Just wanted to let you all know the good news. Mom had a broncoscopsy last Thursday and we got the results back yesterday. NEGATIVE!!! The doctor could tell the minute he looked down there that it was not small cell. He said the lung is slightly inflamed and probably scarred from all the radiation. And that was what kept showing up on the scans. What a blessing! Thanks for all your prayers and support. I feel like we can all breathe a little now. And mom can get a nice hair cut and dye finally!!!

Thought you all would like to know.

_________________
Mom was a 2 pack a day smoker. 65 years old. Persistent cough, stomach ache and back pain lead her a new doc..
Aug 2007- Lung x-ray shows large tumor on left lung.
Sept 07- attempt broncoscopy, but mom won't tolerate.
Needle biopsy is done to get lung sample. Lung collapses. Tests show it's small cell lung cancer, limited. Moms quits smoking. Mom is 65. Inoperable because it's on an artery. Lung was partly collapsed for a while!!.
Oct 07 starts concurrent radiation to lung and chemo. Cistplatin and episotope. 3 days on, 4 weeks off.
Side effects- low wbc. Needed shots to boost. Hair loss. Nausea, fatigue.
35 doses of radiation.
Nov 2007- Another round of cistplatin and epistope
Side effects-low wbc, fatigue and nausea. Mom's scalp seems burnt. Onc switches chemo to carboplatin.
Nov Ct Scan shows tumor shrunk 50%.
Dec 2007-Carboplatin and etoposide. Mom seems better with the new chemo. No infections, no hospitalization.
Wbc 2. CT scan finds no cancer. Mom goes camping!
Jan-March 2008- finish up chemo and Ct scan shows no cancer.
April 2008 PCI for 4 weeks (20 doses).
March 2008 ALL DONE!!
Mom tolerates all treatment well. Has some hearing loss due to PCI.
April 2008 Pet/Ct Scan confirms Complete responder.
(Mom celebrates by starting to smoke again.)
May- Mom was there to see the birth of my third child! Mom turns 68.
May/June 2008 Cough develops
July 08- Pet/CT Scan shows some cloudiness on left lung. (original problem spot) Onc thinks it's iradiation pneumoitis. prescribes steroids. Refers to Pulmonary doctor.
Pulmonary doctor thinks we need to do a broncoscopy to see if there is residual cancer cells. Says there is cloudiness and hypermetabolic activity. Mom refuses.
Aug 2008- Onc prescribes steroids to see if coughing symptoms go away.Also prescribes Lexapro for depression. Works good!
Oct 2008- Mom is still taking low dose steroids. Still coughs a little. Waiting for new CT scan in Dec. Halloween is one year since first chemo. Her hair is growing back nicely. Se is doing well.
Dec 2008- mom's CT scan showed a "shadow" on the original lung, in the same spot. Here we go again. Depression sets in big time.
Jan 2009- PET scan w/ contrast. Waiting on results.
Jan 22,2009 Broncoscopy. Results are negative.
July- Ct scan and Pet show some new activity. Needle biopsy to the lung show small cell.
July 16th, 2009 Mom starts new chemo -Topeketan . Once a week.
She feels sick and nauseated, no other side effects so far.
November 20th, 2009-Stopped taking chemo. Side effects include nausea, hair thinning, weight gain, muscle weakness.
CT scans shows no growth or shrinkage. Taking a break from chemo over the holidays.
Jan 2010-mom stops Topectan for three weeks. Has Pulmonary Embolism, admitted to hospial for three days. Blood thinners and leg filter inserted for futers clots.
Feb 2010- CT scan shows growth. Taxotere to start next week. happy Valentines Day.

Most excellent!! Thanks for sharing the good news. (((Hugs))) for everybody!

Lynn

_________________
07/07: Diagnosed stage 4 SCLC. Carboplatin/VP-16, great scans. NED lung/hip, resolving liver.
11/07: Mixed scans. Repeat in 01/08.
01/08: Had seizures same week as scans. New mets: brain/adrenal glands. Active: lung/liver. In ICU overnight. Transferred to Hospice Wing next day.
01-28-08: Home on Hospice. Very critically ill.
01-31-08: Marked improvement. Sought second opinion. Yes, right diagnosis. Chose to not pursue further treatment.
02-05-08: Decided to fight w/Hycamtin.
04/08: Scans: Lung stable. Liver, adrenal gland, brain mets worse. Trying Gemzar.
05-12-08: CyberKnife for 4 of 6 brain mets. (Not WBR candidate-had radiation for non-hodgkin's lymphoma in 1984.)
05-26-08--06-10-08: Meds adjusted for increasing pain.
06-12-08: Fell down. Not injured.
06-19-08: Very wobbly. Brain MRI reveals innumerable lesions scattered throughout.
06-23-08: Hearing loss in right ear due to brain mets.
06-26-08: Not pursuing additional treatment.
07-24-08: Larry passed away at home at 8:10 pm, just the way he wanted. It was a gentle death. God's mercy is infinite.

WOOHOO!!!

Doing the happy dance!!



Denise

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[color=green]Tom 77 yrs young, Devoted Wife of 20 yrs Denise age 49 yrs, 6 kids, 5 granddaughters, 2 grandsons [/color]
__________________________________
[color=blue]1/29/08 Diagnosed with Stage IIIA NSCLC Squamous Cell with lymphnode and liver involvement.
1/29/13 - 5 Year survivor!!
1/29/12 -4 years Survivor!!
2/11/08 - 7/16/08 7 rounds of chemo w/ Carbo/Taxol
3/24/08 Restaged at IV.
4/28 CT Scan
5/5 Results day / Great scan w/ overall shrinkage.
5/12 MRI scheduled.
5/20 - Rad consult
5/28 - 7/16 Radiation to chest 35 rounds
8/18 - CT shows the lung tumor is down to 3.7cm x 2.7cm and liver lesion is GONE!! No signs of metastatic disease within the abdomen. No further treatment need at this time. Next scan in 3 months.
12/5 Hospitalized with pneumonia
12/6 CT Scan all clear. Tumor continues to shrink.
12/10 Home on 24/7 Oxygen. SOB continues.
5/18/09 PET SCAN ALL CLEAR!!!
5/2010 NED!!
4/2012 NED!!
10/2012 CT = Mixed bag of nuts
[/color]

[color=purple]Don’t be afraid your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin. [/color]

[color=red]READ TOM'S STORY @ [/color]
http://www.lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?t=37425

That's great — and I'm glad to see that Denise has lent you her Happy Dancer! Aloha,

Ned

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Ned is just my nickname, though it would be nice to merge it with the other meaning eventually...

Aloha means "Hello, goodbye, love, compassion, welcome, good wishes." It means belonging to others with a common humanity. It's defined better as a feeling in the heart than by words.

Dx NSCLC adenocarcinoma IIIb Sep 2006, now stage IV. Taxol+Carboplatin+Avastin 4 mo., Avastin 8 mo., Tarceva 16 mo., Alimta 12 mo. (sometimes combined with Cisplatin or Carboplatin), Navelbine since Feb 2010, 10 sessions of WBR in March 2011. See My Cancer Journey: viewtopic.php?p=351369#p351369 — UPDATED 03/05/2011.

Above left: Our golden retriever Rosie, who joined the family on 3/5/08 at the playful age of 2.

Below: Hannah, our golden companion 1994-2007.

Great News!!!!

_________________
[size=92][color=#333333]
January 26th 07: Sharp pain on left side under rib cage
February 07: Slight amount of blood in phlegm, non-stop cough
June 07: Emergency room, chest x-ray indicates pleural effusion
July 07: Start taking IP-6 with Inositol and Essiac tea daily
Aug 31st 07: Drs. preformed thoracentesis , 2.5 liters of fluid drained from left lung, tests inconclusive
Sept 10th 07: Drs. recommend pleurodesis, went to thoracic surgeon to discuss.
Sept.30th 07: Decide to obtain 2nd opinion.
Oct. 1st 07: See pulmonologist who recommends cat scan.
Oct 12th 07: Take Cat Scan
Oct 14th 07: Lost Voice
Oct 15th 07: Cat Scan results are 12x12x8 cm. mass in left lung (baseball size). Dr. refers me to lung cancer specialist.
Oct 17th 07: Specialist orders MRI and Pet Scan.
Oct 18th 07: MRI results are clear, pet scan shows activity in left lung.
Oct 23rd 07: Bronchoscopy ordered for biopsy.
Oct 25th: 07 Results are SCLC limited. Pulmonologist recommends Oncologist.
Oct 29th 07: Oncologist explains disease and am told 25% chance of cure. Told to go to hospital immediately to start 1st round of chemo. Put on 6 rounds of cisplatin and etoposide. Dr. has no problems with the IP-6 and Essiac Tea that I am taking.
Nov 19th 07: Met with radiation Oncologist. Went through mapping cat scan and scan shows improvement after only 2 cycles of chemo.
Nov 27th 07:Radiation started for 28 treatments.
Jan 08: Radiation completed, 4th cycle of chemo completed. Ask for a follow-up cat scan, results show significant improvement.
Feb 15th 08: Chemo completed.
Feb 27th 08: Went to voice specialist. Injected the left vocal chord with fluid. Able to talk for only 2 days.
March 28th 08: Cat Scan, MRI and Pet Scan. Results show no activity and leans towards remission. Voice is coming back on its own.
April 5th 08: Begin 18 rounds PCI brain radiation treatments.
May 1st 08: Completed PCI treatments.
June 25th 08: Cat Scan: Still in remission
Sept 18th 08: Cat Scan: Still in remission
Jan 8th 09: Cat Scan Chest Looks fine- Cat Scan Head shows small spots.
Jan 9th 09: Talk to Radiation Onc, have MRI in preparation for Gamma Knife
Jan 12th 09: See Neurosurgeon, MRI shows 6 Small spots, Gamma knife scheduled for the 16th
Jan 16th 09: Had Gamma Knife performed on 6 small spots on the brain. Initial results are good.
April 7th 09: Cat Scan for chest, abdomen and pelvis.
April 8th 09: Meet with Oncologist, results "look great". Next scan in 6 months.
April 9th 09: MRI for Brain.
April 16th 09: MRI results are very encouraging. Of the 6 mets found in January, 1 is gone and the other 5 are 50-75% smaller (from olive size to pea size as the Dr. put it).
July 8th 09: Meet with Oncologist, blood work fine. Next scan in 3 months.
July 17th 09: MRI for Brain Mets: Results are mixed with 3 new ones found (note two of the three new ones were also on the Jan12th MRI, they just did not label them as tumors at that time). Most of the original tumors have shrunk and the rest are stable.
July 21st 09: Had Gamma Knife performed on the additional 3 small spots on the brain.
Oct. 5th 09: 6 Month Chest Cat Scan
Oct. 6th 09: Cat Scan Results: No Change
Oct. 8th 09: MRI for brain mets: Some gone some smaller and a few slightly larger.
Jan 12th 10: MRI for brain mets, definite increase in size. Not sure if its swelling or tumor growth. Perscribed Temodar and deximethasone.
March 12th 10: MRI for brain mets, decrease in size from 20 to 50%. Dr. very happy as we are.
April 13th 10: Cat Scan
April 15th 10: Results are NED!!
[/color][/size]

Congratulations! Way to GOOOO!!!!!

_________________
Mar. '08-Routine xray found Spot tip of upper left lung.
Dr orders CAT. growth confirmed.
Sent to Pulmonolgist who orders PET.
Pet results-my spot lights up like a Christmas tree.
Can't reach spot for biopsy referred to surgeon.
Surgical Biopsy scheduled for Apr. 28th '08
Apr. '08-Surgeon found SCLC, removed upper left lobe and surronding lymph nodes.
Everything biopsied no other cancer found, declaired NED by surgeon on Apr.28th '08
ONC wants me to start adjuvant therapy.
June '08-MRI brain scan and CAT NED
Chemo cisplatin/vp16 3 days every 3 weeks 4 sessions ended Aug. '08
Partial hearing loss due to Cisplatin
Sept. '08 1st CAT after treatment NED
Dec. '08-2nd CAT after treatment NED
Apr. '09-MRI (brain) and CAT NED
Aug. '09-CAT NED
Dec. '09-CAT and MRI NED
Apr. '10-CAT and MRI NED
Oct. '10-CAT and MRI NED
Jan. '11-XRay NED
Oct. '11-CAT NED

Awesome news!! A celebration is definetly in order.

Wendy

_________________
3/2004 Stage 3a-adeno @ 39yrs
3/2004 Left Lung removed, 21 nodes +, paralyzed left vocal cord
3/2006 - New Mets - Spine T12 & Right ischium bone
1/2008 - New Met Spine t10, Possible thyroid

CHEMO
May-Jun 2004 Cisplatin/VP16, 6 days straight every 3 wks, 3 cycles
Jul-Aug 2004 Taxotere 1X every 3 wks, 3 cycles
Sep-April 05 Iressa trial daily
Jan 06-Jan 07 Avastin ev 3 weeks, tarceva daily, zometa ev 6 weeks
Feb 07-Jan 08 Tarceva daily
Jan 08-Present Avastin ev 3 wks + Tarceva Daily

Radiation May-Jun 04 chest 28 days
Feb 06 Spot radiation X 10 days to spine t12 and pelvis (ischium bone)