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Lung cancer and Lupus

Scrumyg
Offline

Hi,

I’ve recently been diagnosed with lung cancer, luckily it’s only stage 1 with no spread, I can’t have surgery as I failed the 6 minute walk & my underlying problems, 

im confident that radical radiotherapy on offer will ‘cure’ this tumour  however this doesn’t stop me worrying & facing my mortality ekk… my main concern is how I’m going to get through this radiotherapy..I’m having to stop all my medications that control my autoimmune problems and already I’m slowing down, my joints are stiffing up & the pain is increasing… 

I just wondered if anyone else had autoimmune disease ( I have lupus, fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoporosis, giant cell arthritis etc) I have been on steroid for twi years because of the GCA I’m now down to just 2 mgs a day & that’s not easy either … now cancer…! So I wondered if anyone else had stopped their DMAR drugs & how they coped with that during treatment & afterwards?? 
thank you 

  • Hi Scrumyg,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. This sounds like a difficult situation and I can understand your concerns - if there is anyone here with any similar experience to share then hopefully you'll get some more replies here soon.

    I'm sure you have already but do discuss all this with your doctor as much as possible so that you can understand what to potentially expect and how to limit possible side effects.

    Aside from this, I hope that the forum can be helpful for you in terms of reaching out to others.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Offline in reply to Moderator Ben

    Hi Scrumyg

    Sorry to hear of your plight.

    I have RA and have been on biological drugs for years to suppress my overactive immune system.

    I have just been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer which I beleive the immuno suppressant effect of the bio drug has played a role for a second time. I had lung cancer in 2010 when I had a lung lobe removed and I had been on bio drugs up until then. I continued with the bio treatment a few months later due to RA flareups.

    I definately wont be taking anymore etenercept, baricitanib etc or any other DMARDs because of the cancer risk which one is warned about in the package leaflets.

  • Offline

    Hi

    I have lupus, arthritis, heart disease and have been living with bladder cancer for the last 5 years. I've been taking steroids for 25 years so the treatment has been a balance between the various conditions and it is important to be your own advocate as lupus and it's symptoms are often poorly understood.

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