Scared by a Post....seek an answer

• By PattyLynn
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 12:40 pm
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D1, I have not heard anything like that. Seems like misinformation to me. Pat

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• By sticktogether
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 1:23 pm
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Specify what you mean.."..II cancers are more likely to metastasize..."

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• By Jim08
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 1:32 pm
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I don't believe anyone "knows" anything about cancer.
Just statistics and guesses

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• By owesly
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 2:10 pm
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D1, rest easy. The poster who said that to you probably meant well, but the truth is that the things that influence whether a Lung Cancer will or will not recur are not if the tumor is in an upper lobe or lower lobe. The things that are much more reliable in determining the risk for recurrence for a Lung Cancer are such things as whether the tumor had spread locally or to local lymph nodes or to the chest wall, or to other places such as the mediastinum, etc. when it was found. However, the key really is that rather than to let something that someone says worry you (even though they likely said it with the best intentions), I would suggest that you ask your oncologist questions like these in order to get peace of mind. When fighting Lung Cancer, it is good to strive to have as much peace of mind and less stress as possible. I hope this helps.

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• By Khari
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 4:16 pm
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D1,

I read the "scary" post as well and it has been bugging me ever since. Thanks for asking the question!!!

Khari

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• By D1
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 8:38 pm
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Hi, Khari, isn't it odd how a few little words can trigger our fear? I didn't ask the poster right there because I thought he/she might never revisit the spot. I usually don't have a knee jerk reaction to questionable info, but this poster said it so matter of factly. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who reacted. Well, these few posters today, seem to think it's unreliable info. So, I'm going to assume the poster was DEAD wrong. I'm scared enough; I don't need more stress based on what might be a myth. It's good to hear from you Khari. My husband, Harry, was just NED last week....that's 2 yrs. and 11 mos. despite the fact he's a lower left lobe patient.

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• By D1
• Posted October 29, 2009 at 8:39 pm
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Dear Stick Together,

A poster wrote that lower lobe cancers were more likely to metastasize, and I was asking if anyone knew if this info (which terrified me) were true.

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• By linnea
• Posted October 30, 2009 at 7:51 am
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In defense of the poster, statistically speaking a tumor in a lower lobe is just one predictor of a poorer prognosis. I know, because that is where my tumor was and when I first read that my heart sank. There were several other things regarding my pathology that gave me a "poorer" prognosis, including the size of my tumor (5 cm) and the fact that I have a mucinous variant of BAC, NSCLC. However, here I am, four and 1/2 years plus after dx. We are all drawn to those statistics initially--I know it was the first question I had for my oncologist--what is my % chance of survival? Since then, I have learned to not focus on any of that. It really is just numbers, and frankly, we are all exceptional (truly). I have also read that the greatest predictor for survival is simply the physical status in general of a patient, and this is where we can really influence our outcomes. It is within our power to do everything we can to boost our own immune systems (exercise, good diet, good times) in order to strengthen our bodies for this fight.
I don't believe the poster meant any harm--but I know how startling it can be to become "aware" of certain things. I don't think the information is incorrect, but nor does that mean that it is true for us as individuals. Keep up the good fight and best of luck, Linnea

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• By D1
• Posted October 30, 2009 at 4:03 pm
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Dear Linnea,
My husband also HAD (I prefer the past tense) the mucinous BAC. However, his thoracic surgeon, a true expert in the field, said that if you had to have a DX of LC, that BAC is the type you would want to have because it's the slowest growing. BTW, as I'm sure you know, the onc., Dr. West, is a BAC expert. I can't believe that in all my rdg. I never once read that a lower lobe dx mean for a worse prognosis. Thanks for responding.
D

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• By Khari
• Posted October 30, 2009 at 4:17 pm
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Dear D1,

Since my husband had his cancer in the RLL and he's coming up on two years now with clean scans, I'm going to go with you and assume that this new bit of news is incorrect.

I know what you mean about being afraid all the time. Last month my husband came down with severe pain in his back (by his shoulder blade on the left) with numbness and tingling in his arm and hand. The doctor wanted to "wait and see" and I just about came unglued and insisted on an MRI. Of course I was thinking mets to the spine (what else could it be?). It turned out to be a pinched nerve that can be surgically fixed! Who would have ever thought I'd be happy he had a pinched nerve!!!

Lung cancer changes EVERYTHING!!!

Khari

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• By misself
• Posted October 30, 2009 at 4:36 pm
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Glad you asked that.D1 you are an impressive lady.I am happy your husband is NED. Since two have validated it's written somewhere,it wasn't malicious which is good.There is a lot written which later info changes or fails to validate.I would cling to the fact we know Linnea and others here are survivors and your husband has NED.As we all have to say to ourselves,we aren't statistics,we are people.I trust and pray when he hits a 5 year NED,you can grin and say We busted that factoid and I hope to be the 1st to dance. AndiB

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• By D1
• Posted October 30, 2009 at 8:57 pm
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I never thought it was malicious; I was just hoping it was misinformation. And, now, as you say, since two have validated it, it must be written somewhere. But, as you said, we are not statistics. And, we must each be proactive with our health and our family's health. Recently, I've read a lot about genes. Even if we have genes/propensities towards certain problems, diet can suppress these tendencies. So, the key is to be proactive, and hopefully, lucky, too.
God bless all the afflicted....may they get good care and good luck.

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• By dachshundlover
• Posted October 30, 2009 at 9:15 pm
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I'd just like to add my two cents...I read it also and had never of something like that before and when D1 wrote her post I went and tried to find the post but there had been so many in the meantime I couldn't find it withoug rereading every single one but as a third I will validate that it's here somewhere...Cindi ps. as an aside..Andi..how is going back to work working out????hopefully you're doing fine...

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