The Diagnosis and Staging of Lung Cancer
Tze-Ming Chen, MD, FCCP


Staging is an assessment of the extent of spread of the tumor, including spread to lymph
nodes and metastasis to other parts of the body. Determination of the stage involves
obtaining information about tumor sites from tests that may include combined positron
emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), endobronchial
ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration, endoscopic ultrasonography guided fine
needle aspiration, electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy,
thoracentesis, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and CT or ultrasonography guided fine
needle aspiration.
The current system for staging non-small cell lung cancer is the tumor-node-metastasis
(TNM) classification, which includes assessment of the tumor (size and effect of the tumor
on the surrounding lung tissue or interaction with non-lung tissue) (T) (Table 1), the extent
of spread of lung cancer to lymph nodes (N) (Table 2 and Figure 1), and the presence or
absence of metastatic spread of lung cancer outside of lung tissue (M) (Table 3). The tumor
stage of non-small cell lung cancer ranges from localized disease (IA) to widespread disease
(IV) and provides information about expected prognosis and survival (Table 4).
See pages 7-9 for tables and figures.

MORE: http://lungcancercap.org/choices/pdf/1_ ... 052312.pdf

Thanks.

When I first heard 'stage 4', 'inoperable', 'incurable', and the stats...I was beyond freaked especially when I read over and again the stats and lifespan percetages. Now that I have settled down and have perspective...

Yes, I have cancer
Yes, I will die from it someday.
But not today.

(borrowed from a post elsewhere on here)

_________________
2/2011- diagnosed BAC
4/2011- lower rt lobectomy
6/2112- 2 'spots' middle and upper rt lobes, will wait to see if they change, recheck in the fall (will wait to see if they 'do a trick'-phrase my own)
11/2012-spots growing, biopsy schedualed
12/2012-biopsy unconfirmed, dr wanted to wait another 2 months, patient refused to play the waiting game
12/2012-began complementary therapies in the form of supplements
1/2013-began chemo
2/2013-nurse friend started me on balanced PH water to support PH balance as cancer can not exist in an alkaline envoirnment, moving me up from acidic to alkaline PH reading
2/2013-most recent CT shows one 'nodule' disappeared, one a 'dead shell' and the 'thickening tissue around the heart' noticeably smaller-PTL!
2/1013-last chemo treatment cause such severe sickness had to discontinue supplements, then discovered I felt overall worse. Upon restarting supplements, I did feel better, proving that they are helping ☺

CURRENT SUPPLEMENTS:

Morning
Ibuprofen -200x3
Tylenol- 500x3
Atenolol- 50MG 1x
Black Cumin Seed- (essential oils) -2x
Trametes versicolor- 2x (polysaccharopeptide)
Curcumin (turmeric) 1x

Late Afternoon/Early Evening
Ibuprofen -200x3
Tylenol- 500x3
Black Cumin Seed- (essential oils) -2x (autoimmune and hypertension)
Trametes versicolor- 2x (polysaccharopeptide)
Curcumin (turmeric) 1x


Late Evening/Before Bed
Melatonin- 5g x4
Folic Acid-(prescribed) 1MG 1x
Atenolol- (prescribed) 50MG 1x

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=C ... ung+Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3151314/ (Advanced Drug-Delivery Systems of Curcumin for Cancer Chemoprevention
http://www.cancer-therapy.org/CT/v6/A/1 ... 17-130.pdf polysaccharopeptide
http://www.naturalnews.com/030800_cumin ... ealth.html (Black seed oil)

And don't forget - the stats are old and don't reflect the newer survival rates due to many of the new therapies, like Tarceva and Xalkori - and there are new treatments coming all the time. There is so much reason for hope today -

_________________
3/98 Dx squamous cell NSCLC 2a at 50 yrs
4/98 Left lung removed, no chemo/rad
8/08 Persistent cough and shortness of breath, first appt. with pulmonary doc 11/4/08
11/08 X-ray and CT show tumor in right lung. PET scan confirms tumor, shows no apparent spread
12/08 CT/needle biopsy shows squamous cell NSCLC IIIB, doctors don't seem to agree if its a new cancer or recurrence - but onc believes it is a new one
12/08 Start concurrent radiation/chemo, Cisplatin/Etoposide
1/09 Chemo switched to Carbo/Taxol due to intolerance of Cisplatin
2/09 Radiation completed
3/09 Chemo completed
5/09 CT shows spot where tumor was likely/hopefully scar tissue
6/09 Begin Lucanix trial
9/09 CT scan - stable
12/07/09 CT scan - stable
3/1/10 CT scan - stable
6/1/10 CT scan - stable - begin 2nd year of trial
8/23/10 CT scan - stable
10/25/10 CT scan - stable
1/20/11 CT scan - stable
4/25/11 CT scan - stable - completed drug portion of trial, now follow-up with 3-mo scans
8/1/11 CT scan - stable
10/24/11 CT scan - stable. At my request, switching to 6 mo scans.
4/24/12 CT scan - stable.
10/30/12 CT scan - stable.
2/26/13 CT scan - stable

Avatar is with 10-mo-old grandson Ethan at Xmas