Re small cell lung cancer @33

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Question:

I have just been diagnosed as having small cell lung cancer, I am 33 years of age and otherwise in very good health. Nobody seems to want to allow me to believe that this illness is survivable. I am not prepared to let this tumour take away my life – I am too young ! I would welcome any information or case histories which demonstrate that this can be beaten. I should add that I am currently undergoing Chemo with very few side effects, and the tumour is 3.5cm and in my right lung. I have been told that I do not have any other secondary tumours presently detectable Thank you Neil Williamson

Response:

I wrote to you and to someone who wrote me priately about my recovery. I didn’t get it to go through to you, I wil try again, as it was sort of long Anyhow I am 6 years Free of cancer Stay tuned Joan

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have just been diagnosed as having small cell lung cancer, I am 33 years of age and otherwise in very good health. Nobody seems to want to allow me to believe that this illness is survivable. I am not prepared to let this tumour take away my life – I am too young ! I would welcome any information or case histories which demonstrate that this can be beaten. I should add that I am currently undergoing Chemo with very few side effects, and the tumour is 3.5cm and in my right lung. I have been told that I do not have any other secondary tumours presently detectable Thank you Neil Williamson Given that your tumor has not spread, I do not know why the prognosis should

be so negative. Small cell is a high grade tumor and the poor results among many patients reflect the fact that there was extensive spread and/or metastasis at the time of diagnosis. But this is not your case and small cell is responsive to chemotherapy unlike some other forms of lung cancer. Basically I agree with you that you should seek to beat this. Consider prophylactic cranial radiation which an August article in the New England Journal of Medicine found to be beneficial to prevent metastasis in that area.

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