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Science Forum Index » Medicine - Cancer Forum » My Relative Has Lung Cancer!! I Need Info Quickly!!
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| Guest |
 Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:19 pm |
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Hello, everyone. I have a relative who has lung cancer, and I need
some advice fast.
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First, I will give some background information. This relative is a
male and is 78 years old. In 1995, at age 65, he had a heart valve
replaced. A few years later, he developed oseteoporosis.
In January 2007, he had kidney cancer, and one kidney was removed via
laproscopic surgery. He was told that he was cancer-free. A month or
two later, he had swollen legs, and he had a pacemaker installed. The
swelling went down. A little after that, he developed Parkinson's
disease.
About 10 days ago, he went into the hospital because the sac
containing his lungs was filling up with fluid. The doctors put some
tube into his body to drain the fluid. When the fluid buildup seemed
over, the tube was removed. Unfortunately, the buildup resumed.
Well, now he has been diagnosed with lung cancer. This relative has
never smoked, and no member of his household has ever smoked
(therefore, no exposure to second-hand smoke). One lung has cancer,
and the cancer has spread to the sac that contains the lungs.
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Here is what the relative's primary-care physician has said:
One possibility is to perform a major operation to remove the sac
containing the lungs. The doctor said that, for a man of my
relative's
age and of his medical history, this operation could be fatal. This
operation involves opening up the body, similar to open-heart
surgery.
Even if the operation is not fatal, the recovery will be long and
painful, and the relative could die in the recovery process. We are
waiting for a pulmonary specialist to give the exact chances of
surviving the procedure.
Even if the procedure is completely successful, the procedure would
only go so far as to improve the patient's breathing. The cancerous
lung would still be there, and chemotherapy would be needed to deal
with the cancer.
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By the way, I should mention that the relative's brother died of a
brain tumor in February 2007 at age 69.
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So, here are my questions:
1) Does anyone on this forum know my relative's odds of surviving the
sac-removal operation, given my relative's age and medical history?
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2) Instead of the major operation, is it possible to have the
following alternative procedure instead? :
The draining tube would be reinserted to drain the fluid, thus making
the relative's breathing easier (even though the tube's presence
itself may be painful). While the tube was inside the relative, the
relative would undergo chemotherapy.
Is this procedure feasible?
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Please answer my questions, and please feel free to add any comments.
Thank you very much, and God bless you. |
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| Jeff |
| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:10 am |
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Guest
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midwest_46@yahoo.com wrote:
<....>
Quote: So, here are my questions:
1) Does anyone on this forum know my relative's odds of surviving the
sac-removal operation, given my relative's age and medical history?
The patient's doctor would be the best source of information on this.
You can also get a second opinion before taking any action.
Quote: 2) Instead of the major operation, is it possible to have the
following alternative procedure instead? :
The draining tube would be reinserted to drain the fluid, thus making
the relative's breathing easier (even though the tube's presence
itself may be painful). While the tube was inside the relative, the
relative would undergo chemotherapy.
Is this procedure feasible?
It might be. Again, the patient's physicians would have the best
information, and you can seek a second opinion.
I am being purposely vague because I have not seen the patient, read his
complete medical history, seen the X-rays and other test results or
spoken to the patient.
Only someone who has done these things can speak more definitively.
Considering what you have said, the patient has many conditions that
will make recovery more difficult. Chemotherapy may or not may not be
useful depending on what type of cancer it is (it could be recurrent
kidney cancer that spread to the lungs). Surgery to remove the lining
around the lung would be very dangerous. You've already said this.
You're looking for a miracle to help your relative. Unfortunately, I
don't see one in his future.
Jeff
Quote: Please answer my questions, and please feel free to add any comments.
Thank you very much, and God bless you.
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| Guest |
| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:09 pm |
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On Feb 26, 7:10�am, Jeff <kidsdoc2...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Quote:
I am being purposely vague because I have not seen the patient, read his
complete medical history, seen the X-rays and other test results or
spoken to the patient.
Only someone who has done these things can speak more definitively.
Considering what you have said, the patient has many conditions that
will make recovery more difficult. Chemotherapy may or not may not be
useful depending on what type of cancer it is (it could be recurrent
kidney cancer that spread to the lungs). Surgery to remove the lining
around the lung would be very dangerous. You've already said this.
Here is an update on this situation:
Some doctors found a way to remove the sac containing my relative's
lungs without causing significant damage, and the sac was removed.
However, the cancer obviously still remains.
A cancer specialist stated that my relative has stage 4
adenocarcinoma.
The cancer specialist stated that chemotherapy would be very dangerous
for my relative and would only slow the cancer down. So, chemotherapy
is a poor solution.
Radiation therapy would require the irradiation of the entire lung and
might destroy good and bad tissue. However, a recent article in the
Chicago Tribune described something called proton therapy.
Here is the article:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/northwest/chi-proton-therapyfeb27,0,1792923.story
Here is a website explaining proton therapy:
http://www.proton-therapy.org/questions.htm
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Proton therapy supposedly precisely targets tumors and avoids the good
tissue.
So, will proton therapy help my relative?
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Two other possibilities are the following:
1) A lung transplant.
2) Simply removing the lung and allowing my relative to live with only
one lung.
Are either of these two options feasible?
Once again, thanks for any information. |
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| Guest |
| Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 10:25 pm |
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Well, my relative's doctors have said that 1) proton therapy, 2) a
lung transplant, and 3) removing my relative's cancerous lung and
allowing him to live with only one lung, are not feasible.
However, I have found some information about using medical marijuana
to fight cancer. In particular, a Harvard University study has found
that
delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active ingredient in marijuana,
may be able to fight lung cancer.
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Here is the story on the study:
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4541
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Let me stress that this study is NOT about using cannabis to fight
nausea or to stimulate an appetite. This is about using cannabis to
fight the cancer itself. Specifically, the study is about using THC to
fight cancer.
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My relative lives in Illinois. Currently, there is a bill before the
Illinois legislature that would allow patients to possess marijuana
for medical purposes, but that bill has not yet been passed. However,
I believe that there is a law in Illinois that allow physicians to
possess marijuana for the purposes of research in a treatment
setting.
This law is the Illinois Cannabis Control Act, section 11.
http://www.idealreform.org/facts/ccact.shtml
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I spoke to one of my relative's pulmonologists about the marijuana,
and the doctor said that the hospital would not do anything with
marijuana because marijuana is illegal. Also, the doctor seemed to be
unaware of marijuana's potential in fighting cancer. The doctor said
that marijuana would not help my relative because the relative does
not have nausea. I will try to speak to my relative's other doctors.
Meanwhile, how can I get medical marijuana for my relative under the
Illinois Cannabis Control Act, section 11? Also, I am interested only
in one marijuana ingredient, THC. We know that possession of marijuana
is illegal, but is possession of THC, and only THC, also illegal?
And, most importantly, will the THC fight my relative's condition?
Thanks for any information. |
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