Adjuvant chemotherapy after upper left lobectomy

Hi Tingy. 
I had upper right lobectomy in July. No nodes found to have cancer. But during op they found the tumor had spread in a couple of places into  the visceral pleura (outer coating) of the lobe. This means that at any time cells  could have broken away and set up shop somewhere else in my body.
They recommended four rounds of  chemo.. carboplatin and Pemetrexed/Alimta. I had the last round at the end of November. 

I was told chance of recurrence was 30%, down to 20% if I had chemo. I saw that as a one in five chance of it coming back instead of one in three. So worth considering. 

Have  they gone through what the  likely side effects of your chemo will be? My combination seems to have been quite mild. No nausea or weight loss. I actually put weight on! Lost a few hairs but hardly noticeable. Tiredness, headaches and tinnitus the main problem. 

good luck with whatever you decide. 

Hi Baytree123

Thank you!

This shared personal experience is  reassuring and great to know your side effects were not too debilitating.  

4 rounds of Cisplatin and Vinorelbine are being offered.  The side effects list covers a few pages of A4.

My family are against my having chemotherapy, due to side effects which they say may harm me.

I am more afraid of the cancer returning than of any side effects.

All the best to you in 2024

Thanks again.

Hello Tingy.

I had my right lung removed in 2014 and like you cancer was detected in a lymph node in the lung when it was examined post-op. I too was offered cisplatin and viorelbine over 4 cycles.

I was also told this would give me an additional 5 percentage points on long term survival (no idea what the starting rate was) and so far I'm still OK coming up to 10 years later.

At the time I decided to take all the chances I could get to increase my survival prospects and figured that if I didn't like it or if the effects of chemo were too harsh to put up with I could always stop treatment at any time. I wanted to at least give it a try and not be full of regret later if the cancer came back and I had declined the treatment. Fortunately I completed the course and haven't looked back since. It's a very personal decision and needs careful thought but unfortunately you don't have too much time to decide.

Obviously there are side effects and as you say these cover several pages but even the info in a packet of paracetomol is very long - they do have to cover all eventualities.

My side effects were not pleasant but were manageable and there are many checks and tests throughout treatment to make sure you remain fit to continue. I'll never know if the chemo has protected me from recurrence so far but at the time I remember thinking that if I was one of the estimated 5% who benefited I would have hit the jackpot.

This is a difficult decision. If you have any questions relating to side effects or treatment that might help you, just ask and I'll do my best to answer.

I wish you all the best,

Derek.

Thank you Excavator

I appreciate your response so very much. 

Helps put my thoughts into perspective. 

Wow, ten years ago, and here you are helping people facing the very same.

This forum is awesome.

Thanks again. 

Hi. I have had the upper half of my left lung removed in August. I will be having my 4th & last chemo on the 5th Jan. it was found in my lymph nodes in bronchus & too have been given 7% chance of killing any cells left behind. I did think long & hard about having chemo but decided I would take everything offered in the end. I find the taste & sore’s in mouth the worse for me but am glad I went ahead & given myself a chance. Love Julie 

Hi 

Hi , I had my lobe removed in May and went t

onto chemo in August .  Finished it in November had cisplatin and  the one beginning with V . 
my biopsy showed it had spread to lymph nodes , these didn’t show up on pet scan .  I was worried if they can’t see it on pet where else was it .  I went for it , it was tough  , I have other medical conditions so this caused issues .  The nurses and oncologist are with you  every step of this , bloods are done every  cycle and for me my chemo was adjusted  .  This has to be your decision not your family’s  ,  I was given a hotline number any issues I was told to call . Good luck xx

Julie,

Thanks for your response. I find it so reassuring to be able to share our experiences.

All the best to you and for today, your last round.  

It's a tough decision and a very personal one.  Whether or not you consider 5% "worth it" or not is a question only you can answer, but the decision needs to be your own and not made to please your family.

I didn't have chemo for my lung cancer - I had surgery and radiotherapy for that - but I've had it for a blood cancer.  You don't mention whether radiotherapy is being offered as a salvage treatment if you decline the chemo.

One thing to ask about is the known risks of whatever chemo they're proposing.  The chemo for my lymphoma increased my risk of developing bladder cancer and one of the chemo drugs is cardiotoxic.

I found chemo hideous but it also wasn't like I had imagined.  What are your family's concerns?

Hi, I also had an upper left lobectomy back In  September with one lymph node effected post surgery. I have just completed 3rd round of 4 with pemetrexed and carboplatin.

I opted to take every chance, however small,  I had to beat this thing but as stated previously whatever decision you make has to be (and will be) the correct one for you. 

I won't pretend the chemotherapy has been easy for me with many of the side effects happening but the support I have received from the local macmillan unit has been amazing and proved that not at any point are you alone through this.

Best of luck in whatever course you take.