My husband was diagnosed with lung cancer, 2 mets into lower back & one small met into brain.
He started his first immunotherapy on Friday, so far all good. He was due to start Zometa bone treatment & the doctor explained that Zometa would help with the bone pain, but before he could start that he would need an up to date dental check up. His NHS dentist he last saw in October said no chance, probably May if lucky. So we paid privately to get this check up done yesterday, 5th April. Was shocked to be told he needs 3 extractions due to teeth being loose, although they feel fine, the x rays show otherwise.
Which means Zometa will be delayed for at least 3 wks whilst these heal.
Is there any other bone treatment or even radiotherapy which could be used until the Zometa starts?
Hes currently taking cocodamol which isnt really doing much now, takes the edge off so to speak.
I've been googling & sometimes radiotherapy can be usrd on bone mets.
This is the only problem he is having with his cancer, just lower back pain & its now affecting wanting to go out as to uncomfortable walking.
No idea how his last dentist missed these 3 teeth & how the teeth arent painful or feel loose. It just feels like another set back, as it took weeks to get a treatment plan to get started & now this has happened.
He is.also due a one session cyberknife on the brain met ( 6mm) on the 14th, there was no mention of dental check ups for that, but if these 3 teeth extractions delay that, christ knows how he'll react, as hes been wanting this sooner than later, as hes worried sick about the brain met, as he had a stroke in 2018.
Just feels like 3 steps forward & one step back....
Has anyone else been in this situation?
Thanks x
Hi Tillyboo any of the bone treatments can effect the jaw, causing real problems if there are any dental treatments that are necessary during treatment. I am on 6 monthly denosumab injections to strengthen my bones, but have to have a dental check prior to each injection.
Zometa is another name for zoledronic acid infusion, I will pop a link to an information sheet below for you.
It’s frustrating I know. I am sorry your husband is experiencing this back pain, it sounds like the teeth issues have him in a catch 22 situation.
I was the same as your husband, no symptoms at all, until the tumour got too heavy it broke into the bronchial airway. I had no pain, no cough until this point. I spoke to my oncologist at the time about this, and she said that the lungs have no nerve endings, so I would not of felt it, and if it hadn’t of broken through into the airway, I could of carried on for several years not knowing I had it. Scary isn’t it. X
The Royal Marsden are top in their field, so he will be getting very good care.
It is shocking how people receive their news. Mine was just as bad. I thought I had a chest infection, so after the 3rd lot of antibiotics I suggested to my GP that I should have an x-ray Just a few days later my gp phoned me, asked if I was driving, I said I was not. He then said “ I have your x-ray results, you’ve got lung cancer and it’s in both lungs” I don’t even remember the rest of the conversation, but what the GP didn’t know was that I wasn’t driving, but I was alone and just getting into my car to go pick my daughter up from school. I was 44, a mum to 3 young girls and scared to death. It didn’t get any better for a while because when I then met with the respiratory doctor, he told me I had 6 months to live! That was 10 years ago, so never give up hope! X
There are so many new treatments becoming available, when I joined this site immunotherapy wasn’t even available, and now it is one of the main treatments alongside chemotherapy. My cancer is a sarcoma, so different to the “usual” lung cancer. I was originally diagnosed in 2009 with it in my womb. They didn’t know then that it was feeding off of hormones which is why it has spread to my lungs. An operation, radiotherapy and then hormone treatment has got me to where I am today, incurable but stable. X
