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Lung Cancer spread to brain.

San909
Offline

Hello

I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer two years ago. stage 4.

since, I have gone through all chemotherapy provided and even a dose of breast cancer chemotherapy. it hasn’t shrunken the cancer.

i have now been provided steroids to prevent seizures.

the professor has suggested after my December scans palliative treatment give multiple illusions in my brain and a medium sized cyst.

i feel well within myself, i am 61 years old, but have come across brain radiation & brain therapy called SRS or WBRT which I believe kills cancer cells in the brain

I don’t want to give up on life just yet, but unsure how and why I can urgently get this treatment to prolong life further.

can you let me know what the process is as I feel fit and well in myself to try this given I have nothing to lose.

kind regards 

  • Hello and thanks for posting,

    I can appreciate your thoughts on this.

    Your doctors quite possibly would have suggested radiotherapy if it was safe and suitable to do so. The radiotherapy that you mention is for patients that have small individual localised brain tumours. Whole brain Radiotherapy can be given to help symptoms, but cannot be repeated to the same area again. Therefore it is often not used until it has most benefit.

    Unfortunately, when there are multiple tumours above a certain size then more localised radiotherapy treatment can't be used. Radiotherapy can cause significant temporary brain swelling as a side effect, so this needs to be carefully considered as well. Unfortunately, as nurses, we are not in a position to offer a medical opinion on your situation.

    Hopefully you can discuss this further with your current cancer specialist.

    Best wishes,

    Vanda

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Vanda

    Thank you for your response - 

    I believe I have had SRS before, but now with multiple areas I would like to explore WBRT 

    I will be asking my GP for a referral and my oncologist.

    could you kindly let me know which neurology team would potentially be able to support in the leicester / East Midlands area?

    many thanks

  • in reply to San909

    Hi San909 and thank you for your post.

    I am sorry to read about your situation.

    Unfortunately, as a charity, we are not part of the NHS.

     We cannot recommend any specific doctors. You may find searching on the NHS services website helpful.

    Your GP or oncologist will know the neurologists in your area to whom they can refer you.

    I hope you can get this sorted out soon. 

    Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Kind regards

    Tina

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