small cell lung cancer

I’m not in your position I have cancer and have a date for my operation. I have only been on this cancer road since mid May I had a chest X-ray then a scan then told likely cancer better have a pet scan then told probably not going to be cancer then I biopsy. The biopsy results were it is cancer . It’s so hard to get over the shock to think straight I agree . You must think like this you need to eat the best diet you can think about your fitness and try to improve it little by little. Ask for help , talk about it if you think counselling will help ask spent time doing nice things whatever it is you enjoy . Keep coming on here ask questions there will be people on here that can give you advice and guide you just reach out x

 Coruisk2024 welcome to the group but sorry to hear about your diagnoses. You will feel very scared at the moment, this will feel like the ground has moved beneath your feet, but the first initial feeling of panic will ease once you start your treatment. 
When I first joined this group, which was 8 maybe 9 years ago, there was no immunotherapy at all. And then it was introduced to some lung cancer patients, just a handful to start, and now it used as a first line treatment. I have seen many, many people who were in your position and told they only have a year to live, who are now living with no evidence of disease. A couple of those people are still with us, who were the first ones to be given immunotherapy on a trial basis all those years ago. So please, do not give up hope. Yes this is devastating news for you, and believe me I know how that feels, but keep strong. 

Hopefully someone who has been through this will be along soon to share their experience with you soon. 

thank you for your kind words, I just feel so alone and I know the NHS do their best but it's the negativity which made me feel so low

Hi Jim, . You have been dealt with quick  which I am pleased to hear.  Your treatment seems to be strarting quick too. Heres a bit of hope for you I have a freind who had thre treatment your having when she was younger than yourself and it was successful she is still here today to tell us about it. Whether a lung cancer can be operated on depends on size , location in the lung , and how fit you are as it is major surgery. You are quite young and i presume fit, so they might reconsider,the therapy is supposed to control  the cancer to prolong your life. In some cases it has been known to cure.  Let your feelings flow and share them with your partners fears too, but don't give up hope fighters win the battle best in cases of cancer. Lung surgery is major so it would be a while before you would be back to your normal self. I am in the same boat as you , however somewhat older than you so my veiw might be different, but assure you my feelings are not. I presume it is only one cancer , both my lungs have cancer in and a tumour elsewhere, like yourself this week I felt no point  especially while coping with the side effects of tthe treatment but I have not give up yet. Only you can decide, hopefully you will give the treatment a try. But if not its your choice to make. Good luck & best wishes. My thoughts are with you. 

thank you Dito

thank you for your kind words Katie and I wish you all the best in your fight, I have literally gone from chest xray to chemo in the space of 3 weeks so very very quick turnaround, I hope the chemo is successful and that I can last a few years with my beautiful partner, good luck to you and thanks again

 Coruisk2024 take a look at the Macmillan buddie support that is available. I think this will be very beneficial to you to support you through these next few weeks. I’ll pop a link below for you. 

macmillan-buddies

You can also call the support line 7 days a week from 8am until 8pm on 0808 808 00 00. 

Hi Jim

So very sorry that you have cause to be on here.

Almost 13 years ago at aged 53 I was diagnosed with SCLC in the left lung.  There was a lot of it in the lung (I saw the initial x-ray) but it had not spread beyond that lung.  The initial prognosis was that without treatment I only had 2-3 months to live.

Unfortunately SCLC is not always operable as it tends not to form neat isolated tumours.  Mine looked as though someone had spread out a cotton wool ball from the entrance to my lung up to the the top of my lung.

My treatment was what would now probably described as old school;  

4 cycles of chemo (Cisplatin & Etoposide); each cycle was 3 days every three weeks.

33 days of high dose radiotherapy (Mon - Fri with weekends off);  started on the 1st day of second chemo cycle.  

This was before they developed an immunotherapy treatment for SCLC.

The positive is that SCLC very often responds very well to chemo in terms of shrinking the tumour so that the additional treatment, be it immunotherapy or radiotherapy, has less tumour to deal with.

Since my treatment back in 2011, the chemo has been made a lot kinder in terms of side effects. so please do not worry about the chemo.  

The gist of this post is that SCLC is now very much treatable and is no longer the automatic death sentence  it once was.  I, with others on here, are the living proof of this.

Do you know the names of the chemo and immunotherapy you will be having?  This will help others to respond with their experiences of similar treatment.

I wish you good luck with the treatment and the best possible outcomes.

Kegsy x

thanks you so much Kegsy, you have seriously lightened my day for myself and my partner Shelley more than you will ever know and I cannot thank you enough, the Chemo I am having is Carboplatin and Etoposide (minimum 4 doses every 3 weeks upto a maximum of 6 if I can take it!!!) I am also having a immunotherapy drug called Atezolizumab infused at the same time plus oral chemotherapy tablets in the coming days after each session.

Again thank you so much for reaching out and your kind positive words, I fully realise that the odds are not in my favour but to hear from someone in a similar position who is still going 13 years later lightens my heart more than you will ever know, finally well done you!!!

Hi Jim

The Carboplatin is the much kinder 'sister' to the Cisplatin that I had, but equally as effective at shrinking the tumour.

Again, all the best for the forthcoming treatment, and don't hesitate to ask if you need any info/advice or just wish to talk to someone who has been there,

Kegsy x