Hi All,
After a surprise discovery of a 6cm mass in my mediastinum on chest xray in August with PET and biopsy following, I have had my first oncology appointment today. I have been told I have an adenosquamous carcinoma in a paratracheal lymph node which makes this cancer a stage 3a. The original lung cancer would appear to have vanished.
I have been told that without treatment, I have 6 months. With treatment there is a 60% chance of cure. Not suitable for surgery due to location and due to start chemo (carboplatin and paclitaxel) and radio in 2 weeks which will last for 6 weeks with a year of immunotherapy to follow.
I felt quite positive after the appointment but tonight it has hit me, I feel so lonely and tearful and I'm considering declining treatment. This is not a journey I wanted to take part in and I'm not sure I can do it.
Hi pinkmoscato welcome to the group but I am sorry to hear your news, I know how terrifying this is for you. The thought of treatment can be daunting, the fear of the unknown is a terrible thing. I have seen posts from many people over the years who have been absolutely terrified of starting treatment, who afterwards have said it wasn’t as bad as they imagined. I have know of many people who have had immunotherapy and years later still have no evidence of disease. What a wonderful feeling that must be, to know you have no sign of cancer. That won’t happen for me unfortunately my cancer is a sarcoma and immunotherapy isn’t an option for me. You can read my story by clicking on my profile picture and going to my profile page. Although I am incurable, what I can say is if I hadn’t of had surgery and then radiotherapy, I wouldn’t be here now 10 years later.
I listen to a lot of podcasts, and I heard one from a cancer patient once who was talking about his treatment and the words his oncologist said have stuck with me. He said “give me one year of your life for treatment, and I will give you back your life”.
Whatever you decide to do, you are not alone. We are here to support you through it. You can also call the macmillan support line on 0808 808 00 00 who are available 7 days a week from 8am until 8pm.
Hi, sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I understand it must have been a shock, and being tearful and feeling lonely is entirely normal, I was the same. Although it is your body and your choice, please reconsider having treatment, it is not as bad as you fear. Cancer treatment has come along in leaps and bounds over the years and it is not as brutal as it used to be many year's ago.
My lovely friend was diagnosed with an 8cm incurable SCLC upper left lung close to the mediastinum 15 month's ago after being admitted to hospital with breathlessness, which turned out to be a pleural effusion and had 1.5litres of fluid drained from her left lung. Subsequent tests revealed the diagnosis. She did not want to know the prognosis of non-treatment, she just wanted to get as much help as she could to enable her to live longer. Surgery was not an option and she was recommended chemotherapy and immunotherapy. She was started on emergency chemotherapy first week of diagnosis, although she lost her hair, she was fine with minimal side effects. First CT scan follow up three month's later found the tumour had shrunk by more than 75%.
After her chemotherapy cycle finished she was then treated with immunotherapy, again minimal side effects.
Today, 15 month's later, she is amazing. The immunotherapy is keeping her condition stable and she is back living her normal life. Subsequent CT scans every three months are positive, and the Oncologists are very happy with her progress.
Please don't give up so soon, treatment does sound daunting when first diagnosed and you need to process everything, but you are still in shock, as are all of us when first diagnosed. I've had cancer twice, breast 34 year's ago, and lung 14 month's ago. I went through all the gamut of emotions, same as yourself.
Best wishes to you, and whatever you decide, please keep in touch on this forum.
Ann
