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My beloved mum was dx with stage IIIa NSLC squamous cell with 2 of her lymph nodes involved, no mets in 02/09, however, the last PET scan showed met in one of her L4 vertebrae and it seems that this result shifted us to stage IV or what???...none of the reports say so...we would like to know more about your stories and learn from the survivors on this site having similar problems...what to expect and what to do now...how have you handled all this?
I'm sorry that I don't have a survivor story for you because my husband lost his battle, but I can tell you a little about mets to the vertebrae. Yes, I think that It does make it stage lV. The real problem with vertebra invasion is that the cancer displaces the bone and can make the vertebra unstable. She will probably get radiation to shrink the tumor and keep it from doing more damage. If it was found early she will likely respond well to treatment so don't let our sad story discourage you. My husband's was not found until very late because his pain was misdiagnosed. The danger, of course, is that the cancer is now close to her brain. I assume she's going to be treated aggressively with chemo and radiation. The goal is to stop it before it gets any closer to her brain and to shrink it before it damages her spine. It can be done, don't panic, but do be very insistent that she be treated soon and with the best radiation and chemo they have to offer.
My husband had bone mets to T-11 which fractured. That is how they found out he had Stage 4 Lung Cancer. Radiation treatments did help with the pain.
My husband did not survive either. But don't get discouraged. Enjoy making memories with your loved one.
A vertebrae met is a met that spread to the spine from the primary cancer, and in your mom's case is considered a met from lung cancer, but it isn't bone cancer. Bone cancer is cancer that originates in the bone marrow. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
My husband had a met to vertebrae in early 2007. His original diagnosis was Adenocarcinoma 11B in June 2006 and he had his rt lung removed. His chemo was postponed until January due to a complication with this surgery. Chemo did not help the met so he had radiation and by April there was no longer any activity on this vertebrae. IN May 2008 he had met to brain - very small - (thank goodness he had swelling which caused him to have symptoms as he was not due for brain scan for a few months) and had a craniotomy. He continued with treament until Dec 2008. He has had issues with fluid on lung, pneumonia, blood clot which are all dangerous but has been NED since June 2008. We continue to pray the beast stays away.
You should talk to your doctor about treatment..I pray your Mom will respond well.
Take care,
Stacey
I´m so terribly sorry for your husbands texaszan and mareluna...I know that stage IV is a hard thing to cope ...while reading the posts on this website I have found a lot of advice and comfort at the same time that gave me an impression that we can somehow handle this beast...now I do not know...mum has started radiations today (5 cycles) which will be certainly followed by chemotherapy...taxol??? as written in her reports and as you also assumed...tomorrow we will get her scintigraphy results and on top of this her MRI discovered some kind of cysts around her kidney area, so we will need an ultra sonography too...you say her brain is at threat now as well...cannot imagine how to deal with all these at once...anyway, thank you all for explaining me the difference between the two mets types and for sharing your stories with us...I wish we could all recall our former lives back again, wake up and say it was a just a nighmare...
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