Re: chemo - limited small cell lung cancer - any input?

[Guest guest]

Helen, a friend of mine with stage 4 breast cancer took echinacea during

radiation, and had NO radiation burns - and she had maximum lifetime

dose. I assume she just took one or two pills probably twice a day, but

discuss with your radation dr... I'm not in contact with her anymore,

or I'd ask...

Speedy healings...

Dave

HELEN CHRISMAN wrote:

> I have lung cancer and will begin chemo Dec. 21, 22 and 23 with the

possibility of radiation. It has not spread and the doctor told me i will have

hair loss and nails may become brittle but until i have chemo will not know

other side effects. I plan on working through this but just wonder about

others' experiences with chemo. I have an appointment Tuesday with chemo nurse

so I know she/he will give me more information. Thank you for your reply.

Helen

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dave - thanks for your response - i will make a note when i see the radiologist

- i see the suplements at whole foods - i have to be open to what can help -

helen

> I have lung cancer and will begin chemo Dec. 21, 22 and 23 with the

possibility of radiation. It has not spread and the doctor told me i will have

hair loss and nails may become brittle but until i have chemo will not know

other side effects. I plan on working through this but just wonder about others'

experiences with chemo. I have an appointment Tuesday with chemo nurse so I know

she/he will give me more information. Thank you for your reply. Helen

[Guest guest]

Helen, if your small cell carcinoma is Stage 1A, 1B, or 2A, meaning your tumors

have not metastasized, your interests might well be served by talking to your

Radiologist about about the CyberKnife Radiation Solution.

Last January, I was diagnosed with Stage 1B-2A non-small cell cancer in my left

lung. The position and size of the tumor made lobe removal surgery a

non-choice. My medical Oncologist in consult with the Radiation Oncologist

recommended the traditional solution you've been offered...around 40 short X-Ray

treatments over 8 weeks while simultaneously on whatever they meant by 'light'

Chemo. There was no bloodtest taken to assess my body's tolerance for the

various drugs.

I opted out of this treatment plan as the only thing that has changed in 40

years is the style of the XRay machines used in traditional radiation therapy,

and the drugs have gotten stronger, more expensive, etc. ly this made no

sense to me in terms of 5year probability curve that I would be alive.

Instead, after much research, many website visits, etc., I chose the CyberKnife

solution for my needs. Visit www.accuray.com , the manufacturer's site, to

learn more. Some highlights of my own treatment...

o First, there is no 'knife' per se, just a clever marketing name. What it

really is...a highly accurate XRay that uses highly accurate tumor positioning,

and using a robot arm on the XRay, provides mega doses of radiation over the

entire tumor(s) in tiny bursts with rapid movement of the robot arm. The system

is so precise in targeting the tumors, that it's two biggest applications are

for Brain Cancer and Lung Cancer. The system allows for your lung movements

while breathing and is sub-millimeter accurate, i.e. as your chest moves when

breathing, a lung tumor also moves. This system targets only the tumor, and not

the good tissue surrounding it, with incredible accuracy.

o The entire CyberKnife treatment was 5, 45min sessions

o There was no need for chemo.

o This past September the results of a CT Scan showed the tumor as destroyed

leaving scar tissue where it was, and the cancer in remission.

Final thoughts...This treatment technology is relatively new and due to how

expensive these, and traditional XRay systems are, my experience was that the

Radiation Oncologists will offer treatment via the system they have in place.

It's the system they know, were trained on, use every day and pay a rather

large monthly lease payment, therefor, they defend what they already bought.

At the website link I gave you above, at the manufacturer's site, you can look

up in a directory to find the closest CyberKnife System location. I recommend

that even with what little I know about the details of your situation, an

evaluation by a Trained CyberKnife Oncologist should be among your treatment

alternatives. Good Luck-

Bob

Bradenton, FL

>

> I have lung cancer and will begin chemo Dec. 21, 22 and 23 with the

possibility of radiation.  It has not spread and the doctor told me i will have

hair loss and nails may become brittle but until i have chemo will not know

other side effects.  I plan on working through this but just wonder about

others' experiences with chemo.  I have an appointment Tuesday with chemo nurse

so I know she/he will give me more information.  Thank you for your reply. 

Helen

>

[Guest guest]

I'm sure you do not need to be told that SCLC (small cell lung cancer) is

different from NSCLC (non-small-cell)

and in addition to Cyber-knife there is RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) different

in that there is NO radiation but rather a probe is inserted and if a tumor

exists, it is 'cooked' to death. However, a tumor probably needs to exist and

apparently with SCLC there isn't always a tumor. I suppose, without a tumor,

there is a problem directing something at small area???? I know someone that

used RFA which, by the way, has been approved for Lung, Brain, Liver and perhaps

other cancers. A 1/2 " incision was made and in less than an hour, outpatient,

she was on her way home. Regardless, one must be a candidate for these

procedures.

The suggestion had come from whom I referred her to because she was

facing imminent surgery and was panicking.

Good luck whatever you do and as my daughter-in-law was advised by a

professor/Doctor at The University of Miami, do all you can

yourself......... " lots of greens " etc.

Joe C.

[Guest guest]

Joe,

Thanks for the response - I don't know if I am a candidate only because surgery

is out of the question - I have an appt. with oncology radiologist and may

mention it to him.  I did look the procedure up and it is performed by a

radiologist. And thanks for the good luck wish.

Helen

I'm sure you do not need to be told that SCLC (small cell lung cancer) is

different from NSCLC (non-small-cell)

and in addition to Cyber-knife there is RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation) different

in that there is NO radiation but rather a probe is inserted and if a tumor

exists, it is 'cooked' to death. However, a tumor probably needs to exist and

apparently with SCLC there isn't always a tumor. I suppose, without a tumor,

there is a problem directing something at small area???? I know someone that

used RFA which, by the way, has been approved for Lung, Brain, Liver and perhaps

other cancers. A 1/2 " incision was made and in less than an hour, outpatient,

she was on her way home. Regardless, one must be a candidate for these

procedures.

The suggestion had come from whom I referred her to because she was

facing imminent surgery and was panicking.

Good luck whatever you do and as my daughter-in- law was advised by a

professor/Doctor at The University of Miami, do all you can yourself....

...... " lots of greens " etc.

Joe C.

[Guest guest]

It may be performed by a Radiologist but it is not

Radiation/X-Rays................RFA......it is heat.

There is also Microwave Ablation but first they have to get the RFA equipment

paid for. Sorry to say, but $$$$ rules.

Joe C.