Tarceva for small cell lung cancer

Common Questions and Answers about Tarceva for small cell lung cancer

tarceva

Avatar n tn Tarceva can be given as a single agent after failure of first-line or second-line chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. However, Tarceva works best for certain subsets of patients: Asians, women, non-smokers, and those with adenocarcinoma histology. This drug still has been found to benefit males, smokers, and those with squamous cell histology, but to a lesser extent.
Avatar n tn my husband has just been told he has non small cell lung cancer how long does he have ?
Avatar n tn My father who is now 83 yres old is diagnosed with non small cell cancer with a large 3 inch mass in his upper right side. They state it is somewhere between a stage 2 and 3 due to the size. He is schedules to start radiation treatment in a week. However, they did state he is fit enough to have sugery but there is not guarantee he would not have complications from this. We are struggling to determine what is the better path to take. Will the surgery give him a better chance vs the radiation.
365470 tn?1232747095 Its squamous cell lung cancer, NSLC . he has one lung, which was removed 3 years ago, this has come back as a secondary cancer, they have started him on Tarceva and then chemo, but the oncologist said no radiation, as this type of cancer does not respond well to radiation. But thats not what I am seeing on the net, the mass has encased the veins of the aorta.
Avatar n tn how can i get doctor to prescribe tarceva for inoperable lung cancer with secondary brain cancer has recieved one chemo session for lung then 5 radiotherapy for brain...help??????
506791 tn?1439842983 It is true that there is quite a difference between small cell and large cell lung cancer. Large cell is "slower" or I guess you could day less aggressive. There are drugs now that starve the tumor of blood flow like Tarceva. As far as the time a person has left to live, none of us know the answer to that question...
Avatar n tn My sister in law was diagnosed with non small cell carcinoma of the lung 14 months ago. She is only 53 and quit smoking 15 years ago. She has done very well with chemo and radiation until recently. She was started on Tarceva about 3 weeks ago. Recently, she has been experiencing a lot of confusion. I cannot find anywhere that this is a side effect of Tarceva (it is the only drug she is on at this time). Is it possible that she has a brain metastases? If not, what are the likely causes.
365470 tn?1232747095 Another drug is sutent, which targets the blood vessel too but is oral. Sutent is still undergoing evaluation though, for lung cancer. Is your husband participating in a clinical trial? Sutent and Tarceva have some similar side effects, which is a rash and diarrhea, however patients who have hypertension may have problems with blood pressure on Sutent. Alternatively, perhaps there was simply some misunderstanding when the doctor was discussing the treatment.
Avatar n tn In general, this would represent the recommended treatment options for lung cancer. There are no clear guides as what drug is best after 3 lines of therapy, hence the reluctance to recommend any treatment. I am also guessing that the adrenal involvement cannot be removed with surgery, hence, this is not given as an option. You are right, that there are some people who even have brain involvement and undergo surgery, but these cases are really the exceptions more than the rule.
Avatar f tn Edema (fluid accumulation in any body part, resulting in swelling) has been reported as an adverse event in 37% of pancreatic cancer patients taking Tarceva, although this side effect has not been reported in lung cancer cases. However, the type of edema associated with Tarceva use is either generalized or involves a swelling of both legs. Swelling in only one leg may not be due to this drug. Unilateral leg swelling may be due to a local infection (cellulitis) in that area.
Avatar n tn Thanks for your response. To clarify: his treatment was adjunctive. At the time they saw no sign of cancer outside the lung. Now, however, after 4 rounds of chemotherapy the disease seems to have spread during treatment with taxotere and cisplatin: it's now in the liver, bones and adrenal glands. His original tumor was EGFR positive that is why Tarceva came up as a viable second step.
Avatar n tn He was diagnosed in 2003 with stage 3 non-small cell adenocarcinoma of the lungs. He had Chemo (Carboplatin). In 2005, he had Tarceva. In 2008 they discovered metastasis to the liver (3 lesions) and he underwent chemo again (I think Avastin) and he finished the treatment in March. The doctor said the tumors in both the lungs and liver were smaller. For the past 3 weeks he´s been vomiting, but sporadically. There is no pattern. It doesn´t matter if he eats lightly or heavily.
Avatar m tn He started Tarceva this January but it seems it did not work as the cancer spread to brain…. 9 mets were identified in the initial MRI 2 weeks ago but the subsequent MRI right before yesterday’s gamma knife procedure (which removed 7 mets) evidenced numerous other tiny/small tumors spread all over the brain….He has been in relatively good condition (eating well, no weight loss) until these new mets emerged (which affected his walking and reading ability)….
Avatar f tn Hello I am a caretaker. My client was diagnose with lung cancer stage IV. It has already spread to the spine, both lungs and the lymph system. Doctors triede Tarceva for 3 weeks but her body had a very bad reaction. For the spine they did radiotherapy. But since she was diagnose 3 months ago she has lost aalmost her voice. she is using oxygen for the major part of the day but doctors don't wan't to talk about time. no more medes will be given and she was reffer to hospice....
Avatar n tn A good friend was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the right lung at the end of Dec 2007. An mri this week shows 7 tumors in the brain. She has not started any chemo/radiation yet. She is 52 and in good health. I lost a brother to a brain tumor so understand the severity of the mets. I'm doing research as quickly as I can to help she and her husband make an informed decision about what to do...if anything. The local drs are recommending 4 weeks of full brain radiation followed by tarceva.
Avatar n tn I have a family memeber that was just told she has small cell lung cancer. It seems to be only in one lung bone scan, brain scan and all other test are clear. She was told surgrey would not be an option. My question is since it doesn't seem to have spread why can they not remove the mass and then treat with Chemo? The mas is in her upper left lung. Thanks for any info you can give..
Avatar f tn Hi There... I have had a upper right lobectomy on Sept 14 2001.Stage 1A BAC lung cancer...no chemo or no radiation..clear margins and no lymph node involvement.. ..it's been a little over five years now. cancer free. PRAISE GOD...and thou I realize that 5 yrs is maybe the magic number for most lung cancer survivor's...is it also meant for BAC Lung Cancer...I have heard not so.... Thank you for any information you can give me....
Avatar n tn A friend has a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer in the left lung and small cell cancer in the right lung. One round of chemo and radiation done. A recent test showed small cell is still at 9 centimeters and the left lung spot is "2.2 x 2.5 cm cavity lesion in left upper lobe now filled w/complex fluid w/surrounding hazy densities" What are questions to ask the doctor when she goes in for follow up appointment?
Avatar m tn If we are strictly talking about lung cancer, the differentiation is based on whether the cancer has small cell features. The origin is not really important in determining treatment options, and hence, there is no routine testing done to perform this function of differentiation. Stay positive.
202436 tn?1326474333 I to have been through the same thing I lost my mom 4 years ago with small cell Lung Cancer with mets to the brain.Every case is different but even through my mother had radiation & chemo she passed within a month and a half.
Avatar f tn When present, this gene variant increases the risk of lung cancer, especially the risk for small cell lung cancer. Your mother may or may not have this gene variant but that doesn’t mean that you have it. And, if you do have it, the increased risk, in no way, means that you will get lung cancer, small cell or other, especially now that you have quit smoking. The role of lung cancer screening tests is still not clear.
Avatar n tn Whatever type of lung cancer your mother has (whether small cell or non small cell variety), she is in an advanced stage because of the brain metastases (was this documented by CT scan?) and what I assume to be metastases to lymph nodes behind the ears (post-auricular nodes). The primary treatment for brain metastases coming from the lungs is still radiotherapy.
Avatar n tn Hi, The prognosis of lung cancer depends on the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, general condition of the patient, and some genetic/mutation characteristics. Staging of the lung cancer depends on many features. First, we need to establish the type of cancer. Lung cancers are essentially divided into "small cell lung cancer" (SCLC) and "non-small cell lung cancer" (NSCLC).
Avatar n tn Have you come across any cases of rashes caused by Tarceva and further treatment? Or do you have any recommendations for what to do? My next dermatology appointment is not until September but I feel like there should be something more my team should be doing.