Stage 4 NSC lung cancer palliative treatment

Hi

My friend had a diagnosis similar to your father in August 2023.  She had no cough as such, but her breathing became very laboured.  She was taken to A&E by her daughter one day because of desperately trying to breathe.  After an X-ray she was found to have a collapsed left lung filled with fluid and a large mass. This fluid was subsequently drained, which amount to a litre and a half, and then given an emergency lung biopsy on the mass.  There was a 9-10cm tumour which, after tests, was shown to be SCLC.  She was discharged home and referred to the oncology unit three day's later.

At the oncology unit she was told, because it was SCLC and large in size that surgery was not an option, that it was incurable and she would be put on emergency chemotherapy as palliative care only to prolong her life and make her more comfortable.  Palliative care does not mean end of life care.  Apart from losing her hair, she was fine with the chemotherapy and had minimal side effects.  SCLC responds very well to chemotherapy, and after her chemo cycles follow up CT scans showed the tumour had shrunk right down and was barely visible on CT scans.  After her chemotherapy treatment finished she was put on a two year course of immunotherapy.

We are now two and a half year's later and she is getting on with her life, and because she is getting on so well she has had her immunotherapy treatment extended.

She, like your father, was very ill in the early stages before treatment and was hospitalised soon after diagnosis with suspected pneumonia.  But, to look at her now after her treatment, you would not think anything was wrong.  CT scan follow ups are showing as stable with no spread to brain or lymph nodes.

Please don't get despondent, your father will feel better and look better once his treatment kicks in.  Just to add, my friend was 74 when she was diagnosed.

I hope my reply reassures you a bit.

Best wishes to you and your father.

Ann

Today has been such a difficult day and can see the side effects of the chemo coming through. He is struggling and it’s hard to tell if the treatment is working.  Your message has brought me a great deal of positivity and hope when I needed it the most. I thank you ever so much for your response.