lung cancer stage 4

[condition1]

After being diagnosed with lung cancer last November, and given 3/6 moths to live. i am happy to be here to tell my story.

After taking iressa for 5 months now, my scan has shown that the cancer has shrunk by half, i am very pleased, and hopeful.

[condition1]

I am hoping when I have my next scan in july it has shrunk a little but more.

[Billculbard]

Hi there.

That's the kind of news we like to hear. Keep it up!

Best wishes, Bill

[Hidden]

That's great news. Here's hoping that things keep going as they are. Good luck for the next scan.

All the best Rabbie

[debjmac]

Brilliant news. Hope you get the results you want in July. Stay well.

Deb

[guellida]

Congratulations! I hope to be able to say much the same after my next scan in mid June...

Sue

[woozer]

Horay ...... Happy news .... Thank you for sharing..... I am smiling now having just felt gloomy looking out at awful weather??.... God Bless you,

Woozer

[dewbery]

iam so sorry to hear about that I had lung cancer two years a go so I know what it is like my players are whith you best of luck to you

[Harrypalmer]

Fantastic news. M x

[lenora]

so pleased for you,had my results today and am pleased to say tumor in my lung stable and theone in my lymph nodes has shrunk,Lenorax

[AmyKB in reply to lenora]

Hii were u egfr positive please?

[condition1]

Hi lenora I'm so pleased for you too,,as I have it on one of my lymph nodes, but its stable, my attitude is to keep,positive, I feel that sort of approach is more healthy, than being negative.

[Trude]

Great news!

[emilyt36]

Hi

Can you have Iressa even without the mutations, mum has finished four chemo's now stopped for a break they are talking about terveca if there is a growth again, she had 2mm shrinkage on chemo but mainly stable, her biopsy failed and they said they will poss just try the targeted therapies to see if they work

[AmyKB in reply to emilyt36]

May I ask what has happened since ? Wish u well x

[InformationTeam Roy Castle]

Hi Emily

There are currently two types of targeted therapy approved for use in the NHS for lung cancer - Iressa and Tarceva (these are the brand names). Iressa is only licenced for use in England and Wales and only for EGFR positive people. However Tarceva is licenced in the whole of the UK and you don't need to be EGFR positive to receive it as a second type of treatment after chemotherapy. We have factsheets on targeted therapies which may be of help to you.

You can find them on our website here: roycastle.org/lung-cancer/T...

[AmyKB in reply to InformationTeam]

Hi newcomer to the site ... Q : if tarceva given when chemo not working ... Why not given first ( in cases where egfr negative) I m confused

[LorraineD Partner Roy Castle]

hello Amy

I understand your confusion it can be difficult to understand what drugs are used and when, given you are new to this and cancer is such a complex illness. Essentially the evidence is that tarceva is most effective for those who are EGFR positive so it is used as a 1st line treatment but can be a back up (or second line treatment) for those without the gene mutation. Have a look at the factsheets on our website roycastle.org/lung-cancer/I....

best wishes

Lorraine

on behalf of the Information & Support team

[Genie123]

Hi I cannot comment on the tarceva as I am taking iressa but all chemo tablets act differently with each individual, as our body chemistry is different to each other, I did take tarceva at first for 3wks but it was too strong for me so they put me on iressa and my tumma has shrunk by half and now 12 months on it's just stable.