Indolent & Aggressive?

marye · New User Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Posts: 2 Location: London

My mother was diagnosed with non-hogkins about 7 weeks ago and started chemotherapy immediately. Her and my father were very careful about telling my brother and I (I'm 21 and my brother 23 but we are still at university and live at home in the holidays).

Since the original diagnosis, which was indolent stage 3 it has since emerged that she had a 10pound tumor in her stomach which had grown around her aorta and they have had to change her treatment because they believe that she has both aggressive and indolent types.

Is this a common situation for NHL suffers? Has anyone, or does anyone know someone who has had both indolent and aggressive at the same time?

I had got used to the idea of indolent NHL being a more long-term condition but am very concerned about the combination. I know my mother is as well but we're all putting a brave face on it.

Any response would be much appreciated.

Regards
Mary

dailydie2self · New User Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 1 Location: WA

I was suprized at how similer our stories are, it's good to know other people are dealing with this as well.

My father was diagnosed with non-hogkins about 1 month ago and hasn't started treatment yet. (I'm 23 and my sister just turned 22 we are at university will both be going home after this quarter to be with our parents)

My father has a rare case of a combination of B cell lymphoma, which is fast growing but also has follicular cells, which is slow growing. before all this started his prostate PSA reading went from 4.9 to 6.4 in two weeks, so the urologist did a biopsy on his prostate and found and later removed a grapefruit size tumor. The cancer is already in his bones, it is automatically a Stage 4 cancer, which is the highest stage. Pray for healing.

There are three different treatment options the doctors said:
1. aggressive chemo, which has maybe a 10% chance of irradicating fully, but it can make the cancer not bother you for 5-10 years. The downside is that it is hard on your heart, and a difficult treatment to go through. You can only go through it one time.
2. experimental radioactive therapy - from the University of Washington medical center.
3. gentle chemo treatment - it won't cure it, but may make the symptoms go away for 1-2 years, and then you keep repeating it every 1-2 years. May give you 5-10 years. You're basically buying little bits of time.

(Option 4?) www.[xxxxx].net a good site I came across.
Blessings to you and your family,
Nate N.
UofN Kona, Hawaii

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