So, has no one in history has ever achieved remission after H/N cancer mets to lungs? I'm asking my doc about anything else I can do to fight this thing - nutrition, etc. The doc tells me, nope, "this is not curable". I have inoperable lung mets which so far we've kept stable and shrunk a little with chemo. But that's it? I haver ZERO chance of achieving remission at this point? It just can't happen? I can understand that it's difficult, rare, not the norm, etc...but completely, absolutely impossible? That's hard to take.

How wide spread is it in the lung(s)?

Is surgery not an option? and why not?

What about IMPT, Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy? This was developed to use in sensitive areas like the brain and it's like a smart bomb in that it goes in without destroying any tissue and literally conforms to the targeted area (tumor) and explodes damaging only it's target. No exit radiation either. M D Anderson has it.

I'm with you. I wouldn't take any single no for any answer where my life was at issue.

Boston has IMPT also and I think San Diego(?)

If you're looking at radiation therapy. Find a tomotherapy practice. Tomotherapy is the newest IMRT. Uses Pet Scan to get 3 demension picture of tumer for radiation. Tomo is extremely precise.
Sandy

I can see right now that you have what is needed to whip this. You have a great outlook and diehard attitude. Keep it up and it sure will be a great help. Got you in the prayers.

My doc says IMPT is not an option for me because it's for localized disease. He said they would never use IMPT in it's current development for tumors in my lungs. He ran my case by doctors at Dana Farber (Harvard) Cancer Center in Boston. They said there was nothing more they could offer and there were no clinical trials I was eligible for. Trying to check at MD Anderson but haven't heard back from them yet. Seem to be running out of options beyond trying to stay alive with chemo.

Sometimes what we want in radiation is NOT precision, but more of a shotgun approach -- If there is no clearly defined target, then a precision aiming system for a precision beam (which is what Tomo seems to be, precision IMRT guided by precision 3D CT scans) is not of much use -- Kind of like trying to hit OBL with a personal-sized cruise missile when you don't even know what country he's hiding in...

Steve- I'm so sorry that this is what the Drs. have said. It must indeeed be very difficult to hear and to process. I would be like you too in that position- just wanting to keep fighting and loking for options. I wish there were any words of comfort to give to you.
'
I truly admire your positive fighting spirit. Please take comfort in the admiration of your courage in the face of this disease.

Wishing you lots of strength and bravery.

K

My hubby has nodules in both lungs. When I asked the doctor if he can have surgery, she said "no" because it was in both lungs. I suppose if you only have it in one lung then you can have surgery. Another topic here: Jim has another malignant growth on his jaw bone and he is going to be treated with the "cyberknife". This is new to me, but I also have not seen it mentioned here at all by anyone. I wonder why noone here has been treated with it . Can anyone enlighten me on this topic of the cyberknife. ? Thanks. claudia

Steve
I am so sorry to read about your new troubles.I think the point here is that the origonal tumours have disseminated and spread to a different part of your body.In any type of cancer this makes treatment options more difficult,and your choices more limited i am afraid.The usual choices,are damage control and are frequently focused around chemotherapy to halt the spread and shrink the tumours.With Lung tumours,particularly secondary deposits surgery is not normally an option and are most frequently treated with aggressive chemotherapy,which can be very successful,so don't be too eager to go under the knife.As we say in the UK its horses for courses,and if all the doctors are of the same opinion then hard as it may be,this sounds like the best way to go.

liz