Lung cancer, metastasis to the head

Welcome. I'm sorry to hear of your partner's diagnosis. The early days following diagnosis are hard with lots of information to absorb but you will find someone on this site who can answer your questions.  Most of the treatments are directed by the biopsy results ie which if any mutation is found. I've not heard of the magic number, but had full brain radio therapy, as my first treatment, with minimal side effects in September 2016. All manageable. And since then had chemo and two different biological treatments against specific mutations found following two biopsies.

You'll find further information about some people's cancer experiences on their profile page (click on the circle next to your or my name). I'm nearly 5 years into my lung cancer. And am pleased to say that the support provided by the web site, whether about side effects, treatment options and experiences has been invaluable to me.

I hope you get answers to your questions about tbe treatmemt plan soon, I found this very reassuring as it provided something to focus on. 

Good luck moving through the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for your response and I am so pleased to hear from you and about your great results

The consultant said that if it's 5 sites or less in the head they will probably do the radiotherapy. That's the magic number she referred to.

Yes, the treatment plan can't come soon enough!

Thank you for your help and take care

Hi Pencil

so sorry to hear about your partners diagnosis, 

my mum has been diagnosed with non small cell / adenocarcinoma stage 4/ it’s a growth in her left lung and spotting on her adrenal gland , the treatment offered and she starts next week ,  chemo therapy through the drip and immunotherapy, the immunotherapy is called keytruda,

she has got to go once every 3 weeks for 12 weeks, for the treatment in the hospital 

so we have been on this journey since end of March / when my mum went for routine blood tests / April after Easter ct scan / biopsies / pet scans / more blood tests / lung breathing test /. And the rest of the wait was the  biopsies waiting on the results as they test them to see if you have Any specific genes / proteins / mutations / in which different therapies will react to, this was the hard part waiting all those weeks/ 

Really thought my mums treatment was going to start 2 weeks ago.. just been waiting around for it to start to be honest , i feel she could of been having treatment and would be coming up to her second round of treatment ,  but my mum is to move to question the oncologist/ and she takes her partner to all the apts, as she knows how I am,

only advice is,  ask as many questions as you like and keep a journal with all info that you want to ask, 

a diary with all the dates for apt, and contact numbers,

im so sorry that you are going through this, my mum is 66, and was Looking after my 5 year old till this grenade went of, 

From a routine blood test to this ..  x yes don’t look on line all the stuff on line is not to date , and there are so many different treatments / therapies / trials /

only sites I look on are this one and cancer research and any question you can call there qualified trained nurses 

im Sorry I can not be much more help , but just wanted to let you know of the therapies my mum is due to have, xxxx

sending you love and wishing your partner well xxx

Hi 

New here today but came across your post which sounds like my mums situation 

my mum diagnosed this week at 69 with lung cancer stage 4 & signs in the brain 

I’m heartbroken & can’t take it all in right now so many emotions.

love to you x x 

Thank you for your reply,

It's helpful to hear from others in a similar position.

I will continue to take notes and use appropriate sites to look further. You can't take it all in and get all the questions thought of, never mind answered in an appointment!

Just want that appointment now!! O feel like you, delays are frustrating.

I am glad that your Mum's treatment starts next week and I hope that it goes well for her, and you all. It's not just about the patient, it's a complex situation.

Best wishes to you all and I will see if my partner has anything similar once that ball starts rolling.

(Possibly the head will be treated first in his case...)

Take care x

Hi,

Sorry about this, it's so emotional and waiting so hard, I do understand.

It's the time when you are just waking up and look around the bedroom and for a moment everything is ok, then as you become more awake you realise again that it's not

 I did find that distractions helped sometimes but not always and I think it's important to take care of yourself and remember it's ok to cry, be angry or whatever, but not let that take over.

I said to my partner this week, one thing that I remember when I had cancer which really frustrated me was that I suddenly wasn't 'me' to some other people. It was like the cancer became foremost in their thinking of me. Don't let it take over your Mum x 

Do take care of yourself, it's hard but it really matters.

Fingers crossed for some more information soon and starting treatment.

Take care x

Hi Mrsruby03

i am So sorry you and your family are going through this, your poor mum, 

has your mum had an oncologist appointment to find out about all The treatment options?

I found once we new all The info and the treatment plan, (which starts next week) 

you kind of take each day at a time, and hope tht everything  moves in the right direction,  it is a horrible journey and I can not believe life can be so cruel, 

there are so many treatments they can do and medicine has come a long way,  there’s lots of lovely stories from people in our mums situation and they are living with the lung cancer,  and living a healthy life on maintenance drugs , 

got to pray and hope and be positive, if we don’t have that then we have nothing, 

Sending you love to you and your mum xxx

Hiya Pencil,

from reading lots of different posts on here in the last few months, I think they start with. Radiotherapy,  with my mums I do not know why they have not,  there’s spotting on her adrenal gland, but the cancer is in the left corner of the lung, so she had got to. Have chemo , and immunotherapy,

as for the waiting this is by far worse than anything,

I think your doing amazing supporting your partner. Please let us know how results nd treatment plan goes,

x lots of Iove to you and your partner

x

Hi Pencil

Hope you now have some answers, my husband has lung cancer with secondary on the brain, he had whole brain radiotherapy plus immunotherapy. They don't give chemo very often for brain as it's not so effective.

Let us know how you get on 

Good luck 

Fran

Hi Fran,

Still waiting for the appointment & very frustrated...s week can be a long time as I expect you know!

Can I ask how long the radiotherapy was?

I know that treatment varies but feel so in the dark and as we are in the process of moving, no idea what to do for the best or how to plan anything.

If you don't want to share any information I totally understand.

Thank you for responding anyway and I hope that you are ok and all the best for your husband too of course.

Take care

X