Update on Dad - SCLC with brain mets

Hi Eleni_  it is good to hear that your dad is doing well on his treatment. It is only natural to feel anxious about scan results. We all feel that it’s something we call scanxiety, and it is a horrible feeling.  Everyone’s treatment plan is different, so we wouldn’t be able to say what will happen next. Did your dad have brain radiation? This is normally only given once as it can damage healthy tissue if given again. 

There is a new immunotherapy for small cell lung cancer, but I’m not sure how available it is yet, but might be worth asking your Dad’s oncologist. I’ll pop a link below for you. 

small-cell-lung-cancer-atezolizumab-

Good luck with your dads scan, let us know how he gets on. 

Hi Eleni

My Mum,  as you know also has SCLC but she has mets on Lymph, liver and spine, Mum had 6 rounds of Chemo and 6 Radiotherapy between July and Nov last year.  I asked about Immunotherapy for my Mum but she wasn't a candidate as it was to severe on the body and the didn't think this was for her. Please ask though as your Dad is a lot younger than my Mum (78)

We are now one year from starting treatment and she is getting another 4 rounds of chemo, we are on the 3rd today, and will be 10 in total and she re-started in June and she is doing great.  The liver is the problem and this seems very aggressive, we have a scan on 22nd July and like you we are dreading the outcome.  If this next lot doesn't work, they have said they will try another kind but again that will be it.

What reassures me is that SCLC responds really well to treatment.

Keep positive and keep your Dad positive and let me know how he gets on

Love T xx

Thank you Chelle! Yep it definitely can be nerve wracking. 

Yeah he had 5 days in a row of whole brain radiotherapy. He's coped with it well so far, just had quite bad headaches a few times but is on steroids for it and they seem to have calmed down the past two weeks. 

Interesting to know about the immunotherapy, thank you! 

Thank you Toppy! So great to hear you're one year on and she's doing well  

That's good to know, we'll enquire about it and see what they say. 

I'm nervous about the outcome because his doctor's were hoping the chemo would have shrunk some of the tumours in the lungs which it didn't, it just stabilised it, but stabilising is better than growing I suppose, so need to look for the positives. Fingers crossed we get a better outcome with the radio. 

Best of luck for your mum's scan, keep me posted with how it goes xx

Hi Eleni, Let me know how your Dad gets on today xx

Thank you Toppy!

Scan went well, we don’t have the results yet, we’ll be going back on the 9th of August for the full results and a plan of action for next steps. The oncologist he saw today mentioned she didn’t see anything drastic so fingers crossed that’s a good sign but we didn’t get told much more.

His headaches have been getting quite bad so they’re playing around with steroid dosage until we find the right amount. 

Let me know how your mum’s scan goes this week as well xx