"Stable", for how many time? - 1267893

marga22
Posts:3

Hi all!
My mom was diagnosed with unoperable squamous nsclc in stage IIIB in Feb '12. Her first chemo was carboplatine mixed with another one that I can' t remember its name right now. She also had 35 rad on her chest. The results were quite good: stable disease. In Nov '13 it progressed and sge had 6 cycles of Docetaxel. Results were good, she' s been with stable disease and had some shrinking until now.
Today she had her six month scan and we' ll see what happens next week when she' ll visit the onc.
What I wanted to know is if there is any possibility to remain stable for more time, with no manteinance chemo? Can this stability situation last for long time? I hope you can share good news with me 'cause all of you know how these days of waiting are. I wish you the best to you all!

Forums

catdander
Posts:

Hi marga22, I so very sorry about your mom's dx. I know how difficult it is for a daughter. I hope she is feeling well. Are you saying you've seen the results of her scans and they show clear progression?

She has done really well and that's a positive when looking at options. People who respond well to one or 2 treatments normally respond well period, however its normal to respond less as lines go on.

Janine

Dr West
Posts: 4735

It's certainly possible to continue to show stable findings for a long time, even off of treatment, but there is a gradual drop-off over time. In other words, the longer you follow patients, the greater the likelihood that scans will show progression. In someone with prior progression that occurred within a year of ending the prior therapy, that progression will typically become apparent within 3-6 months, though a minority of people can certainly go longer...and a small minority will go a very long time.

-Dr. West

marga22
Posts: 3

Hello Janine, we have to wait for the results of yesterday' s scan until Friday 16th. Last one was on July and the tumour did reduce its volume though mom ended her treatment on Nov '13. It' s very hard to be positive when you know that she can' t be cured of this cancer but I keep the faith and hope that the onc say that it' s satble again after these 14 months without any treatment. Thanks for your wishes, I wish you the best too in this hard experience that we have to live.
Thanks Dr. West for your words, she was on SD for 14 months after 1st treatment, now she' s reaching the same time again after the second one but I wish to hear those wonderful words again and so she can still living life to the fullest as she' s been doing in this time without chemo. I hope she can be a part of this minority that you say, why not?