Advanced Lung Cancer

Hi Sparrow

Difficult to write with any certainty as you haven't given any details but I was told last June that without treatment I had 3 to 4 months. The treatment worked and I am still here. 

There are so many different treatments available that may suit him.

Just support him, do as he asks and let the medics do their job, they are pretty good at it. That is all anyone can do.

Best wishes Phil 

There is no right or wrong way to support someone with Cancer. Sadly I lost my father to Cancer, I then had cancer myself, I then lost my Mum to Lung cancer, with bone and Liver mets.

Each person who receives a diagnosis deal with it themselves in different ways, but from my own experience and from being there for my parents most people don't want sympathy. They want to know that they have support if they need it, but they don't want it to be the main topic of conversation.

Think of how you have always been with your Father, the good times  you have had prior to the diagnosis, try to keep this to the fore front and make memories, take photos if you want of you together, with other members of your family too and treasure the time that you have with him.

My Mum used to say to me, what is the point in crying it wont change things and bless her, I never saw her shed a tear, although I am sure in private that she did. I made it my way of supporting her for her never to see me shed any tears either, instead I kept the banter going that we had always had. No it wasn't easy, but I know it is how she wanted it to be.

Everyone is different and have their own coping strategies. No it isn't easy but you very often find an inner strength that you may not realise that you have.

There is support if you feel that you need help from professional people,never feel that you are on your own. Times have changed and speaking about Cancer is not done behind closed doors these days, there are many people coping with the same situation as yourself and will understand the need to talk if you wish to.

I hope that you find your way of coping and supporting your Dad. 

Thank you both for your replies, I really appreciate it. I wish I could write more or write a better response. My head is a mess at the moment, lots of thoughts but can’t seem to think straight.

What I know so far is that the cancer is stage 4, 11cm x 7cm and is also in the other lung. He also has pleural effusion. He has been passed to the palliative care team. He has tests next week to determine I assume whether it’s small cell or non small cell and what chemo to have, or if it’s worth having chemo. I feel like we’ve been thrown into a world of terminology and stuff we don’t understand but I don’t think it sounds too positive if I’m honest.

Sparrow

I had pleural effusion. Drained 2ltr and 5ltr on first two drains. You feel a lot better after the drain is done.

I gather you dont know the type of lung cancer? Has the oncologist said that chemo will be the treatment or are you assuming?

Phil 

Gosh Phil that’s unreal, huge respect to you for going through that and coming out of the other side. The oncologist has said no to surgery, obviously given the size, and he has said radiotherapy is unlikely to help.

Sparrow

Ok. Again I am searching for an answer without having info BUT there are various drugs available beyond chemo such as immunotherapy and the one that worked for me, targetted therapy. I suppose what I am saying is dont give up until there is nothing left to offer.

Ask questions find out if there are options.

Phil 

Hi sparrow I’m 34 n found out my dad had extensive stage small cell lung cancer with mets that had already spread to his lymph glands nodes skin and liver, in November last yr, they wasn’t very optimistic stic bout my dad making it to Christmas,  he had a round of chemo that worked on his lung n lymph which shrunk the tumours slightly, but unfortunately whilst that chemo path worked on those areas itas still spreading in his liver, which we saw on the new ct scan, the dr said a normal liver weights around 1500g n 800g of it was cancer in his liver, so his chemo has been changed to the last avaible line CAV for short he had his second treatment on Friday just gone n although he hasn’t been sickly with it he’s practically asleep all the time, but he’s been near enough pain free for over a wk n is settled when asleep, me and my partner have come to stay and support him thru this, he questioned tho himself today whether he wants to put himself thru anymore, he due it again on the 29th tHis month then another scan if it hasn’t worked all treatment will be stopped if it does there is only one more session left for that full cycle,  so he’s not doing bad really to say they didn’t thinke’d make it to Christmas as he’s also got a lot of other medical conditions so he’s very high risk, I think it’s the extreme tiredness they have more than anything, n the chemo this time has made th much worse almost like he’s really struggling to come round from it, it’s so scary we’ve been on eggshells most of time we thought aon a few occasions it’s nearing the time, don’t always take for gospel time diognoses coz a lot of time it’s wrong, my dad’s still soldiering on 4 months later granted it’s getting harder but he’s lived way past all the professional expectationsxx hope your doing okxx and I truly feel your pain

Hi sparrow I’m 34 n found out my dad had extensive stage small cell lung cancer with mets that had already spread to his lymph glands nodes skin and liver, in November last yr, they wasn’t very optimistic stic bout my dad making it to Christmas,  he had a round of chemo that worked on his lung n lymph which shrunk the tumours slightly, but unfortunately whilst that chemo path worked on those areas itas still spreading in his liver, which we saw on the new ct scan, the dr said a normal liver weights around 1500g n 800g of it was cancer in his liver, so his chemo has been changed to the last avaible line CAV for short he had his second treatment on Friday just gone n although he hasn’t been sickly with it he’s practically asleep all the time, but he’s been near enough pain free for over a wk n is settled when asleep, me and my partner have come to stay and support him thru this, he questioned tho himself today whether he wants to put himself thru anymore, he due it again on the 29th tHis month then another scan if it hasn’t worked all treatment will be stopped if it does there is only one more session left for that full cycle,  so he’s not doing bad really to say they didn’t thinke’d make it to Christmas as he’s also got a lot of other medical conditions so he’s very high risk, I think it’s the extreme tiredness they have more than anything, n the chemo this time has made th much worse almost like he’s really struggling to come round from it, it’s so scary we’ve been on eggshells most of time we thought aon a few occasions it’s nearing the time, don’t always take for gospel time diognoses coz a lot of time it’s wrong, my dad’s still soldiering on 4 months later granted it’s getting harder but he’s lived way past all the professional expectationsxx hope your doing okxx and I truly feel your pain

Hi Melg,

Did they not mention topetocan as another line of treatment? I was wondering if it is more gentle? I know your dad has other issues, and I thought that the nurse told me topetocan is more tolerable. How old is your dad? I was wondering what other things he has going on. I have some immune issues that stops some treatment.

Bob

The oncologist has told us this is the last line of treatment n ya can have 4 sessions they where only going to give two then ct scan n if it hasn’t worked then treatement stops but he said even if treatement has worked there is only a total of 4 available, he has said they are not fussed now bout his lung tumour or the ones in his lymph or skin as they will not cause the problems, it’s the secondary in his liver he’s never had full dose of anything, as it woulda been too much I actually saw my dad’s ct scan results first one was in November n he had like 5 small tumours already in the liver, n when had last one in Feb they had grown massively covering the majority of his liver even with having the first lot of chemo, that’s when they changed it to this new one, he did tell us all that

my

dads liver will end his

life no ifs or buts about it, there is nothing else available to him, he’s 56, he’s got chronic pancrititis he had a heart attack n has heart failure due to not being able to have a stent fitted and copd, tbh he stopped smoking which helped massively he never coughs anything up anymore, basically the chemo could cause an heart attack which my dad knows but he’s said he’s rather die trying it’s awful isn’t it, he seems to be getting quite muddled up lately saying things and words when he means to say something else, he knows he’s doing it n gets mad with himself, he picked remote for tv up earlia thinking it was phone only thing I can put all that down to is tiredness the muddled upxxx ya can actually see how swollen his liver is with his tummy, I heard him tell his friend earlia that he might just cancel this next chemo n let things take there course as he’s frightened next lot will cause a cardiac arrestxxx it’s taking ages for him to come round this time so I totally get what he’s sayingxxx I’ll be here tho to support what ever desicion he makesxxxx