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| *Women health>>>Lung Cancer |
What questions should you ask the docs when u have been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer? |
What questions should you ask the docs when u have been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer? "Inoperable" just means they can't take it out, but does mean that they can treat it. You need to know your stage and the tissue type (non-small cell, small cell, etc). If it's still confined to the lung and nowhere else, you have a really decent chance at a high survival rate. Given that, I give you some hope: My father was diagnosed with full-blown stage IV non-small cell lung cancer with metastases to his bones and brain. He left us 2-1/2 years later, but he made a lot of docs respect him along the way. Apparently, he went to see a doc at Siteman Cancer Center and he walked in and pulled the chair out for my mother, as he always did. The doc put down the chart and left the room. What he saw on paper was a lot worse than the gentleman who walked in the door, and he had to check with his nurse! Ask about clinical trials. Get all the numbers, e-mails, exchange numbers you need to have your questions answered. I'll keep you in my thoughts. I type for oncologists and every day there's a new amazing story. Their ability to prolong life is just overwhelming, and I've typed hardly any "bad" notes in the last couple of weeks. Ask about hospice care, financial refferals, estate attorneys and counseling. That's what we asked my nanna's doc about. She gave us all kinds of info that was so valuable in the last months of her life. don't ask,but start looking for alternative treatment http://herbal-remedies-usa.ecommerce-sit... How long do I have ( so you can make preparations ) and ARE THERE ANY EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENTS THAT I MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ( fight it to the end ) // would a transplant be out of the question ?? GOOD LUCK TO YOU look into clinical trials. if your doc doesn't know of any, check with another doc. there are always new trials going on at different hospitals. there still may be other treatment available to you as well. find out about chemo and radiation. can the tumor be shrunk? what stage is the cancer? do some research on line. go to the american cancer society web site. they have a list of q's to ask your doc. get someone to help you. a true friend is a godsend at times like these. two heads are always better than one. what you don't hear, they will. it can all be very exhausting but don't give up just yet. god bless. 1) how long will I be able to function as I do now. 2) what steps can be put in place to maximize that time 3) Look at the risk benefit ratio of each treatment offered both traditional and alternative. If you have 12 weeks left there is no reason for 8 weeks of chemo that makes you feel awful. Try to maximize the time you have left. 4) ask for a skeletal survey or X-Rays of bones that hurt you. This will look for any impending bone fractures due to the tumor. Many can be treated with small outpatient surgeries and save you from a lot of pain and suffering and keep you active. 5) Discuss pain medication options. 6) Talk to a social worker regarding end of life plans. The cell type and stage are the most important determinants. Small cell carcinoma is a different animal than non-small cell. Between those two, you can get an idea of treatment options and expected survival rates. |
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