my Mother has Small cell Lungcancer, what alternatives do we have

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Jamie Cameron - 27 Apr 2004 14:24 GMT

My mother found out last week that she had small cell Lungcancer in
both lungs, that has spread to the bronchial..(tubes?) and to the
liver.
the tumors apparently look like spider webs(and therfore apparently
inoperable?) in both lungs( probably started in the right one, the
say).

the first symptoms, except weightloss which I hardly reflected on when
I saw her over christmas, where about 4 weeks ago, when she had
extreme pain in her stomach, then they x-rayed, and... well now we
know...
They gave her 2-3 months to live without chemotherapy, and about 6 (
maybe more )depending on how she responds to Chemotherapy.

She started Chemotherapy today, and is going to have 4 cycles about
3-4 weeks apart of etoposide and carboplatin.

she is currently on 60 mg tablets of morphine which she finds a bit to
strong, this is to numb the pain in her stomcach(Liver?) which is
there all the time.

The doctors thought the tumors had started and spread over the past
2-3 years, which apprently is very quickly.

Mom had A hysterectomy about 4 years ago,because cell changes had been
found.

She has Smoked about 20 cigarettes aday for 35 years, and she had a
stress peak at which I think she was up to 35-40 aday about 3-4 years
ago. Since this type of cancer is often related to smoking I am
wondering if that peak + related anxiety was the trigger

now I've described it. please help me providing the best care I can
for my mother? She Turns 60 in 7 Months, and I know whe is looking
forward to experiencing it.
- are there any alternative treatments that may prolong my mothers
life
-or does anyone have knowledge of someone who has beaten or extended
life with this Cancer.
- are there any special dietary things we should focus on - should she
exercise in some way( yoga, weights, breathing??, whatever), even
though she seems totally exhausted constantly( she hasn't exercised
much before)
- Are there any clinical trials ongoing or about to Start, that we
could get involved in.
-any tips on how to get maximum response from the chemotherapy

I am forever greatful for any help I can get, every extra day My
mother and I can spend together will be worth alot to us both.

thank you all in advance

Jamie

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Alayne - 27 Apr 2004 16:07 GMT

> My mother found out last week that she had small cell Lungcancer in
> both lungs, that has spread to the bronchial..(tubes?) and to the
[quoted text clipped - 49 lines]
>
> Jamie

Hello Jamie,

I am very sorry to hear about your mother, a cancer diagnosis is a toughie.
I am afraid that I am not a medic (I was a carer) and therefore can't answer
your specific questions, but I am sure that others on this NG will be along
soon to help you.

In the meantime, know that you are not alone in your battle and we are here
to help and listen.

Take care and have a Hug from me.

Alayne

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Bob Allison - 27 Apr 2004 20:09 GMT

Jamie,

I have SCLC that has resonded to radiation and chemo. The same cocktail
your mother is geting. I had 6 rounds of chemo 3 weeks apart and
radiation twice a day for 37 sessions. My cancer was detected very
early. I had an irregular heartbeat and the ER Dr found the tumor on my
left lung. It was early enough that it had not spread past the lung.
SCLC is very fast growing and intrusive. Agressive is the word most
often used

In your mother's case it seems to be pretty widepread and they are
trying to keep her as comfortable as possible while going through the
Chemo.

For me it was best to get sick early in the day. I saw it as the
morning sickness that pregnant women experience. The sickness came on
the 2nd or 3rd day of chemo. It's hard to say how much of it was from
the chemo and how much from the radiation.

The hardest thing for me to cope with is the fatigue that doesn't go
away. Sometimes just walking across the room will wear me out and I
have to huf and puff for a few min. This takes a LONG time to go away.

Best to not let her lose weight during all this. I was lovingly force
fed high calorie/high protein smoothies during all this. If she wants
bologna in her smoothies, go for it. I used whole milk and any fruit I
could get, as well as yogert and anything that would go through the
blender. My wife/caregiver was brutal when it came to eating. Bless her.

I was able to maintain my weight to the pleasure of all the medico's
around me.

As important as any medication is attitude. I started off with the
attitude that we were going to beat this and get on with our lives. Now
after a small brain met and more radiation, I think it's under control.
I had scans Frday and will see my oncologist later today for the
results. Part of me wants to know, but since the last brain scan found
the met, part doesn't want to know. Today is a high stress day.

Keep your mother happy during this ordeal. Laughter is good medicine,
and some flowers wouldn't hurt either.

Bob

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Dreamspinner3 - 28 Apr 2004 02:02 GMT

I'm sorry to hear about your mother's cancer. My mother was also
diagnosed with limited stage small cell lung cancer in the beginning
of March 2004--limited stage means that the cancer has not spread
beyond the lungs. Your mother has extensive stage SCLC from the way
you describe it.

It is true that SCLC is not normally treated with surgery because it
is not effective for this type of cancer. The best methods of
treatment are chemotherapy and, if applicable, radiation.

Here are some links you might find helpful:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/treatment/small-cell-lung/patient/

Another I have found helpful is the Association of Cancer Online
Resources:

http://www.acor.org

There is a number of email support groups there, including one for
SCLC which I belong to.

The best place to start is with your mother's oncologist--he should be
the one who would know about clinical trials in your area and other
important information.

Good luck and I will pray for both you & your mother.

-----
Kim/Dreamspinner3
Visit My Homepage: http://members.tripod.com/dreamspinner3/

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