Merry, Volunteer Mentor
@merpreb
@merpreb
Posts: 5587
Joined: Feb 07, 2018
Small Cell Lung Cancer
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.
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Merry, Volunteer Mentor
@merpreb
@merpreb
Posts: 5587
Joined: Feb 07, 2018
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. ❤️
Margot- Thinking of you! Breathe! You've got this!
margot69
@margot69
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Margot- Thinking of you! Breathe! You've got this!
Thank you, Merry. Didn't sleep most of the night. 😴
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Merry, Volunteer Mentor
@merpreb
@merpreb
Posts: 5587
Joined: Feb 07, 2018
Merry, Volunteer Mentor
@merpreb
@merpreb
Posts: 5587
Joined: Feb 07, 2018
margot69
@margot69
@margot69
Posts: 84
Joined: Oct 26, 2018
@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.
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.
lady1lake
@lady1lake
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Joined: Jun 09, 2018
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.
I can imagine your frustration. Hope you are now getting the attention & good advice you deserve.
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margot69
@margot69
@margot69
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I can imagine your frustration. Hope you are now getting the attention & good advice you deserve.
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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lady1lake
@lady1lake
@lady1lake
Posts: 65
Joined: Jun 09, 2018
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.
Am glad you like your oncologist. Having confidence in him is paramount. Best wishes for your chemo treatments.
Merry, Volunteer Mentor
@merpreb
@merpreb
Posts: 5587
Joined: Feb 07, 2018
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.
@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?
joangma
@joangma
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margot69
@margot69
@margot69
Posts: 84
Joined: Oct 26, 2018
Am glad you like your oncologist. Having confidence in him is paramount. Best wishes for your chemo treatments.
Thank you, lady
margot69
@margot69
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Joined: Oct 26, 2018
@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?
My stomach issues started some years ago, horrible, daily nausea, for one. Lots of tests, lots of different meds over the years. I cone under the umbrella of IBS. I can manage it better now but why Iam so concerned about Chemo making me sick. Doctir is not putting a port in now, woukd be useless if I cannot tolerate treatment. This shoukd be interesting as they have a hard time finding a decent vein for an IV or blood test. I am dreading this. Has anyone had treatments IV? I am tired of talking about, and reading about, cancer! Thanks, Merry. Helps to,have a place to come to to talk about this.
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margot69
@margot69
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what are some of the new great breakthroughs
Joangma, I wish I knew!! In regards to the the small cell, I have found very little. I ran across a couple of trials but pretty new. I did run across one site that mentions giving two drugs they give for the NSCLC. I need to try to look into that further. In my case, Dr. Wakelee said sge is pretty sure I am dealing with some immune issues. Fir one, I have had all the symptoms of Sjogrens even though two biopsies were negative. Because of this, they would be wary of trying Immunotherapy or trying to get me in a trial. The oncologist here said the same and bith said trials can be risky fir anyone and probably more so for me. I am curious what Anyonee with SCLC has been treated with. Hope more see this and will share.
lady1lake
@lady1lake
@lady1lake
Posts: 65
Joined: Jun 09, 2018
Joangma, I wish I knew!! In regards to the the small cell, I have found very little. I ran across a couple of trials but pretty new. I did run across one site that mentions giving two drugs they give for the NSCLC. I need to try to look into that further. In my case, Dr. Wakelee said sge is pretty sure I am dealing with some immune issues. Fir one, I have had all the symptoms of Sjogrens even though two biopsies were negative. Because of this, they would be wary of trying Immunotherapy or trying to get me in a trial. The oncologist here said the same and bith said trials can be risky fir anyone and probably more so for me. I am curious what Anyonee with SCLC has been treated with. Hope more see this and will share.
Margot, I was given carboplatin & etoposide chemo combination for SCLC. I was never nauseated. My oncologist did give me a prescription for nausea, but I never had to take it. Hope & pray that you are able to tolerate whatever chemo they prescribe for you because SCLC does respond well to chemo.
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@merpreb
Lol Margot. You'll be fine!