My mother was diagnosed one week ago (June 2016) with stage IV andocarcenoma. She had a malignant pleural effusion that initially presented in January, or at least that's when the shortness of breath started. She had thorasentesis two weeks ago and has been breathing much better since then.
We are awaiting scan and blood test results for treatment options. My questions are:
1. Is stage IV with MPE really as grim as it sounds - will she likely go downhill quickly, within a few months? I've read the dismal statistics for MPE, but my mother was an otherwise-healthy 62 year old nonsmoker (never smoked). I don't want anything sugar coated, as my biggest concern is for my mother to suffer as little as possible, rather than how many more days I can keep her here on this earth.
2. Would assisted living be appropriate for someone at this point? My sense is that, if she receives chemo or another treatment, it will make her very tired at times and she may need help with her daily activities.
Thanks very much.
Reply # - June 29, 2016, 01:48 AM
Hi blueberry21,
Hi blueberry21,
Welcome to Grace. I'm so very sorry your mom has gotten this diagnosis. It is rather grim to use your term but there's no telling whether she has several months or several years. There's probably a lot for you to learn in a small bit of time. For now I'll leave you with a primer on lung cancer. http://cancergrace.org/lung/2010/04/05/an-introduction-to-lung-cancer/
and another link about targeted therapies and molecular markers. This post is 6 years old and doesn't have up to date info on specific treatments but is excellent post on mutation and testing and the importance of which has only become stronger. http://cancergrace.org/lung/2010/10/10/overview-of-molecular-markers-in…
I wouldn't read too much into prognostics and specifics due to mpe. Everyone is different and all the averages and medians are drawn from such a wide spectrum that it's impossible to know where your mom fits on it. I hope we can be of help and I hope your mom does very well.
Assisted living might become a discussion to have at some point but if she is in good shape there's no reason to believe that she will need this type of support anytime soon. I hope you feel free to keep us posted and ask for help when you need it. Use our search engine there is a plethora of info on the site.
All best,
Janine
Reply # - June 30, 2016, 05:21 AM
Hi blueberry21 - some great
Hi blueberry21 - some great inputs by Janine...
My mother is in a similar situation (aged 66, Stage IV, with mets).. diagnosed Feb 2016, started with Chemo, and then switched to Crizotinib after she tested ALK positive. She is doing reasonably well, and her last scan showed a stable situation.
Be sure to get your mother tested for mutations.
Overall from what I have been reading, people have done quite well for varying duration, with some spanning several years. As Janine pointed out, there are many options available and your mother's oncologist will help you navigate towards the most feasible option..
wishing you the very best
thanks
DJ
Reply # - July 8, 2016, 02:08 PM
Thanks very much to both of
Thanks very much to both of you for your responses. You were right that I should slow down before jumping to conclusions about how quickly my mother might deteriorate!
No assisted living at this point, although we are discussing how I can relocate closer to her, given that I'm currently living overseas. She has the chance to participate in an immunotherapy trial, which we are thinking about. I've posted a new question about this in the Q&A section.
Thanks again!