Hi everyone, my name is Mark

mbowers049 · New User Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Alaska

Hey everyone,

I was diagnosed a few weeks back with a Stage IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer. The fact I found it when I did was pure luck....

I had a stage III melanoma removed from my head 4 1/2 years ago. It had spread to only two lymph nodes and my docs and I decided to not do chemo (the only real choice was interferon), and because I have severe rheumatoid arthritis the docs decided the interferon might do more harm than good. This was at MD Anderson in Houston and I figure these guys are about the best, so I took their advice.

So for 4 1/2 years I've been getting CAT scans every 6 months, both head / neck and chest / abdomen, and nothing unusual has ever shown up. I also check my lymph nodes once a month or two because the docs said if the melanoma returned it would likely show there first.

My 5-year survival chance for the melanoma was given at 50%, which at the time was hard to take, but hey, that’s life, and I kept going. So here I am almost to that magical 5 year point, my last CAT scan (in December) was good, and so I thought hallelujah, I may have beaten this beast.

But… I was feeling the lymph nodes below my left collarbone in early July and felt a swollen one. Since the melanoma was on the left side I said “uh-oh, this can’t be good” and scheduled an appointment with my oncologist.

Turns out there were three nodes, and I had one removed. The doc left the others in because they can make a vaccine for melanoma if they have live cells, and we both figured the melanoma had come back.

I forgot to mention that I’d moved from Houston, Texas to Alaska 3 years earlier, The docs up here don’t treat much melanoma, and they advised me that if it was melanoma that I should go back to MD Anderson. The last place on earth I wanted to go back to was Houston.

I guess some strange things can be called lucky, because the node wwas full of lung cancer calls, not melanoma. If it had been melanoma I’d probably be dead already.

So, I’ve had my radiation, two rounds of chemo with two more planned, and am dealing with all the fatigue, nausea, no appetite and all the other not-so-nice things I guess we all get. My doc says my 5 year chances on this on are 10-15%, which didn’t make me too happy, but I’ll play the hand I’m dealt and see what happens.

And an interesting fact, it turns out one of the RA meds I’ve been taking for 15 years tripled my risk of lung cancer. Whish they’d told me that back then...

I’m 52, married with a 25 year old son in college down in Texas and a 17 year old daughter who’s a junior in high-school here in Alaska.

I sure hope I can beat this one, but right now my spirits are pretty low… Hoping to hear some encouraging words here and some stories of people who have beat these odds.

Expecting our first snow any day now, which should cheer me up.

Mark

brainman · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:52 am Post subject: Re: Hi everyone, my name is Mark

Oh Mark, I am so sorry about your Lung Cancer! To have beat melanoma only to find lung cancer must be a big blow to you and your family. It seems like you are a brave man with a supportive family. Those two things will go a long way toward seeing you through the times ahead.

You have come to the right place. Here you will find others who will support you and help you by giving some answers to your questions.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Trudy · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:05 pm Post subject: Re: Hi everyone, my name is Mark

Hello Mark,

I am so glad you found this forum, everyone here is so great and will be a support to you.

I can't imagine what you are walking through right now, yet your positive responses to all that has been thrown your way has been super.

Keep posting... You are not alone.

Snow!
Wow! that is a true Alaska event!
The leaves are just beginning to change color here in PA Smile

_________________
Trudy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
85 yr old Mother has NSCLC Stage 4 diagnosed April 2008

maryaz · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:31 am Post subject: Re: Hi everyone, my name is Mark

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum. I think you know it, but you want to keep a good attitude. That makes a difference. My husband just had surgery May 16th after very aggressive radiation and chemo for Stage 3B NSCLC. So far he is okay.

I try not to think about the odds of the five year. I just keep hoping that each day is a good one. My husband experienced a lot of setbacks and problems and yet finally the 1st part of July we seem to start moving forward. You could read about his treatment by going to the link under my signature, if you wish.

I hope things work for you.
_________________
Mary

Husband is 67 year old Male
NSCLC - Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Chemo and Radiation Treatments together
Allergic reactions to Taxol and Taxotere.
The Story: http://www.cancerforums.net/about9079.html

mbowers049 · New User Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Alaska

Jim, Trudy, and Mary -

Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I'm anxious to get these second rounds of chemo done, then I think the hard part will be waiting a few weeks until I can have another PET scan to see if anything shows up. There never was anything visible in my CAT scans or chest X-rays, and the docs never identified a primary tumor, just that lymph node that they removed. I guess that could be a good thing also, but i'm still worried. I'm hoping and praying that the second PET scan won’t show any more "hot spots", or that a brain MRI doesn't show any metastases either.

I will read your stories Jim, and your husband's Mary, and try and draw some encouragement from them. Thank you again for the replies.

And, I was right about the snow - it's been coming down like crazy for the last few hours. I've always changed my own snow tires, but this year I just don't have the energy to go do it. I'll be sliding around out there tomorrow like eveyone else trying to find a tire store to do the change for me!

Mark

ceemint · New User Joined: 08 Sep 2008 Posts: 7

Hi Mark,

I am so sorry to hear about your condition. Although everyone's case is different, I do want to give you hope and encouragement because miracle does happen. My MIL was diagnosed with stage IV NSCLS with mets to spine in 2004. She has survived all these years and worked until a couple of months ago. I think Tarceva really helped her to control the disease and of course her will to live was a big factor as well. So believe in yourself and you will be able to beat it.

Ceemint

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