advice please nsclc

[debra]

hi deanna i dont know if im doing this right as im not very good with computers. i was wondering if you could help me my mum has been diagnosed with nsclc which is in her bones in two places. our holpital has the tarceva drug and i was wondering if she should go for chaemo or just go straight for the tarceva ? what do you think given your experiences her cancer is at stage 4 we have been told that there is no cure but she can have chaemo and radiotherapy to give her extra time. thanks debra x

[Deanne Jenkyns]

Debra,
I am so sorry about your mum. Has the oncologist offered your mum Tarceva as a first line treatment as apposed to chemo? If so, how old is your mum and how is she doing at the moment, how is her body coping with the cancer, is she eating ok etc?



Deanne
x

[rosina]

Hi debra, I'm really sorry to hear about your mum. I don't have an awful lot of experience about different treatments, but I think if your mum has been given the opportunity to try Tarceva it is well worth her trying it. Looking at all the post on this website she is fortunate to have been offered this treatment as first post. I hope that everthing goes well with your mum's treatment and that this treatment will give her loads of extra time. rosina x x

[debra]

hi deanne, thanks so much for replying, chaemo and radiotherapy is 1st line but she has refused this at the moment but has the option to have tarceva maybe. she is very well at the moment and eating ok. the cancer has spread to her bones in the rib and the hip for which she has been given bone tablets and a pain killer which seem to be controlling the pain. she hasnt been given a time limit but the docs say months rather than years which is why she doesnt think that its worth having chaemo as she feels she would rather spend the time she has left feeling well for as long as possible rather than being ill with the chaemo as the docs cant tell her how much extra time the chaemo will give her. she is 63 and has packed up smoking since january. what do you think. many thanks Debra x

[debra]

Dear rosina thans very much for your reply all the support really helps. many thanks Debra

[Deanne Jenkyns]

Debra,
If your mum is able to get Tarceva as a 1st line treatment I think she should go for it. Like chemo it dose not work for everybody but when it does work it can be a wonder drug my husband is proof of that along with numerous others I have been in cantact with. My husband had chemo and radiotherapy and he tolerated the 1st line chemo well, the radiotherapy he found more difficult. Tarceva can give you terrible skin but it does settle after a while with the help of creams and steriods. Goodluck hun, hope your mum does as well as my hubby. Keep me posted as to how things go.


Take care
Deanne
x

[jljenkyns]

Hi Debra

I agree if your mam can get tarceva as a first line treatment then tell her to go for it, it is less invavsive as chemo or radiotherapy and targets all teh cancer no matter where in the body, like deanne says you can get a rash which can be controlled quite easily.

jimmy x

[daisey]

Hi Debra
my husband has lung and bone cancers. He will have a PET scan in July which should indicate if its been effective in treatýng both. Ý will post the results in case it helps with decision making. However for your Mum to have this opportunity to try Tarceva seems to be one too good to miss. Bob has coped with a full dose for 6 months now and is just tryýng a lower one due mainly to fatigue. The side affects vary of course with everyone. My best wishes. Ýts hard to watch someone you love go through all this. Take care.
love Daisey.