Hello,
My name is Anita. I am 54 and newly diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the right middle lung and am waiting for the results of some tests to determine stage of cancer. I am hoping I will be a candidate for surgery but I will probably have to go through chemotherapy and radiation as well. I should find something out by Friday.
Hi, Anita, from another Anita!
I'm sorry you are dealing with this. If your doctors are testing for stage, you are very early in the process of figuring out what the best treatment option is. Are you having a PET scan? That is usually done during the diagnosis phase to see if the cancer has spread. Because you have adenocarcinoma, if these tests show that the cancer has spread too much and you are not a candidate for surgery, you can expect to have a biopsy taken so that your cancer can have genetic analysis for a possible mutation and be tested for the PD-L1 biomarker. If you have a mutation, targeted treatments would be the first line of treatment, with chemo coming further down the line. The mutations with FDA approved treatments for metastatic patients are EGFR, ALK and ROS1. If you don't have a mutation and have high levels of PD-L1, your first treatment is likely to be immunotherapy. All this is only IF the doctors do not feel they can operate. Fingers crossed that you are a candidate for surgery!!!
Many patients with adenocarcinoma who are stage 1 or 2 do not have genetic testing done because they are going to have surgery with curative intent. I have met one person who was stage 1 who insisted on her tumor being tested, so she knows she had an EGFR mutation. It's likely, though, that if her cancer were to recur, she would be going through mutation testing all over again, because if there is one thing cancer is pretty good at, it is changing as it goes along.
My advice to you right now is to take a deep breath and to be patient as you go through the testing process. Rarely is adenocarcinoma so aggressive that action must be taken immediately - you have time to sort out what the best option is. I was two and a half months from the ER visit when it was evident that I had cancer to the day I started treatment, and I'm still alive and doing quite well with stage 4 cancer 31 months later.
Feel free to ask questions of this community as you go along, we'll do our best to share our experiences and best thoughts with you.
Hugs, Anita
Anita, diagnosis is frightening but there is hope. I'm adenocarcinoma stage 4lungs. I've been on an immunotherapy trial for 3 years with little side effects. ..I'm active and able to enjoy life..,there is hope.
Thank you for your encouragement. Glad to hear you are still active and enjoying life. I want to be able to stay active and enjoy my grandkids while they are still willing to hang out with me.
Thank you for the encouragement and the great information. The information in the handouts is good but not as thorough. I have had PT, CT scans, MRI, bronchoscopy, blood tests, and last week I had a mediastinoscopy to determine if the cancer is in the lymph nodes. So far cancer hasn't spread to other organs or my brain. Although the waiting is nerve wracking, I hope the road to recovery is not too hard.
Hi Anita,
I got good news yesterday. Cancer hasn't invaded the lymph, so I am going to have surgery on Wednesday. He will remove the middle lobe and possibly the lower portion.
Hooray! You are very fortunate that surgery is an option for you. It's not an easy road, but it's one that could totally remove that cancer from your life. I send best hopes for a successful surgery on Wednesday.
Anita
I pray your test results show that surgery is an option. God bless you.
Thank you
Test results came back negative on lymph so I am scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, February 1. Thank you for the prayers.
Praise God Anita....you will be ok in no time soon.
It'll be alright.....I had it in my Right Upper.............4cm next to Bronchial Tube.....Had 6 "shots" of Targeted Radiation over 2 week period in July 2015....just had 18-mo followup....nothing new showing up, and Nothing but Scar tissue that is still shrinking. No chemo in my case, KOW......So I know you're gonna be good too. Mental attitude is Key. I told myself it ain't gonna dictate my Life....Cancer is JUST A WORD...Not A Death Sentence.
Mike
Thank you for the encouragement. I am trying to stay positive. I do agree with you that attitude is key.
Well, I am having surgery on Wednesday the first. The surgeon will remove middle lobe and possible lower portion.
Anita- I know this is a really scary time. I was 53 years old, never had smoked, when my NSCLC was found at stage 1B. It has been a little over 3 years, since then, and am currently cancer free. Having all those tests done can and does feel overwhelming. Remember we are here for you. Sending you a big hug.
Yes, these tests are kind of overwhelming but I would rather the doctors be better informed to treat me better.Thank you for your encouragement.
Anita,
Welcome, and good luck on Friday! May the grace and mercy that is the hallmark of this community fill your heart with hope and power!
Hugs,
Peggy
Thank you for your encouragement
Anita wishing you the very best and sending healing prayers. Stay positive in Jesus name🙏
Thank you for the prayers, I am having surgery on Wednesday the first.
I'll be praying for you. Please keep us updated
You are in a great place here. Please take advantage of the amazing resources Free to Breathe has to offer. The people there have been if such value to men in helping me better understand lung cancer and be an advocate for my dad.
Best of luck and positive vibes
Thank you for the encouragement. I will be having surgery on Wednesday.
Anita I was Dx with stage 3b Adorno in the right lung in October 2007 - I had VATS surgery - very short recovery time. I had chemo for 16 weeks - cusplatin - which I don't think they use anymore. But I'm still cancer free after 9 years. Good luck with your surgery !!!
Thank you, positive attitude and positive thoughts from here on.
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