Lung Cancer Treatment

[younginmind]

Have been diagnosed with lung cancer again (but now on the right), 6 years later, but this time they think caused by the radiotherapy I had for the breast cancer! Inoperable (have COPD), so I had the option of 'doing nothing' and was informed today may have 5 months left or agree to treatment, which I have signed for, to start tomorrow, as I would like a few more years to see my family grow up. I will be having paclitaxel, carboplatin, every 3 weeks for 4 rounds & pembrolizumab at the same time, then every 6 weeks for 2 years. Just wondered if anyone has had similar and how they got on? In August the hospital changed my inhalers to Anoro + Easyhaler. I know cancer treatments are improving every day and also wondered if there is anything else new?

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

They did a biopsy then? What type of lung cancer is it? Did they test for mutations? The people I know who've been on this protocol for several years tell me they can predict what will be the good and bad days and plan around it.

My treatment plan included Cisplatin which is related to carboplatin but it's a bit harsher. I did not have either of the others.

Get yourself some plastic or bamboo eating utensils Carbo can give everything a hint of metallic taste. Using metal utensils makes that worse. Lemon drops between meals helps rid that taste off you get it between meals. Calories are more important than a balanced diet during treatment

Use a stool softeners daily but keep an anti diarrhea med on hand because it can go both ways. Take all meds as directed will call nitrile or prevent nausea. Some doctors and patient advocates recommend using a Claritin or it's generic loratadine the night before chemo through two days after to prevent the aches that sometimes accompany chemotherapy.

The Christie has proton radiotherapy and you might want to find out if that is an option for you. Others will be checking in with their experience soon. I send hope that you respond well to treatment and find yourself NED.

[Jenniferroseolson]

At my diagnosis, immunotherapy wasn’t being used for lung cancer. I had years of chemotherapy (carboplatin at first and maintenance with pemetrexed) and then when I had recurrence, I received targeted radiation to the lung lesions and a doublet of immunotherapy followed by maintenance on nivolumab. (Similar to Pembrolizumab). Your treatment sounds similar to what I hear for others today. The carboplatin will bring fatigue and nothing will taste good as Denzie mentioned. You are stronger than you know. Best wishes

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

How are you doing? Have you started treatment yet?

[younginmind in reply to Denzie]

Had 2 'doses' so far, CT last week, so will be told the result next week when I have my 3rd cycle. All going well so far - just no energy, nor hair! (was expected!) Marsden have a new out-patients/day-care, only been open a few months - very comfortable chair-beds, I cuddle down with a blanket and fall asleep, wake up for a cup of tea etc, then off again, so all the books/crosswords I take, never get read/done! so the day passes - get given my 'goody bag' of pills/injections, then home. Just hope it all works. Did discover someone else I know also has the same as me, lung cancer caused by radiotherapy for breast cancer 25 years ago, so there a few of us, they didn't tell you then, but probably didn't know that radiotherapy on breast is 60% likely to give you lung cancer, I knew re heart, but not lung. But medical advances are being made each day.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer in reply to younginmind]

somehow I missed this and I'm sorry. I often wonder about my breast cancer. Kind of the opposite though. Breast cancer behind where I had lung cancer treatments. Either way, I suppose we would have been dead before that second cancer occurred.

A friend of mine developed lung cancer in a spot where she had been radiated for a childhood cancer. I wish there were easy ways around this.

By now you've had your last treatment and are awaiting a CT. Sending hope it shows the cancer has shrunk tremendously.

[StLScorp]

In January, 2020, I was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic NSCLC on two places in my left lung, It had metastasized into the pleura as well as several lymph nodes. Needless to say, the prognosis was not that bright for me then.

My amazing oncology team at Siteman Cancer Center here in St. Louis put me on that exact same treatment regimen as you described in your message. All I can say is that here I am 4 years later and have been in remission for over 1-1/2 years. I have been getting CT scans with a whole batch of blood work every three months which is the indicated monitoring protocol. In April of 2024, they will shift the CT scan frequency to every 6 months.

Trust your oncology team .. And if you have questions they can not give you a reasonable answer, perhaps seek a second opinion.

[TomAnderson]

I can only speak to the pembro. I was on the same basic plan as yours and within six months I went from Stage IV to no evidence of disease. Immunotherapy success rates depend on your PD-L1 expression - the higher the better. Have they told you yours?

[Lin42Brew]

My PDL-1 was only 60%, but one infusion of pembro & a MAJOR over-response followed by 9 months of prednisone to control the attack on my joints, & I've been NED for a year. 4 courses of radiation on original nodule in lower R lung. Fingers crossed. Scan next month.