Lung cancer stage 4

[Motherbird]

My husband has lung cancer stage 4. He has been on a drug called Iressa for 5 weeks which he has to take 1 a day.

Has anybody else taken this and what was the outcome.

Did it reduce the tumour at all.

[Neil-SueD]

Been on Iressa (Gefitinib) since July 2016. Apart from side effects, I reckon the stuff has given me 2 years longer than the doctors suggested I may have had. There’s lots on this forum, you’re in good company and you’ll have plenty of encouraging replies.

Neil

[Motherbird in reply to Neil-SueD]

Thank you hope it keeps going well. Has given me some encouragement

[Neil-SueD in reply to Motherbird]

I should have mentioned that side effects aside, I am currently on holiday and getting about like nothing is wrong. These targeted drugs like Iressa don’t work forever and the tumours in my lungs are now very slowly growing, but they had originally shrunk remarkably on first starting on Iressa. Your husband won’t have had a scan yet to show this, so hang on in there.

Neil

[Marina4]

Hi there, I’ve been on IRESSA since Sept. 2017 and it’s been amazing. I’m so lucky to have the genetic variation it is used for. Yes it does lose its efficacy over time but when a nodule started growing they zapped it with radiation. Then I had my lung linings filling with fluid. Well they put me in hospital and drained the fluid over 3 days and then did something called talc which closed the linings so no more fluid. I’m giving these details to let you know that IRESSA is good and that there are other treatments that can be used in conjunction with it if the need arises. I’d never been in hospital before and was anxious and terrified but I asked for clonazepam 1mg b.d which helped to calm me down. So, still alive and kicking, not as strong as I was but can take care of my 17month old granddaughter when the need arises. I’m 73 and hope to live until I’m 80. Good luck to you and your husband. Marina 4

[Motherbird in reply to Marina4]

Thank you so much for the information. I hope you get on well