Hips and Brain

FormerMember over 11 years ago

7 replies
95 subscribers
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Hi everyone,

I have been seeing a lot of messages in other topics from sufferers from primary lung cancer whose cancer has spread to hips and/or brain. Can I ask the very personal question of what, if any, where the symptoms that indicated the spread to each of those two points or if it was simply picked up by a routine scan. Also what are the ongoing implications for mobility etc of the spreading to either/or of those locations.

Information is strength and I would appreciate the help to become stronger.

Thanks,

Tones

FormerMember over 11 years ago

Hi Tones, My Mum has primary in the Lungs. When she was diagnosed it was the secondary in the lymph nodes that was first, When they diagnosed the primary that found other widespread mets. One is in the soft tissue around the hip. Mum had no (literally no) symptoms of any of her cancer / mets. Looking back her hip had been giving her problems. That leg was weak, pain in the hip and reduced mobility in movements such as walking up stairs Her mobility, as in walking on flat ground, has been compromised but it can cause her discomfort. She does lead with the other leg on steps, stairs or getting in / out of the car. Painkillers work very well. I'm not able to comment on the brain as despite the wide spread we are very lucky it's hasn't spread there yet. Although I have strong concerns that that maybe changing and would very interested in hearing from others on that part of your question. Take care x

FormerMember over 11 years ago

Hi Tones

I too have noticed an alarming amount of people with primary lung cancer spread to hips. This was exactly how it presented in my mum.

She was diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC on 28th June 2013 and died on 30th September 2013. Mum was a non smoker, size 10/12 clothes, fit and healthy, didn't drink, worked. An ideal patient.

Mum started with a "niggle" pain in her hip in April but this went away after a day or 2. This then progressed at the end of May whilst we were on holiday in Cornwall. I feel bad now because I pushed her to stay active thinking it was a result of being sat in the car for 8 hours driving to Cornwall. The pain wasn't too bad then..she managed to enjoy her holiday to the full. The pain got worse at the beginning of June and by mid June she could barely walk.

There was nothing from the lung tumour at all.

Mum had a hip replacement in July because she broke her hip whilst walking on it with the tumour. I am sorry to say she never regain full mobility before she died. She could walk with a frame but that was the extent.

She passed before she could have any other treatment.

xxx

FormerMember over 11 years ago

Hi My mum has mets from top to bottom of the spine, hips, pelvis and ribs (as Well as lymph and possible liver). The main symptom and only symptom was back pain, this is what lead to the dreaded diagnosis. Mum has 80mgs of morphine, twice a a day plus top up when needed, paracetamol, gabapentin, diclofenic and amytriptiline. She has now started a biphosphanate infusion every 4 weeks to help her bones and hopefully reduce pain. She has also had palliative one off blasts of radiotherapy to 3 sites for pain relief. If it wasn't for her pain, she would have a far better quality of life. Kind regards

FormerMember over 11 years ago

Hi Tones,

Yes both will be picked up by a scan and also blood resutls (high calcium levels) and of course monitoring the level of cancer markers.

Bone spread will present as a dull achey pain that will progressively get worse. Mobility will be affected as it will become painful to walk around without help. Bones become very brittal and can break easily so extra care is needed when moving around. The cancer causes lesions in the bones which eat away the calcium, thus causing them to break very easily.This needs to be treated with a special painkiller, garbapentin which is designed to relieve inflammation as well as reduce pain.

Keep an eye on symptoms though, numbess in the thighs, tingling in the groin area or incontinence, any of these should be treated as an emergency.

Brain spread brings double vision, dizziness and a feeling of unsteadiness. Not much experience with that one I'm afraid (luckily though).

I hope that helps :) x

FormerMember over 11 years ago in reply to FormerMember

Thanks everyone for your replies,

I do believe that knowledge is strength so finding out what to expect/look for does help me emotionally.

Thanks again

Tones

FormerMember over 5 years ago in reply to FormerMember

My mother in law had her results back from lung cancer to say the tumour had reduced is size from the effecta of the radiotherapy... great we thought, within a couple of weeks she developed severe pain in her leg which was put down to arthritis. Not happy with this we pushed for a scan, we got the results back today to say it was cancer in the hip :( . Not knowing what we are facing ia the worse and knowing we cant help with the pain. Can we expect any movement to come back? Thank you and take care and stay safe x

FormerMember over 5 years ago in reply to FormerMember

My mother in law had her results back from lung cancer to say the tumour had reduced is size from the effecta of the radiotherapy... good news we thought, within a couple of weeks she developed severe pain in her leg which was put down to arthritis. Not happy with this we pushed for a scan, we got the results back today to say it was cancer in the hip :( . Not knowing what we are facing ia the worse and knowing we cant help with the pain. Can we expect any movement to come back? Thank you and take care and stay safe x

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