Cancer death rate posts biggest one-year drop ever

Posted by Merry, Volunteer Mentor @merpreb, Jan 8, 2020

While reading WAPO on-line this article hit me in the face: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/01/08/cancer-death-rate-posts-biggest-one-year-drop-ever/
There are new successful treatments and medicines and more people quitting smoking cigarettes.
As a twenty-two + lung cancer survivor this is music to my ears!
Have you benefited from any of the new treatments?

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

Hi Merry! I just had lobectomy Jan. 2, 2020 after being diagnosed in November 2019. I was referred to oncologist where my appointment is scheduled for mid February. No treatment yet, but I would love to see comments of how people are coping and what treatment plan they have. My diagnosis is NSCSC (upper left lobe), stage 2b. (I'm a newbie to the site, but reading every thread I can!)

REPLY
@metalneck

Hi Merry! I just had lobectomy Jan. 2, 2020 after being diagnosed in November 2019. I was referred to oncologist where my appointment is scheduled for mid February. No treatment yet, but I would love to see comments of how people are coping and what treatment plan they have. My diagnosis is NSCSC (upper left lobe), stage 2b. (I'm a newbie to the site, but reading every thread I can!)

Jump to this post

Hi metalneck, my sister had a lobectomy performed on her in the middle of December 2019. She was a smoker for many many years. Her diagnosis was similar to yours, NSCSC (but,lower left), stage 2b. She started chemo (four sessions in all). She had two already (the third one this Friday) three weeks apart the one from the other and is coping as best as she can with the side effects which are mainly slight nausea, lack of energy and lack of hunger for the next 5 days after each chemo. She is a physician herself, pretty optimistic about her future trajectory and trusts her oncologist wholeheartedly. I am online for her because she lives in another country and does not speak English but, she is following with interest everything I send her from this site (which I translate for her).
I want to wish you as I wished her a complete remission as you deal with this stage of your life. Your having a positive attitude will be immensely helpful to you. I will follow your treatment as you report it on line. Take care.

REPLY
@metalneck

Hi Merry! I just had lobectomy Jan. 2, 2020 after being diagnosed in November 2019. I was referred to oncologist where my appointment is scheduled for mid February. No treatment yet, but I would love to see comments of how people are coping and what treatment plan they have. My diagnosis is NSCSC (upper left lobe), stage 2b. (I'm a newbie to the site, but reading every thread I can!)

Jump to this post

Good morning @metalneck- I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to respond. I was actually away for a bit. When I found out that I had cancer I wasn't so much surprised as stunned! How are you feeling since your lobectomy? My first cancerous lesion was a 1b. Do you know if you will need treatment for your lesion? I know that you are still getting used to your new reality. Are how is your breathing? Are you having any problems with your surgical site? Let me know how you fare with the pulmonologist.

REPLY
@cornucopia

Hi metalneck, my sister had a lobectomy performed on her in the middle of December 2019. She was a smoker for many many years. Her diagnosis was similar to yours, NSCSC (but,lower left), stage 2b. She started chemo (four sessions in all). She had two already (the third one this Friday) three weeks apart the one from the other and is coping as best as she can with the side effects which are mainly slight nausea, lack of energy and lack of hunger for the next 5 days after each chemo. She is a physician herself, pretty optimistic about her future trajectory and trusts her oncologist wholeheartedly. I am online for her because she lives in another country and does not speak English but, she is following with interest everything I send her from this site (which I translate for her).
I want to wish you as I wished her a complete remission as you deal with this stage of your life. Your having a positive attitude will be immensely helpful to you. I will follow your treatment as you report it on line. Take care.

Jump to this post

Good morning @cornucopia- Welcome to you and your sister to Mayo Clinic Connect. What a great sport you are for your sister. I was also a heavy smoker. How is her energy? Is she taking anything for her nausea? How can I help?

REPLY
@merpreb

Good morning @cornucopia- Welcome to you and your sister to Mayo Clinic Connect. What a great sport you are for your sister. I was also a heavy smoker. How is her energy? Is she taking anything for her nausea? How can I help?

Jump to this post

Hi Merry, thank you for answering and for caring. My sister underwent her third chemo last Friday and had the same reaction as the two previous times only a bit worse . The nausea and fatigue lasted 7 days in all. She is very thin and she lost more weight through not eating but she is okay now and started both eating and walking close to 7,000 steps a day. Breathing is a little labored but she is doing her exercises and not complaining. One more (at this point) to go and she can take a breather by March. I got her tickets to come stay with in June. I hear from other blogs that plans may get canceled but she is optimist and so am I. Thank you for being there. Will let you know if new questions arise.
Cornucopia

REPLY

Cornucopia- You are living up to your name with plenty being the keyword! Plenty of empathy! There are many great anti-nausea drugs around. Is she on any when she needs them? I took them 24 hrs a day when I was on chemo. Hopefully your sister will have travel insurance so that she's covered if she's ill.

REPLY
@cornucopia

Hi Merry, thank you for answering and for caring. My sister underwent her third chemo last Friday and had the same reaction as the two previous times only a bit worse . The nausea and fatigue lasted 7 days in all. She is very thin and she lost more weight through not eating but she is okay now and started both eating and walking close to 7,000 steps a day. Breathing is a little labored but she is doing her exercises and not complaining. One more (at this point) to go and she can take a breather by March. I got her tickets to come stay with in June. I hear from other blogs that plans may get canceled but she is optimist and so am I. Thank you for being there. Will let you know if new questions arise.
Cornucopia

Jump to this post

@cornucopia- Good morning. Just checking in to see how your sister is doing. DId she ever ask for more reliefe from nausea?

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.