1. < Lung Cancer

Small Cell Lung Cancer: Let's connect

Posted by Merry, Alumni 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.

joangma | @joangma | Jan 20, 2019

what are some of the new great breakthroughs

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2 replies
Merry, Alumni 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 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.

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@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?

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1 reply
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)
@margot69

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.

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

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1 reply
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)
@lady1lake

I can imagine your frustration. Hope you are now getting the attention & good advice you deserve.

Jump to this post

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.

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2 replies
lady1lake | @lady1lake | Jan 19, 2019
In reply to @margot69 "I am in a private e-mail with a few friends and they are not happy about..." + (show)
@margot69

I am in a private e-mail with a few friends and they are not happy about the way this has been handled or, shoukd Insay, not handled. I feel like a fish flopping around in a sinking boat. One would think they would have a Patient Advocate to help. One woukd think the Doctor woukd sit down with you, explain what you have, possible treatments, suggestions where to go. Not Sutter Gould. Just send the patient a message she has a terminal illness and needs treatment ASAP. My PCP will be hearing from me, again.
Yes, that commute can be a bitch as you never know how traffic will be. I was a hour late for a GI appt over at Stanford one day. Get to the office and was told I could not be seen. I was so upset and said I was going to file a complaint. Took us about 3 hours to get there. We left and my cell rings and Tgey are telling me the doctor would see me. We were almost out of town but turned around.

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I can imagine your frustration. Hope you are now getting the attention & good advice you deserve.

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1 reply
margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 18, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "@margot- How did it go yesterday? It must have been a long day yesterday, you must..." + (show)
@merpreb

@margot- How did it go yesterday? It must have been a long day yesterday, you must be exhausted. Just letting you know that I'm thinking about you.

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Hi Merry,
That is sweet of you. It was a long drive and day. Actually, I have an appt with an Oncologist here in town today. I really do like Dr. Wakelee and her staff. She may have given me a bit of hope. I will try to write more later. Keep those fingers crossed.

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Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 18, 2019
In reply to @margot69 "Thank you, Merry. Didn't sleep most of the night. 😴" + (show)
@margot69

Thank you, Merry. Didn't sleep most of the night. 😴

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@margot- How did it go yesterday? It must have been a long day yesterday, you must be exhausted. Just letting you know that I'm thinking about you.

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1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 17, 2019
In reply to @margot69 "Thank you, Merry. Didn't sleep most of the night. 😴" + (show)
@margot69

Thank you, Merry. Didn't sleep most of the night. 😴

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@margot- I'm sure that you didn't. Just try and hang in there. Let's get you squared away and then deal with other things. hugs

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margot69 | @margot69 | Jan 17, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "Margot- Thinking of you! Breathe! You've got this!" + (show)
@merpreb

Margot- Thinking of you! Breathe! You've got this!

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Thank you, Merry. Didn't sleep most of the night. 😴

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2 replies
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 17, 2019
In reply to @margot69 "That is a good point, Merry. Most information I have found isn't really showing treatment plans..." + (show)
@margot69

That is a good point, Merry. Most information I have found isn't really showing treatment plans or a good prognosis.
I hadn't received info from Stanford so went on the site to check my appt info. It showed I had a 15 min appt! I almost lost my 💩 (Excuse me). I called and was assured my appt would be over an hour and they have all my records. I am going to get my folder and write down my questions now.
I sent that guy the link here so maybe he will check it out. He is in the UK. Kind of odd how he got diagnosed and the treatment plan. We have been discussing the health issues we have both had for some time before this diagnosis. M seems unrelated but a lot of parallels.
I will keep you updated assuming I don't have a damn heart attack. ❤️

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Margot- Thinking of you! Breathe! You've got this!

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