Hi there,
After 4 months of mis-diagnosis by a GP who was "treating" my grandmother for a frozen shoulder by simply feeding her a cocktail of painkillers she has now been diagnosed with lung cancer.
They have given the following staging T4 N1 M1a after her PET scan and suggested a short 5 day targeted radiotherapy to try and shrink the tumor as it is currently pressing on the nerves and causing constant pain in her arm and she is unable to grip with her forefinger.
She is 85 years old but otherwise fit and healthy and mentally very strong and already determined in her fight.
It does concern me that potentially she is being discriminated against because of her age - the process since it was first suspected has taken almost 6 weeks until she is actually going to receive any treatment.
What's not been made clear is what likely prognosis is and having done some preliminary online research it seems there are some wide ranging views on life expectancy and treatment options.
I wondered if anyone could recommend any sites which we could do some initial research on, particularly in light of her age. Also, they have declined doing a biopsy to fully determine staging/prognosis - is this usual?
Thanks in advance
Sam
Reply # - August 16, 2016, 11:04 AM
Hi Sam,
Hi Sam,
I am sorry to hear of your grandmother's diagnosis. There is a wealth of information here regarding treatment options for elderly patients; you may want to start with Dr. Weiss' recent podcast on the subject, which you can find here: http://cancergrace.org/lung/2016/03/03/gcvl_lu_elderly_patients_single_… At the end of the transcript, there are additional links to relevant information.
Once you've begun your research, please let us know if you have specific questions.
I wish your grandmother the best as she begins treatment.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - August 18, 2016, 06:13 AM
I don't think there is
I don't think there is discrimination as much as there is caution in someone of her age. Doing a biopsy could cause her major complications even if it was a bronchoscopy. There must be something in the scan that gives them a definite that it's cancer. Most likely the PET SUV rate. Also the location as it sounds like a Pancoast tumor. If it shrinks using radiation, then it's most likely cancer. They may decide to do a biopsy after as it's in more than one place. See link for staging. Is she being treated at a major cancer hospital?
Take care, Judy
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2007813-overview
I am not a medical professional but a two time LC survivor and advocate.