So many worries

My mum was diagnosed with stage 3 inoperable lung cancer in February. She's currently doing really well. She had aggressive chemo and radiotherapy and now recently started on immunotherapy.

 

The doctors have been really positive and are aiming to cure her. However I'm still really scared. I'm scared to be too hopeful. Lately I've been reading up a lot on the internet about lung cancer. Some of the sites are really positive and some are really negative saying the stage 3 lung cancer can't be cured and has a poor outlook. I don't know whether to trust what I read online even though the sources seem reputable there's a lot of contradicting evidence.

 

Two doctors have confirmed that they are aiming for a cure with my mum and the main oncologist made treating lung cancer seem like a piece of cake. The doctors always seem to comment on how well my mum looks for her age (she's 70) and I think that  they gave her treatment because she's in reasonably good health despite having comorbidities. 

 

Mum is really positive and upbeat and thinks that she'll best the cancer. I really hope that she does. She's been really well lately. Her last scan showed that the tumour decreased by 22mm which the doctors said was excellent news.

 

However I'm scared to get too excited and that the progress won't last. I'm scared what if she does get treated but the tumor comes back. I've heard that even if cancer doesn't go away or comes back it can be treated like a chronic disease and people can live for years. It seems like there really have been a lot of advances in treating cancer these past few years. 

  • You've actually answered your own question inasmuch that everyone is different and no two people are the same - there's lots of contradicting evidence. Being scared is part and parcel of a cancer diagnosis I'm afraid, but there's no reason why you you shouldn't be hopeful. My advice is to take each day as it comes and concentrate on making happy memories. Wishing her well.

  • Thanks for your post DollyCat. I go through such waves of emotions and am struggling to cope. Cancer is such a scary thing especially advanced cancer. 

     

    I know that there's a lot of reason to be hopeful especially as the doctors are so positive and confident and she's being treated at a very good place. I think it's just fears of getting my hopes up and having them dashed.