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.
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.
This resembles acne and primarily involves the face and neck. It is self-limited and resolves in the majority of cases, even with continued use. Interestingly, some clinical studies have indicated a correlation between the severity of the skin reactions and increased survival though this has not been quantatively assessed.
When the words first-line and second-line are used- this is usually in the setting of known (and usually measurable) disease. So if the liver lesion represents cancer - we are looking at first-line chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic disease. This means that the chemotherapy that would likely be recommended would be conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy with or without avastin.
Drugs like Tarceva do have known benefit in the 2nd-line setting.
My husband was diagnosed with a Pancoast tumor on his lung. He went thru chemo/ radiation and finally had surgery to remove the tumor. It was successful. He had more chemo for precaution. After one year, the cancer came back into his Adrenal Gland. It is also in his Lymph Nodes. They put him on Tarceva( a pill he took everyday) And after 6-7 weeks, he had tests done which showed it didn't do anything.. the tumor has grown. They said there is no other options..
If the patient improves with the radiation, or maintains adequate strength or performance status(sufficient strength is usually defined as able to remain up and about at least half of the waking hours), you may wish to discuss other options aside from tarceva - such as the original plan of cisplatin and etoposide. This is because there is a known benefit for these drugs in terms of survival when used as first option among good performance status patients.
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....
He has been through several chemo and radiation treatments and is now starting on Tarceva. It has been a long road so far and he has his good days and bad days. I don't think there's any way even the doctors can tell us how much time they have left specifically. His doctor said it could be a year, 5 or even 10, but of course we are all hoping and praying for at least 20 more with him.
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....
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. Some days he vomits once, some days nothing.
He went to see a Gastroenterologist. They did a sonogram...
Started off as a knot on the back of my head right where necks start on the bottom of head.. then I noticed I had a tiny knot in my neck. Did some research and cancer started to pop up on the Internet.. I freaked out and anxiety went into overdrive.. doctor examined me and thought it was due to allergies.. got cat scan and the side with knot the lymph nodes and glands was bigger but they said they didn’t see anything wrong ..
She is not a candidate for treatment and is refusing even palliative tx such as Tarceva. PET Scan showed no evidence of cancer in brain, liver or bone. Because she is experiencing no symptoms she is hesistant to participate in a home hospice program. What symptoms are generally experienced and if possible a general timeline for disease progression.
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)….
I have a hard, non-tender lump on the right side of the back of my head down towards my neck. I noticed it in undergrad (4 years ago) and they took blood work. The NP said that my white count (i think) was slightly elevated, and that i probably had a virus lingering around, which would explain the swollen lymph node on the back of my head. It has never gone away. It has been there at least 4 years now. I have lately been SUPER fatigued.
Whereas in the past, the “face” of head and neck cancer was a man in his 60s with a history of heavy smoking and alcohol consumption, the men diagnosed with HPV oropharyngeal cancer do not smoke heavily and may still be in their 50s or younger, although older men are also affected.
Dr. Wirth explains that HPV cancers show a specific pattern as to where they arise.
The general term used for babies who can not hold their head up well is head lag. At birth, all babies have head lag. Some control over head movement is reached by 8 weeks so that head lag lessens. By the age of 4-6 months, most babies should be able to hold their head up when pulled by their arms to a seated position. However, there is of course some variation between infants, and some may hold their head up earlier and some a little later.
Hi all,
Has anyone ever heard of breast cancer (IBC or other) spreading up the neck to cause neck, ear, and head pain on that side? I have a swollen axillary node and pain in my breast and up my neck to my ear and head and nobody can figure it out, even breast specialists. Does this sound famiiar to anyone?
Thanks so much for any info.
I was prescribed anti-depressents which calmed me but the headaches continued. I was then sent for a MRI head and neck scan without dye which came back clear. I have also had a ct scan of bowel and several other tests which again have been ok. I am now feeling sick but my GP will not send me for any more tests. I have a fear of cancer after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer ten years ago which turned out to be a complete mistake.
Lymph nodes enlarge when there is an infection. The head and neck area have an extensive network of lymph nodes. These lymph nodes function like a filter, and thus increase in size in the presence of infection to filter out organisms. Even with treatment, some lymph nodes remain enlarged. A recurrent infection would further increase the size of the lymph node.
However, there are other conditions that can present with lymph node enlargement. Head and neck malignancy is an example.
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