Diagnosed with breast cancer & primary lung cancer: Next steps?

Barbara, @bdurel, You've had a rough few months, two cancers, but also lucky to have found them both. Lung cancer can be difficult to diagnose in people that aren't screened on a regular basis. It was comforting to know that my case was being reviewed by a tumor board, the more input the better. I'm looking forward to hearing how your oncology appointment goes. It sounds like you've had a lung biopsy, have you already had a PET scan? Do you have the same oncologist treating both the breast and lung cancers?

@lls8000
Hi. Thank you for your reply. Yes I feel fortunate that the lung cancer was found. I had a PET Scan just over a week ago but have had no feed back regarding results. The lung Dr just told me once he had that he’d present my case to tumor board. I don’t actually even have an oncologist yet. I had a breast surgeon who did lumpectomy and now I have a radiation oncologist who is doing radiation. Those are the only 2 Dr’s at Valor Oncology. My PCP referred me to the lung Dr and that’s really my entire team at this time. Once I hear what the tumor board recommends I think I’ll have UCSF give me a second opinion. I’m hoping to hear the tumor board’s findings today but no word as yet.

Hi Barbara, @bdurel , A second opinion is always a good idea if you can make it work.
Have you learned any more about the PET results or from the tumor board?

@lls8000 Hi. First after presenting my case to the tumor board my lung Dr told me it looked like they would probably be able to just remove the tumor surgically. I was so relieved. But when I met the medical oncologist for first time on Friday he said the tumor is 4.2 cm c 4 cm so stage 2. It is sitting on the bottom of my upper left lobe, on the fissure between upper & lower lobes, and at center of chest, with 2 little something’s hanging down. He said I need to do 4 cycles of 3 weeks of Carboplatin & Pemetrexed before any surgery and he wants to start in 2 1/2 weeks as soon as my breast radiation is done. He referred me for chest port implant. I have brain mri tomorrow. I meet with surgeon Tuesday. I’m not sure how to find out if my records were sent for 2nd opinion. I’m trying to look into cold capping to save my hair. Friends keep sending me info on avoiding chemo and doing an ivermectin protocol instead. Im feeling quite overwhelmed.

@lls8000 Hi. First after presenting my case to the tumor board my lung Dr told me it looked like they would probably be able to just remove the tumor surgically. I was so relieved. But when I met the medical oncologist for first time on Friday he said the tumor is 4.2 cm c 4 cm so stage 2. It is sitting on the bottom of my upper left lobe, on the fissure between upper & lower lobes, and at center of chest, with 2 little something’s hanging down. He said I need to do 4 cycles of 3 weeks of Carboplatin & Pemetrexed before any surgery and he wants to start in 2 1/2 weeks as soon as my breast radiation is done. He referred me for chest port implant. I have brain mri tomorrow. I meet with surgeon Tuesday. I’m not sure how to find out if my records were sent for 2nd opinion. I’m trying to look into cold capping to save my hair. Friends keep sending me info on avoiding chemo and doing an ivermectin protocol instead. Im feeling quite overwhelmed.

You sound like me but I was stage 4 when my NSCLC was discovered so surgery was not an option. I also had 4 cycles of Carbo/Pem and found cold capping really helpful. The infusion clinic had the cold capping machine so all I needed to do was buy the supply kit and “card” for each cycle. The company was DigniCap. They were really easy to work with, good customer service.

Good luck to you and keep us posted. Sending healing thoughts your way.

I wanted to update my previous post but I’m not sure I’m doing it correctly. Anyway I don’t know if I mentioned originally that I was diagnosed in Dec with breast cancer. It was during pre op for that that they discovered the lung cancer. I am losing my mind at this point. I just had my 15th breast radiation treatment but there is no plan for my lung. I met with surgeon this week. He said the path report I had copy of was wrong. It said cancer is in my left upper lobe but it’s actually in my left lower lobe. He said he could remove the entire tumor by removing the lower lobe. It has grown since CT scan one month earlier and is stage 2. I told him the medical oncologist said I need chemo before surgery and wrote order for chest port, and to have root canal tooth extracted. The surgeon said that I should get it removed first, then chemo. I felt relieved. He wrote referrals for pre op screening and tentatively scheduled surgery for 2 weeks after last breast radiation. He also said don’t do chest port or have tooth pulled. Nothing to delay surgery. 2 hours later the medical oncologist called and said he had great news. A test came back saying I have the EFGR mutation so there is a new targeted chemo pill I can take along with regular chemo BEFORE any surgery. I asked if it wasn’t best to have it removed while it’s contained to one lobe and operable and afterwards do any necessary chemo? He said chemo before surgery has 76% 5 yr survival. Chemo after has 66% 5 yr survival. He ordered the new pill. The pharmacy called & said there is a $2100 co-pay and should they order. I said give me a couple days because I have no actual treatment plan yet. When I went in for radiation today they told me the Doctors don’t agree on a plan yet. I’m feeling very stressed. My lung cancer was diagnosed 1st of Jan. It’s growing. They sent a phlebotomist to my home today for a blood draw for another genetic test that they didn’t even tell me about. I keep saying I want a 2nd opinion from UC Davis but no one is referring me or sending records. I don’t know what to do. I have 8 more days of breast radiation.

@bdurel I’m a patient like you. I don’t have any answers for you, but feel for your dilemma. Sounds like a 2nd opinion would be good, but I don’t know steps either. We may live in same proximity since you mentioned UCD. Maybe search Mayo on how to get 2nd opinion.