This Week.

Thank for the support Marianne!. I was also diagnosed 3 years ago, aged 42, and I am now back on chemo after a CT scan in July showed 3 lung metastases. Although being young and fit make it easier to cope with the treatment, the thought that I might not be around to see my young children through to adulthood is the hardest thing, so just taking it one day at the time!

Take care x

I noticed this too Marianne26  it pains me greatly as when I first stumbled onto this forum over a decade ago it was not the case !

However I am also greatly encouraged to see surgeons and treatment being so much more aggressive and patients so much more proactive in their own care . 
Seeing what Star74  achieved by seeking out a surgical window of opportunity and Hayleyc89  ‘s husband benefiting from a new treatment lifts the spirit .

For the sake of the next generation I do hope they find what is causing it to present in a younger age group . I think breast cancer might be seeing similar .

I do wonder what is in our environment that has changed so much .

Also how can we get the message out to GPS to investigate the presenting symptoms .

Take care ,

Court 

Hi Cecile 

I was just reading your profile last night . What a tough couple of years .

However I am also encouraged that you are on the job .

They used to do laser surgery for lung mets in London. I think there is now only one guy in Germany doing them . I have seen a few people over the years have some success too  with it .

Such a shame he retired !

However my mum found the lung surgery great and I know Marianne26  has had a positive outcome with RFA so hoping some of these options open up for you .

Take care ,

Court 

Hi Mariane26

Thank you for your lovely post. I only hooe that we can all add pressure on our GPs to stop the 'oh no, you're too young to have bowel cancer' bias delaying our diagnosis.

I also hope Macmillan can reinvigorate their "Never too young" campaign and let's get screening in place for younger people especially if they have known risk factors.

I hope your lungs got the help and support they needed

Hi Cecile  Have they mentioned any further treatment for your Lung mets. following chemo? As court said, I had a Lung Ablation procedure for two mets. back in Oct.'20. This is a very simple procedure - whereby they use radio frequency to target the mets. & basically blast them.

It's highly dependent on size & position of mets within the lung area. I also needed a few months chemo beforehand - to shrink them first.

However, they may just be treating you with chemo. with the hope that they can be eradicated, without further intervention? Hopefully, this will be the case with you.

Many best wishes

Marianne

Hi Marianne, yes they will consider ablation if the chemo has some effect. I'm having 6 cycle of FOLFIRI, then a scan and depending on results another 6 cycles of FOLFIRI or FOLFOX. The frustrating thing is that 2 nodules were already present in June 2021 but the radiologist failed to flag them, so now it's 3 nodules, 2 of which have doubled in size. The hospital/MDT have admitted their mistake and apologised and said that the delay should not have any significant impact on treatment outcome, but I guess the ablation will be that little bit more complicated. It's reassuring to hear that your lung procedure was straightforward.

Take care

Cecile x

That's brilliant news that you can have ablation though!!

Do you happen to know their sizes? & are they all in one lobe?

The procedure itself is very easy, being non surgical. I had GA, & woke with just two tiny plasters over the entrance areas, which were invisible to see. It just involved an overnight stay - with no necessary recovery time. Two days later, I drove my car for it's MOT.

Wishing you all the very best for shrinkage to occur!

Marianne x

The 3 nodules are spread over the 2 lungs and I think the biggest one is about 2-2.5 cm.

Thank you for your support x

Hi Cecile

Good  luck on the procedures when that day arrives.

I'm curious. Did you not have a PET scan? Baffled as to why there was no avidity takeup at the time.

I think that Cecile said they were missed on a normal CT Scan. The problem with Lung Nodules, is that they are very common in a lot of people, & don't often show up as cancerous on CT - unless investigated with more precise imaging from a PET Scan. That's what happened in my case.

Presumably it's all to do with the Radiologists report, & the hospital you are attending.

Marianne