Looking for information on Cancer Centers treating Pancoast Tumor
with resection. Possible involvement with one adrenal.

Which hospitals in US are doing the most work in lung cancer, Pancoast
tumor.

Have hit a brick wall in Texas[color=darkred][/color][color=red][/color]

Sorry you hit a brick wall in Tx. but not totally surprised.
At the risk of sounding ignorant...what is a pancoast tumor? I'm sure anything with the word tumor behind it can't be good.

Teet

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Teet

dx:ATYPICAL CARCINOID FEB. 2003 with mets. to mediastinum and liver.
started sandostatin 3 inj. per day 3/20/03
switched to monthly inj. 5/15/03
Misdiagnosed with NSCLC in Dec. 2000
lost both parents to sclc

I sent you an email. I am a 5 yr survivor of a Pancoast Tumor. It is a tumor in the apex of the lung , way up the top. It presses on vessels and nerves and caused weird symptoms. A Doctor named Pancoast described the symptoms or "syndrome" so they named tumors found in the apex of the lung after him "Pancoast Tumor"

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NSCLC, 4 cm Pancoast tumor, diag. 12/3/97 Cisplatin and VP 16, Radiation, R upper lobectomy, more Cisplatin and VP 16. Celebrating 16 yrs of survival ! Click here and read MY STORY

http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?f47&t=9092

Relyag,
I looked at your profile, but didn't find where you are from. A colleague of a good friend was diagnosed with a Pancoast Tumor in November, 2002. I had never heard of it, so asked for clarification.

About a week ago he had a lobectomy of the upper portion of his left lung for his pancoast tumor at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. His surgeon was Dr. Doug Wood, Chief Thorasic surgeon at the UWMC. After diagnosis and before surgery, he underwent both chemo and radiation. In his case, a PET scan following the chemo and rad showed no other involvement at that time, so he was eligible for the surgery. Reports are that he is doing very well!:D

He provided me the following additional information on Pancoast Tumor, and it might be of help to someone out there:



Best of luck to you in your search. Keep us updated if you can. [/u]

_________________
"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." Lance Armstrong

"Every moment is a breath-taking, transitory experience, never to be repeated again." - Don Juan Matus

Tiny
Age 58 at dx; lifelong non-smoker
12/01 dx NSCLC bronchoalveolar-type adenocarcinoma (BAC), Stage IIA
2/02 Lobectomy RLL; no chemo or rad
6/03 MRI = "empty"
3/05 Bone Scan = negative
2/08 CT = "No Evidence for Metastases or Recurrence"
Enjoyed 6+ years of NED
1/09 CT/PET:Recurrent disease: multiple new nodules in both lungs, mediastinal lymph nodes, and spot on liver.
2/3/09 Bone Scan: Degenerative arthritis (hooray!)
2/4/09 Started Tarceva
~~ picture: Temple of Poseidon, Greece 4/08 ~~

It certainly looks like you found what you were looking for. I also see Donna contacted you. (Thank you Donna )

This is what this board is all about, support and survival.

Hang around, and before you know it, you will be the "expert", giving advice and support to others.

The description of the pancoast tumor sounded very much like what my sister has. So I did some research on it. Saw my sister today and asked her if any of the doctors had called it that. She said no. It seems to me that for a surgeon to be willing to operate on one of these he/she would really need to be familiar with its presentation. If the oncologists concurs on Thursday that this is a pancoast tumor, does anyone have an idea of how to proceed.

Oops, I forgot to log in
Mary

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Lost both my Dad and Sister to NSCLC.

relyag,

I think a Pancoast tumor is a superior sulcus tumor that produces certain symptoms. Superior sulcus describes the location at the very top of the lung. Horner Syndrome produces other symptoms. I'm not sure what the differences are, altho it seems someone said if there was pain in the arm (the same side as tumor) then it was a Pancoast.

I had a tumor in that position. After chemo-radiation it was surgically removed. My surgeon had done this surgery before, but I don't know how many he did. The skill of the surgeon is of utmost importance, as this is a very tricky procedure!

Hope I haven't just confused you more.

Good luck, JudyB

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DX 10/17/01 (4 days after 60th B'day) NSCLC Stage IIIB* squamous & adenocarcinoma, chemo(carbo & taxol) and radiation for six weeks, surgery removed upper left lobe 2/12/02, 2 more chemos in Apr & May 02.
*Drs misdiagnosed

9/16/03 Neurosurgery removed some of the squamous tumor in spine (grew back from original. Original thoracic surgeon said he got it all. He didn't.
Cyber-Knife in Phoenix finished 11/20/03.

Navelbine and Gemzar for 5 or 6 cycles, beginning Nov 3, 2003.

Photo is with my husband on daughter's wedding day 10/99