Anyone know about metastasis of lung cancer to the brain? Prognosis?

[Brotherjohn]

My mother has been fighting lung cancer, and we thought the radiation and chemotherapy, and subsequent resection (surgery) had rid her of it. Unfortunately, she now has several small tumors in her brain. She's getting steroids (to reduce brain swelling) and radiation therapy to the entire brain, and will be getting this for a few weeks.

She says the doctor's prognosis was that she "should have 5 years".

Based on what I already know, I found that encouraging... but also incredibly (perhaps unrealistically) optimistic. After doing a little web research, it seems that everything out there says a few months is more a likely prognosis, and anything beyond a year or two seems to be a pretty significant exception.

I fear my mother was hearing the upper end of the prognosis, and that the doctor may have said something like "a few months to five years" or "there have been reports of patients living up to five years". I didn't want to ask her or my dad. If they're latching onto the most optimistic prognosis just to deal with it right now, I don't want to upset that.

[benburch]

1. Not a good prognosis.

But don't tell them that. An optimistic outlook really does add time to a patient's survival.

[medeak]

2. Am so terribly sorry

Just from personal experience I find that very optimistic...but don't know what type of cancer she has and growth rate.

Personally I always felt it was nature's humanity of cancer finally mestasing in the brain. Worst death I had to watch was man choking on his lung that broke apart from cancer. Brain cancer is much more humane...just hard on the loved ones.

Wishing you and your mother light and love.

[librechik]

3. blessings to you and your loved ones, BJ

I think you know the answer to this question. Love your mother while you still have her, however long that is.

[LeftyMom]

4. Everybody I know with cancer in thier brain

has had weeks to a few months. Five years seems really long, but I am not an oncologist. Perhaps you can speak to her doctor directly and find out what the prognosis is in your mother's case and if it is unusually long why that's the case.

[montanacowboy]

5. Not good

my mother had lung cancer which quickly spread to the brain - she lived 6 months after it had metastasized

[fairfaxvadem]

6. I have to agree with the earlier posters...

My dad went from lung cancer to brain tumor, and it went downhill very rapidly from then on, I am sorry to say.

However, that was 20 years ago and your Mom may have a better prognosis today.

Good luck to you. I understand perfectly what you and your family are going through. Be strong.

[Brotherjohn]

7. Thank you all for your thoughts.

I suspected as much. I'll just try to take advantage of the time left, however long that may be.

[NashVegas]

10. Best Wishes to You

In this difficult time.

[kick-ass-bob]

8. There are a few reports of "up to five years"

but brain mets from the lung are not good odds.

Lung cancer across all stages does not have long survival periods (<1 year)

Don't tell her, but prepare yourself.
:hug:

[El Fuego]

9. I lost my mother that way (same diagnosis)

I'm very sorry. For my mother, it was over in a few months. But I'm sure every case is different. Her cancer was pretty advanced by the time they discovered it.

I'm sorry for what you are going through, I've been there.

[gmoney]

11. with my mom, it metastacized to her back

We got the "maybe years" thing to, so she spent weeks undergoing tortuous radiation, chemo, and other humiliations. She did manage about 5 months after the initial diagnosis, but they were almost pure hell in hospitals and a nursing home. We should have taken the time to go traveling or at the very least, bring her home so she could be in comfortable surroundings. I can't believe these treatments did more than add a couple weeks and make the last months SEEM like they lasted forever -- and run up the costs to an astronomical level.

I hope that the doctors are right, and that she does have many years left. But I would spend these next few weeks wisely and remember that QUALITY counts for an awful lot right now... if she's healthy enough to travel, take a trip. If she's always wanted to ride on a motorcycle, make it happen. If she needs to mend any old family rifts, or get her affairs in order, do it. Wish I had...