Postby zephyr » Sun Sep 30, 2018 7:17 am
I can only tell you about the experiences of my family, and those may not be relevant to your situation. My father and I both have lung nodules: his are from environmentally-induced lung cancer, mine are from colon cancer. I realize that lung cancer is a different disease but there may still be some similarities regarding treatment.
He had chemo and radiation. He stopped the chemo early on because he couldn’t tolerate it. I think he did 12 rounds of radiation. His nodules have shrunk to almost nothing so he’s now on a wait-and-see approach. He credits the radiation for his success.
Radiation was never a good option for me. Because of genetic mutations, I did 2 years of various forms of chemo but all combinations of 5FU. I had periods of terrific success followed by emotionally devastating setbacks. At the last treatment appointment with my oncologist, I was given the wait-and-see advice. I was told by my regular oncologist and a research oncologist specializing in colon cancer that cancer treatments are changing amazingly fast and the key is to hold on until the next big thing comes along, and that could happen any day. Any. Day.
My nodules were inoperable because of location and number. After consulting with two oncologists, three thoracic surgeons, a pulmonologist, a board certified naturopathic oncologist, and an occupational health physician, among others, I made the decision to have the YAG laser surgery in Germany. Did all my doctors think it was a good idea? Nope. Did all my doctors think it work work? Nope. One oncologist flat out told me that a resection wasn’t possible with the laser alone, that a wedge resection would still be required. He never even read the papers I gave him - studies in well respected American journals, and which the pulmonologist described as good science. Germany’s been doing this surgery for almost 2 decades and the results have been repeated in other countries. Multiple lung nodules can be removed, even in technically challenging locations, without a wedge resection. But my point is this: be your own advocate, follow your gut, continue to get input from others on this journey. You’ll know what you want to do, what’s right for you; just give it some room and recognize it when it happens. Trust yourself.
I don’t know how all this will turn out for me. Over the past 6 weeks, I’ve had two lung surgeries that removed 12 nodules. Three nodules were too deep, large, and wrapped up in other stuff so I lost the middle lobe of my right lung (no biggie) and a portion of my left upper lobe (recovery’s going to be a little tougher, but doable). I used a big chunk of my retirement fund to do this but I really believed - and this is just me - that I was saving my life. And I believed this was MY answer, but not necessarily anyone else’s answer.
Whatever you decide, trust yourself.
Nov-2009 Early stage CRC, routine colonoscopy
2010-2014 F/U colonoscopies, all clear
Jun-2016 CRC during F/U colonoscopy, surgery, Stage 4, KRAS, MSS
Aug-2016-May-2018 Folfox, 5FU, Folfiri & Avastin
Aug/Sep-2018 YAG laser surgeries (Germany), 11 nodules removed
Nov-2018 clean CT scan
Mar-2019 New lung nodules
Apr-2019 Dec-2020 Xeloda/Avastin, SBRT, cont. Xeloda/Avastin
Mar-2021 Forfiri/Avastin
Mar-2022 Ablation & Thoracotomy
Feb-2023 Folfiri & Avastin
Nov-2023 Xeloda & Avastin