1st time blogger : )

[loopyloo]

1st time I've done this so fingers crossed : ) I was diagnosed and hopefully cured in 2010. I was admitted to hospital in the june with a suspected blood clot after being treated for pleurisy. After numerous tests I was diagnosed with pneumonia and discharged. Follow up showed no change to my xray, had a bronchscopy and ct a couple of weeks later, results a stubborn pneumonia. Had another bronchscopy, ct and pet scan in september. Returned to see my consultant and was told they suspected it was malignant but not certain. Had an upper left lobectomy November using vats and 2 weeks later got a definite diagnosis of lung cancer. Pathological report staged it at a pt2n0m0, poorly differentiated sarcomatoid pleomorphic carcinoma (still a bit in the dark at what that means). Apart from tiring and getting a little breathless (probs down to me getting older) I'm doing fine.

[JoannaHoyle Roy Castle]

Thank you for joining us and sharing your story. It is good to hear you are doing well. Depending on where you are in the UK there may be a Roy Castle Patient Group that might be of help to you and you can find a list of the groups on our website roycastle.org. Take care.

[loopyloo in reply to JoannaHoyle]

thanks joanna, I'm in manchester

[JoannaHoyle Roy Castle]

Oh good, you are quite local then. I know there are a few groups that might be in travelling distance for you. Let us know how you get on if you decide to go along to one. Many people find them really helpful, I hope you do too. I am hoping to visit more groups over the coming months with my colleague, Alan so our paths may cross - hope so.

[JoannaHoyle Roy Castle]

Just to say that the groups are facilitated by a lung cancer nurse specialist who may be able to help with your query about the pathology result, hope this helps.

[loopyloo]

thanks joanna, would be grateful if you could let me know where these groups are.

[JoannaHoyle Roy Castle in reply to loopyloo]

Hello again

The nearest group for you will most probably be based at Wythinshawe Hospital:

South Manchester Lung Cancer Support Group

Contact: Helen Dutton

Telephone: [phone]

Meets last Wedenesday each month, 2.00pm - 4.00pm at:

Education & Resource Centre

Wythenshawe Hospital

Southmoor Road

Wythenshawe, Manchester

M23 9LT

Good luck, I hope you find this helpful. Take care.

[loopyloo in reply to JoannaHoyle]

thanks again joanna x

[Hidden]

Hi there loopyloo,

Re: your pathology results: T2 is the stage, Mo = no metastais, No = no lymph node involvement. I'm not a lung cancer nurse specialist but i did used to be a colorectal nurse specialist and cancer staging is the same whatever the cancer. It's a pretty good result (if there can be one with cancer) and a very good chance of 'cure'. My symtoms were very similar to yours, unfortunatly mine wasn't picked up until the stage was T4.

You asked me - on my blog post- what the EGFR was, well its the epidydimal growth factor, in a nutshell it's to do with your genes and mutation that makes the cells become cancerous. It is familial so if there are cancers in families the chances are those affected are EGFR positive. There are new treatments out there like Iressa that I am on that work well with patients who test positive for the mutation.

Wishing you well

Lyn

[loopyloo in reply to Hidden]

hi lyn, glad to hear you had an enjoyable holiday. I didn't realise at the time but for several months before I may have had some warning symtoms but put them all down to the start of the menopause which a blood test confirmed I was more than likely going through. I understand the TNM staging so was relieved when my doc gave me the news, and I understand it was a nsclc but unclear which sub category that fell into. I have been a little curious about egfr for some months now as I've heard it a few times. I have attended the family history clinic for breast cancer for many years and was going to ask the nurse there about it (my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer at an early age ) but unfortunately she was not around on my last visit so thanks for clearing that up for me.

Take Care

Wendy