chemo failures

dcomputer · Regular Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey

I will just post my brief story. I have stage 3 lund cancer and have gone through 3 different chemo solutions and although each has done something to help but I am still fighting cancer.

I am now looking for a new solution and plan to see a new doctor in NY to look through my case. I really hate testing one thing after another and then being told it is a failure so I am now looking for a solution to keep my cancer away or keep it so it does not move. I am still young and with 3 young children so it is really important to find the best people to treat this disease and I hope it is resolved soon. I think that support is something everyone needs and I also think that everyone should make their own decisions without looking at cost.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2851

Hi dcomputers,

Welcome to our community and I hope you can find the support and help you are looking for. I'm sorry about your diagnosis.

Have you had no response at all from the chemo? Some people are what they call non-responders and that's a tough situation.

I would strongly suggest that you also drop into CancerGRACE.org as that is a site run by an oncologist with a specialty in lung cancer. If you register, you can give Dr. West particulars and he might be able to give you some areas to explore.

Have you considered any clinical trials?

Also, please see the profile of my husband's journey as he had many different types of chemo and was lucky to respond to almost everything they gave him.

Best of luck and God bless. I understand how difficult this fight is for you. You've found a good place for support.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

dcomputer · Regular Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey

I did have a response to the chemo but basically it did some work then went dead so then they moved to another and it also did help but then stopped improving things and now the last one did the same. I had a suggestion to go to clinical trials but I was not jumping to this idea although it may be a good one.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2851

Hi again,

Well, this is basically what chemo does. It works for so long and then the cancer mutates and builds up a resistance to the treatment. Either that or you develop an allergic reaction to a particular chemo, which is what happened to my husband with the Carboplatin.

Have they put you on Tarceva yet? I'd imagine that going toward 4th line treatment, they must have done this one.

This is a terrible situation for you with a wife and youngsters. I'm very sorry that lung cancer entered your life. It breaks my heart.

We never did clinical trials and by the time I started researching them, my husband was already heavily treated and they usually don't want trial patients with heavy prior treatment. Still, depending on what treatment you've had, this may be something to consider. We figured we'd stick with known and already proven treatment lines because he kept responding.

Are you Stage IIIa or IIIb? What is the sub-type of your cancer? I think it's good that you are seeking a second opinion. Doesn't hurt to have more eyes looking at this situation.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

dcomputer · Regular Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Posts: 10 Location: New Jersey

They want me to go to Tarceva now by taking pills or to go to trials but I am not jumping to either of these ideas. The Tarceva seems to be worthless according to my doctor and trials exist everywhere.

I want to get two other opinions this week where one is normal treatments while another guy does not use chemo etc. I want to see what these two places offer and then where to go with this whole journey.

I would like to survive another 10 years minimum but right now chemo is not doing much.

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Lung Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others