Hi, Non-small lung cancer squamous cell carcinoma

Hi, my 72 year old husband was diagnosed with the exact same cancer 5 months ago. He has since had 20 sessions of chemo with radio and his tumour has significantly shrunk. He is now on Immunotheraphy which is given by drip every 4 weeks. This treatment lasts for 1 year and so far his tumour is stable and has not had many side effects and is feeling well at the moment. 

Hiya Augsil,

 I have NSCLC, diagnosed in April, Stage 4, lymph node 1, but wasn't present anywhere else. Was given palative chemo, four sesions 21days apart, scan after 3. I then waited five weeks, to have 13days of radiotherapy.  

My consultant is happy and says he wants me to lead my life without constant, hospital appointments and treatments.  I have another scan 11th October, depending on results is where we go from here. 

Consultant says I could go six,,,nine months before I deteriorate again, and he would give me immunotherapy. 

I am I think the best I can be, my quality of life so much better. I get breathless,  I get tired, but am doing so much more, and want to. My interest in doing things has improved.  

I know the final outcome, have accepted it, but I'm a fighter, one day at a time, appreciate all I have, and wnjoy every day.

Wish you well on your journey through this. Our treatments and reactions to the treatments are all different, but everyone on here can help you with bits of advice and what helped for them.  

Debs. 

Many thanks 

Many thanks

1. Hi I have non small cell cancer I was diagnosed 8 weeks ago mind is terminal having chemo and immunotherapy the tumour is 7cm on my left lung I'm copeing OK  just after the first injection on day 5 of cycle it makes me feel unwell for a couple of days I copeing well and feel well most days tired sometimes it the expecting part at first which was hard and my family really upset but comes to terms with it now they said uncruable but hoping to maintain are skink it it the cancer has spread to my lifnones chest and collar bone but praying its stops now having treatment how do other people cope with aftermath of the injection anyone same any tips I tend to do them after tea anyone same I'm 51 years old 

Hi Toniblade 

I just wonder if your on about the injections you have for three days after your chemo, for your white blood cells. 

I was told to start them 24 hrs after your chemo. So if your chemo finishes 3pm, then you start the next day at 3pm, then 3pm each day. I used to get them for three days.I am stage 4, incurable Non small cell lung cancer also. 

I did find they gave me pain in my bones and joints. 

I've had my chemo, and radiotherapy,  and at present I'm doing well. 

Debs x

Hi debs yes but I have too take them on day 5 of my cycle so day one I have x2 chemo and immunotherapy and on day 5 I get 5 injections which I have to inject for five days I'm stage 4 too then I go 13 days  until next chemo as I have every 3 weeks I'm sure it's same one as after the first one next day I'm always sick my bones and even to touch my skin hurts like never ending I find this part awf then after a day of that trrtisble pain I then feel well again How you doing its good too talk with someone going through same journey they said I'll have 4 lots of treatment on my 3rd next time had scan other day to see if its maintained are srunk I have it on left lung7cm chest and collar bone non small cell I'm 51 3 grandkids how you coping other than injections I'm fine 

Feel copeing really well have you loss your hair as I have not just asking hope you don't mind take good care 

Hi toniblade,

I had my chemo 21days apart, had three, then a scan, they then agreed to give me one more Chemo. I've two tumors,  one on the airway as it goes into the lung, and one towards the bottom on the left that has attached itself to the wall of the lung, the top of my lung has also collapsed. It's my left lung that's affected. 

I then waited five weeks after my last chemo, and started radiotherapy for 13 days in a row, weekends off. 

I think we now wait for the results of my next scan to see where we go from here. My Consultant I think has been quite conservative with my treatments,  as I see they all have a different method of treating NSCLC. I have been told to lead my life now without constant hospital appointments and treatments. My Consultant says it could be, 3,6,9 or he has known patients to go 12 months before they deteriorate again. He said he would give me scans every 3months. 

He said I can have immunotherapy , when I need it. But again I think it's all depends on my Scan in the 11th Oct.  

The worst side effects for me were severe constipation,  the pain in my bones and joints. And of course ,feeling tired and washes out, everything was an effort.

I still get tired and breathless, but not like before,  and my bones still crack and creak like a derelict building .

Take one day at a time, I kept a diary, wrote things down, and questions I wanted to ask. 

As I say think I'm doing well now, my life will never be the same, I still have to learn to listen to my body,  if I do to much, I pay for it the next day. I was 65 in August, and up until .arch was still working a 50 + hrs week.  So staying home has been a big adjustment also. I have lost all my hair, everywhere, eyebrows and eyelashes,  , but has started to grow back now. 

Your treatment is different than mine, but as long as it works to improve our quality of life, it's all we can ask for. 

Keep in contact,  sure we can support each other. 

Take care Debs x

Hello there. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 squamous NSCLC in January. I’m 58 and a never-smoker. I was so shocked and I sometimes wonder still if the facts have sunk in. In March I started four rounds of Cisplatin and Vinorelbine with simultaneous 30 rounds of radiotherapy. I got through the first two chemo cycles easily but after that the nausea and fatigue were debilitating. Both nausea and fatigue continued until the middle of July. It was miserable. I had my first follow-up scan in early September. Because of the radiation damage it is not possible to see if my tumours (one primary in right lung and one large cricket ball in the nodes of the bronchus) have shrunk (the radiation causes scarring and inflammation which hides the tumours) but they hadn’t grown so a positive result for me. I now will have 3 monthly scans. 

On Thursday I found a lump on the back of my neck. GP has requested ultrasound and x-ray. I’m trying to remain positive but it looks a bit bleak. I had hoped there wouldn’t be any further progress for a while. I did have my third Covid booster and flu jag last Sunday so perhaps it’s that. Ever optimistic. 

In myself I have felt pretty well since July. I am fit and healthy and walk a lot, golf and generally enjoy life. 

I wish you well. It’s scary but strangely enough you learn to cope. I stay positive by focusing on the things I can do and not on the things I can’t change. I haven’t told anyone except my husband, our children and our closest friends and this works for me because it’s just business as usual. I like that. 

Good luck.