The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

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Small Cell stage 3a Lung Cancer

Hello everyone,

We had the news yesterday that my mother has stage 3a, small cell lung cancer. Small tomour on her left lung and also lymph nodes have it.

Naturally I was wondering if there were any remission success stories out there. All other info seems so final and not a good outcome.

Or perhaps stories of the best treatments.

My mum is 71 and feels well in herself. Dreading the next few months

Thank you x

Written by

Emkins

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18 Replies

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So sorry to hear that Emkins, but glad your mother is feeling well, I went vegan, stayed 100% positive, kept active, took cannabis oil, it is herbal doesn't send you high, and had chemo the doc advised, mine was non small cell, in my lung and spread to lymph nodes and bones. I found to think of where I'd been and what I've got, children and grand children, rather than thinking what I might be missing out on in the future, I found that a great comfort after having a terminal diagnosis.

good luck and wishing you all the best.

Thanks so much for replying to me... the lung can er nurse said that chemo could buy her years.. is this not the case with you?

She’s already on the cannabis oil and will also look at diet...

Thanks again and wishing you all the very best xx

Thank you, they told me I had an average of 12 months, last Oct, and my scan results this March showed my cancer to be inactive, at the moment anyway, Januarys scan showed the cancer in my bones was dying and the tumour had shrunk slightly.

quite sure 100% positive helped so much too.

good luck and thinking of you.

That’s great news!!!!

Thinking of you too

Your positivity seems to be doing the trick - seems to be half the battle xx

definitely

My thoughts are also with you Emkins. I had non small cell 2 years ago and it was contained and tiny. I feel blessed and have changed my diet to exclude meat and lots of green veg. Stress I have found is the difficult one to avoid ! I wish you all the very best.

That’s great news! Are you in remission?

Thank for your thoughts x

How was your treatment? Would be good to know what she has to go through. Although hers is small cell x

Hi Emkins

I had a right upper lung lobectomy using VATS surgery. The tumour was contained and had not spread anywhere else. I was very lucky indeed as the first Consultant kept advising it was infection. I found I had to be really assertive and an advocate for myself. I do not have any treatment, but have had to fight for the hospital of choice aafter I lost confidence in the original one, and more regular CT scans.

Kind regards

Benjy

Definitely have regular CT and poss MRI?

My mother is so well in herself, we’re all in slight disbelief. Even the consultant was hugely surprised at how well she is.. makes me wonder!

That's a thing - many of us look very well when diagnosed so it's a shock to all. sorry to read about your mum. Please be careful when looking at the info on the internet - it is outdated, and averaged over many years when treatments were not so good. In the last few years treatment options have changed in every mode. In Dec 2010 I had left upper lobectomy and diagnosed in Jan 2011. At that time everything I read was very negative but I decided I was going to aim to be in the survivor statistics! Although I don't accept any of us are statistics I read a couple of great books - 'anti-cancer a new way of life' by Dr Servan Schreiber and 'cancer is a word not a sentence' by Dr Rob Buckman. Both helped me understand better. I am very involved in lung cancer research groups and regularly attend cancer conferences and wish I could bottle the energy, enthusiasm and commitment clinicians and researchers have around the world to try and improve outcomes for lung cancer. Do not give up - create and sustain hope and create memories and make the most of life. There is trusted regularly updated information on Roy Castle lung cancer foundation website that is written in plain English and reviewed by patient review panel. This can help explain treatment options and the difference between lung cancer types. Treatments that patients may have for non small cell lung cancer can be very different from those for small cell. It's important to discuss with your mum's clinical team about her specific situation as the tumour biology (pathology can determine this) may affect her treatment options. Good luck.

Thanks so much.. we’re already planning good things ahead and being as positive as we can - although a lot of it is denial on my mum’s part. If that keeps her positive though, I’m more than happy with that.

We haven’t seen her oncologist yet, as I spoke to the lung cancer nurse who confirmed small cell stage 3a.

I hate the unknown and knowing how aggressive this can be and incurable.

I will look out for treatment options as I’m acting on behalf of my mum as, like I said before, she’s not really recognising what’s happening so I have to be x

So good that you're looking out for her. Take care of yourself too - it can be as much of a strain being the relative as the patient! x

I will! Promise

And thank you again xx

Hi Emkins

Yes I agree. I had no symptoms and it was found by accident. There is so much conflicting information, especially around sugar ! I am trying to get on with my life and not living a life all consumed by what happened and concentrating on where I am now. It is only part of who I am not all of me.

Take good care.

Benjy x

Dear Emkins

Although we have replied to your recent post, given the information you have provided I have added a few more things for you.

As JanetteR57 has said be careful where you source information on the internet, good sites to use would be:

roycastle.org Helpline number 0800 358 7200

cancerresearch..uk - Helpline number 0808 800 4040

macmillan.org.uk Helpline number 0808 808 0000

There are positive stories out there as you have read and hopefully things will be more clearer once you have had the consultation with the specialist.

Your Mum is lucky to have you and do make sure you take care of yourself also.

Thankfully there are advances being made in lung cancer and treatment options are slowly improving.

All the very best

The Roy Castle Support Team

Helpline nurse 0800 358 7200

Thank you so much - as we start this journey, I already feel great support from you all. Amazing xx

Hi sorry to here about your mum I had stage 2 had top lobe of lung removed I also had it in nodes had chemo which was not as bad as I thought and the nurses are second to none they go the extra mile to help with any side effects I am now fine and have been for 18 months hope this helps your mum and I was not a good candidate for surgery but got though it with no problems good luck to your mum xx