non small cell lung cancer trials
Want some information on stage 4 non small cell cancer of the lungs ( carcinoma) that my mother inlaw has.?
She was diagnosed with this a week ago after going to the doctor with a sever pain in her back. Her back had been bothering her for awhile , but just bacame unbearable.
She had aslo lost about 40 pounds over a four month period. When the pain in her back got to severe , she went to the hospital and come to find out that she has lungs cancer ( no pain in her lungs)…and it has spread to her spine..(lots of pain there) and they are not sure as of yet if it is anywhere else.
they said stage 4 , surgery wasnt as option cause the mass in lungs was too close to her heart , possible radiation on her spine to shrink the cancer there to relieve some of the pain.
She was told possible a year with treatments , but more like 6 months or less given her condition and general health at present.
Is there nothing that can be done ? clinical trials? Natural medicine? Does anyone know someone that lived longer than this on a certain treatment or have some suggestion.
A second opinion is always a good idea.
I would suggest contacting MD Anderson cancer center in Houston Texas.
Also Sloan Kettering in NYC.
These are the top two cancer hospitals in the USA. and are consistently ranked 1 and two in the surveys
It might seem crazy to travel to another city for a second opinion, but these are the places doing the trials that the other hospitals will be using in the future. They also know which other places nationwide might be doing trials for this type of tumor, and stage of tumor.
In the end, there is probably not much that can be done in terms of a cure, so the questions you need to ask relate as much to quality of life vs quantity of life.
If a certain treatment might prolong survival by 3 months, but she spends is feeling sick then this might something she might not choose.
Ask tough questions. Don’t be afraid to be blunt. Some physicians are afraid to tell a person bad news. You must ask what is on your mind. Write questions down in advance. Take notes during consultations. Do not be afraid to ask doctors to repeat answers or to explain in further details if you do not understand.
I don’t want to sound morbid at this stage, but don’t wait too long to involve hospice.
My father died of ( non-small cell lung CA with brain metasteses ) cancer last year and I am very familiar with which hospitals are the best.
We went to MD anderson, after I did all of my research. I am very very grateful we did because I believe it got him an extra year, but more importantly he got an extra year of Quality of life. Most people don’t know that insurance usually pays for these visits. All people need to do is pay to get there, but this is life and death and I cannot stress enough how much better these two hospitals are than whatever is in your hometown ( I think Anderson is the better of the two )
My one regret is that we involved hospice a bit too late. They are a very very valuble resource.
Good luck
PS: Beware of “natural cures” These are 99% frauds. If they worked, then researchers at legitimate cancer centers would be using them. After all, a natural miracle cure would probably get you the Nobel prize.
As it is, all these get are $$ for the snake oil salesmen that peddle them on poor desperate people. Just stick to conventional medicine, and of course complimentary therapy ( holistic ) can’t hurt, just avoid anybody in Mexico or other small dirty clinics with fantastic claims!! They will steal your money and break your spirit and offer you nothing but lies. I met enough people during my Dad’s treatment who had bad experiences and I have done my research. These people are all fakes
ASCO 2009: Experimental targeted therapy improves progression-free survival for advanced NSCLC
