8 years on , what’s next, update

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Hi all

I saw my onc today, which is exactly 8 years since my original diagnosis of non small cell lung cancer. The new growth is around the tumour that has been stable for about 3 years.  Fortunately it is only there and hasn’t gone to any lymph nodes.  The next step is to do a ct guided biopsy to confirm it is the same cancer as before.  If it is I will start on docetoxel.

Silly me didn’t ask how many rounds I will get.  Is there a standard protocol for this treatment?  X

  • Not as often as I would have liked. They said there is no point while my PSA is under control, it would not tell them anything!

    They are the experts I suppose, I love a scan and hate a scan!

  • Oh yes, the double edged sword of the ct scan. I’ve been lucky enough to have scans every 3 months since I was first diagnosed. It doesn’t get any easier.  I was wondering more about how often you got them whilst you were on docetaxel.x

  • Can't remember that unfortunately. Probably in La La land most of the time!

    I'm a long way from being useful, aren't I!

  • No problem. There’s so much going round in our heads when we are going through treatment.  I’ll be ringing my lung nurse tomorrow to ask the questions I forgot to ask on Friday.

    you’ve been very helpful.x

  • Hi everyone

    Well I got a call from my lung nurse yesterday expecting to get the date for my biopsy. It was to say the biopsy doctor wasn’t happy that the growth is cancer, he thinks it may be an infection.  Not sure what to make of that at all.  Surely at the MDT the consensus would have been cancer, so how does one doctor disagreeing change what happens next.  I’m slightly confused by this.

    However I’m not unhappy as I’m to have a pet ct scan in the next 5-7 days. Obviously I’m praying it is just an infection.x

  • What a win that would be. Crossing everything and hoping! Xx

  • Thanks norberry,

    that would drpefinitely be a win.  I’ve even got my eyes crossed.x

  • Hi Mummyb, Well, where else apart from this Group would we all be hoping you had an infection!! Wouldn't that be great!

    Love Annette x

    Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift!!!
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to mummyb

    Morning  I had the same thing 18 months ago. I was in hospital with pneumonia & pleurisy & it made the scans very hard to interpret.

    The whole of 1 lung was a whiteout from consolidation. They gave me the benefit of the doubt but 6 months later I had another hospital admission for pneumonia. Again the scans were hard to interpret & there was disagreement at the MDT meeting, but they decided it was disease progression & mets. The scan cant differentiate between infection & something else and the longer we’re around with advanced cancer the more complex our care gets. Good luck with your PET scan, have everything crossed for you xx

  • That made me chuckle Annette, indeed where else.x