I am 53. I had a CT scan for something else and a small nodule was found in my lower left lobe. A biopsy revealed it was cancer. In March, I had a thoracotomy and lower left lobectomy and a small wedge resection of upper left due to another smaller nodule. I had no lymph involvement. I have a suspicious cloudy opacity in my upper right lung that is being "watched." All in all, the surgery and recovery have gone well, although the thoracotomy is an unpleasant and painful recovery even when everything goes well. I am due to go in for another CT scan in January to observe any changes in the upper right lobe--surgery might be considered and I am going to ask about a biopsy which has not been done. I think the "wait and see" approach is questionable--especially with lung cancer. Published: December 22 ::

My father just died of metastatic lung cancer. He was diagnosed in September and had a battery of tests before the doctors determined that with 2 rounds of chemo, he could have a good chance of survival. December 3, he was having excruciating hip pain. He underwent a hip replacement due to a fracture. It was determined that the cancer had metastasized and he was no longer a candidate for the lung surgery. He had more chemo, but it seems that once the cancer had metastasized, it went through his body like wildfire. He had a fracture of his upper humerus at the end of February; had that orthopedically repaired and died on March 3rd. His final scan that had been done just 3 weeks before his death revealed lesions on his spine, ribs, scapula and questionable spots on his liver. These had not been biopsied for proof, but were suspicious. He had been a heavy smoker, but quit almost 50 years ago. On this site, I read that a symptom of metastatic lung cancer is degeneration of the brain. We saw this with dad. It wasn't a dramatic change, but he was very slow to process verbal information and his hearing (which had always been bad) was almost completely gone. My heart goes out to anyone who cares for a family member who has cancer. Published: March 15 ::

My 53-year-old husband went for an H1N1 shot. Then he developed a low-grade fever and an awful annoying cough. He went to an ER and now everything is happening so fast; we thought it was the flu, instead he has two masses on his right lung and his lymph nodes are swollen; he is going for an MRI to his brain; PT scan and a biopsy all in a week. His coughing is still consistent and awful and we are all up all night long. The waiting is killing us all - 25 years ago he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent radiation - doctors are saying it could either be the cancer coming back or lung cancer. This is site is very helpful; and your testimonials are giving me hope. My husband also has diabetes and hypertension, and is not only a former cancer survivor but an occasional smoker. Published: March 08 ::

THIS ARTICLE IS WONDERFUL. IT GAVE US SOME QUESTIONS TO TAKE TO THE DOCTOR DURING OUR VISIT. VERY INFORMATIVE, AND READABLE. THANK YOU. JENNIFER REGISTERED NURSE Published: February 10 ::

My 50 year old brother was a long haul truck driver and had been a heavy smoker since he was a teen. He thought he was healthy even though I begged him to stop smoking. On one of his cross country trips he noticed what looked like an infected hair on his upper leg close to his groin. He went to the doctor who put him in the hospital and surgically removed the infection, then stuffed cotton into the hole and left it to drain. During the course of his treatment lung X-rays were taken when the cancer was found. My brother died six months to the day from diagnosis. Cancer not only takes the smoker, it destroys all the loved ones left behind. Published: February 08 ::

I am a lung cancer survivor of 10 years. As a 46-year old mother of two, a non-smoker and a very active person, I still fear what may lie ahead. The doctors removed a lobe of my lung and felt the cancer was encapsulated. I was not given chemo or radiation and I often worry about that decision on the part of my doctors. I am relieved to read of others who are still alive and doing well having had this same experience. It is hard living with this diagnosis and it has taken me many years to even think I was going to survive it. Best of luck to all of you! Published: January 27 ::

I am a 41 year old single mom of five children. I was diagnosed with lung cancer in June. I have been through 38 radiation treatments as well as chemo treatments. While doing the radiation treatments, the pain in the spine had just about gone away. Now that the treatments have stopped the pain in my spine is worse than before. Last week an MRI was done and the tumor is shrinking and seems to be moving away from the spinal cord. Hopefully in three weeks when the pet scan is done this tumor will be gone. Published: October 27 ::