely this summer. It's in my right upper again. The one in my lower left lobe hasn't done much for 6 years so at some point it will probably be zapped.
I have had both Proton and Photon SBRT. The Proton was the first and I have a feeling that that's what he'll use for the one that's changing. If so I know that I'll be put on prednisone because my lung got pretty aggravated after the SBRT. I hate prednisone! I think that I am a pretty nice, friendly person but when I'm on prednisone, watch out!
Things have changed since my last SBRT, which was 5 years ago so I don't know what to expect. My radiologist's specialty is SBRT with multifocal carcinomas so I trust him quite a bit! As the saying goes, with my life!
Thank you for the information about multimodality treatment. I'll check it out.
You might want to tamper down your need to plan ahead because lung cancer treatments have changed so much and so fast over the years that you just don't know from one minute to the next what will be available. My oncologist calls treatments for it whack-a-mole.
Since I have not quite one lung capacity I do have shortness of breath and I often run into trouble because I don't think about it and just go a mile a minute and have to stop.
Have you tried pulmonary rehab? That will help with your shortness of breath!
Take care and don't worry about schedules and the whens! Can you do that?