Daughter just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

So very sorry to hear this. I am 49 and was diagnosed a few months ago with stage 4 NSCLC. I have mets to my adrenal gland and lymph nodes. I also had to deal with a blood clot and had to inject tinzaparin, which was a horrible daily reminder of what had happened to my strong body. However, I started immunotherapy in October, I have had no side effects and my lesions have already shrunk significantly, and I now feel quite hopeful. The tinzaparin was replaced with a twice-daily tablet. So now I am starting to think of myself having a chronic disease, rather than a terminal one. I know I will always have to deal with it somehow, but the bleak outlook has changed. 

One of the worst parts initially was actually to see my family completely fall apart, and I had to spend much energy cheering them up. I was so grateful to the people around me who exuded optimism. I hope my little story can inject a bit of this. The online forum Lungevity has also helped me a great deal to keep my spirits high when I was at my lowest point.

wishing you and your daughter all the best. There IS hope

Hi there and so sorry to hear about your daughter. It's so much to take in initially but once a treatment plan is put in place you will all feel a little calmer. I'm stage 4 nsclc and was diagnosed 16 weeks ago. I'm currently on immunotherapy and it seems to be doing it's trick. The positive thing about getting this horrible illness in 2021 is that there are options. I've been told if the immunotherapy stops working I'll be eligible to join trials and that they are keeping chemo in their back pocket, just incase.

Come on here whenever you feel wobbly as you'll receive advice and support. Try not to Google too much as the info on there is out of date and just not relevant.

Xx

Thank you so much. Just so scared she wont be suitable for the immune therapy. Trying to be positive and stories like yours are just amazing. Thank you so much for sharing x

Stories like yours are so lovely to read. At the moment it seems the bleakest it can be as it seems to have spread everywhere but it looks like there could be glimmers of hope. Just so scared she wont have the mutant gene required as they dont know yet whether nsc or small cell x

Thank you so much for your reply, so pleased you are doing ok. It is so calming to read stories like yours xx

Hi Sparklynan: I have found a surprising number of young women in their thirties non smokers who have lung cancer and have you g children. They are on various treatments but all seem to be doing really well. They appear on my Instagram feed.

im sure your daughter will get good treatment and thrive. Things have changed so much in recent years in lung cancer treatments. 
saying that, it needs a spotlight in the media to increase funding and awareness that it is not a disease that affects only older smokers