Hi, I'm so sorry to hear that the cancer has returned,

My sister was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer which has spread. Life expectancy 3 to 4 months without 6 sessions of chemo & 1 radiotherapy. She was adamant she didn't want chemo & wanted quality over qty. She was told that it would help to control her symptoms. She finally decided to give it one go. She's now had 2 rounds & third starting Monday. Chemo is keeping her symptoms under control & feels better than she was before the chemo. Chemo symptoms are minimal & she says that she feels lucky. I moved in to look after her when she was first diagnosed & she really is doing a lot better than I expected. I nursed my mother with the same condition 15 years ago but she wasn't offered chemo due to her age. It's personal choice & it effects people differently but I thank good she chose to give chemo a go. She was on oxygen, nebuliser, antibiotics, steroids etc before chemo as she was so poorly. Now in between chemo she's only taking one effervescent daily to help her breathing. I don't know how long she'll carry on like this but we are taking one day at a time & enjoying the time. Wishing you all the very best & take care.

Thanks very much for your reply Sidnie.  I am so pleased that your sister is experiencing a better quality of life than before, and that the chemo has helped her with that.  I have an appointment with the oncologist for the first time on 7 December, so I will be able to have a frank discussion with him.  Also bloods will be taken, perhaps to see whether I'm fit enough for chemo.  It's very kind that you have moved in with your sister as you did with your mum previously.  I live alone and my ex-partner and sister who both live 200 miles away have offered to have me live with them when I become frail. That is very kind of them but I think I would prefer to stay in my own home and perhaps ask for a social services needs assessment. They aren't able to come and live with me due to existing caring commitments for both of them. But that's a different subject.  At the moment I feel less hesitant about chemo and like your sister I may give it a go and see how it works out for me. Best wishes for you and your sister.

Hi Bluette

I was diagnosied as incurable last January, when my cervical cancer had spread to both ovaries. I haven't been given any life expectency 

I initally refused chemo, but then started 6 sessions over 5 months and it wasn't as bad as I was expecting and the side effects were managable. I've refused radiotherapy as I don't believe the side effects are worth the extra time it would give me. I think it's down to personal choice whatever route you choose, I'm not pro or anti chemo, but I'm glad I had it although I wouldn't go through it again now, you could always try one and see if the side effects are worth it? 

Thanks for replying Giggsy.  I am glad that you found your chemo treatment manageable and derived some benefit from it.  There are so many things to think about aren't there when we get this kind of diagnosis!  I must make myself sit down and write say five questions to ask the oncologist.  I always think that's a good number of questions to ask a doctor - enough to get a good picture, but not too many to annoy them! I wish you the very best with your journey.

Hi Bluette,

I am 67 years old and was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer about 15 months ago. Although only in my right lung apparently it had spread to the pleura. Because of severe COPD i could not have surgery to remove the tumour and in any case it was multifocal. I declined chemotherapy and believe that I made the right decision. I chose quality of life over quantity. I am still active and working and apart from increasing breathlessness and a few aches and pains I am symptom free. I walk for about an hour every day and keep busy with work and seeing or talking on the phone to friends. I believe my life would have been almost unbearable had I chosen chemo and I am glad I declined it. I am still going strong but know things will get worse. For me the dubious  benefits of chemo were not worth the suffering it entails so I made my choice. Each of us must make their own choice and we all are different and have differing situations etc. Good luck in your choice! John x

Sorry to here this. But someone i no has similar to this they said it was terminal and she had 2 years she started chemo that was 5 years ago so i dont no how you feel about the chemo but it has extended her life good luck in whatever you decide 

Hi John

Thanks for your message.  I am pleased to hear that you are doing well.  After I last posted at the beginning of December, I saw the oncologist who gave me a prognosis of 18 months to two years if I had chemo and about a year if I declined it.  I was happy to accept what nature had in store for me, choosing quality over quantity of life - chemo would only give me an extra year anyway.  I asked the doctor what he thought the point of chemo was in a case like mine and he said to try and stop the cancer spreading to the bones and brain.  I asked him a blunt question and he gave me a blunt answer!  I realise that chemo may not prevent the spread to those areas, but felt more inclined to accept a treatment which might make my life more comfortable.  

I had my first chemo infusion on 9 February and haven't experienced any side effects so far, apart from feeling a bit irritable from the steroids which I had to take for a few days.  It's quite possible that the chemo isn't particularly effective, as I'm still coughing a lot.  However, the side effects which I feared just haven't appeared so far.  This might be because I'm receiving palliative chemo rather than curative chemo, so maybe the dose is quite low. I think the oncologist is going to prescribe a codeine linctus for my cough.  

I suppose on balance I am pleased that I have opted for chemo, as while my main symptom of coughing hasn't improved yet, it may be that it delays the spread of the cancer.  At least I don't feel any worse, which is what I feared about accepting chemo.  

My experience hasn't changed my opinion about treatment. I still feel that we are all different and have to make choices that suit our individual circumstances.  I have been pleasantly surprised that I haven't suffered side effects, but I respect each person's choice regarding their own body.