There are always a lot of questions throughout the process of diagnosis and treatment, that’s normal. Be sure to keep asking your doctors until you understand. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, it all happens so fast and is generally so very unexpected. I hate that we see so many new people diagnosed!
Ask about the stage, it is important in determining the treatment, and can be important for certain benefits later.
It’s good that they are waiting for the DNA/biomarker testing prior to treating with immunotherapy, it is not effective for all types of lung cancer, and the biomarker testing will confirm that the selected treatment is a good match at the cellular level. The chemo should help with some of the symptoms, but some docs will hold chemo until the biomarker tests are back too, but only if you can tolerate the symptoms that you are experiencing.
I kept a list of questions on the notepad section of my phone, so as things popped into my head I could ‘write’ them down and then I wouldn’t forget. I could also put that particular question out of my mind then.
I was diagnosed 2 years ago, stage IV, and I lead a fairly normal life today. I know that my clock is ticking, but I try to do the best to enjoy my time.
Take care!, there is real hope in the realm of lung cancer, we’ve come a long way with new treatments!