Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

What's it like getting radiation or chemoradiation for lung cancer?

I have advanced lung cancer and my oncologist mentioned two main local treatment options: radiation therapy alone or chemoradiation (chemotherapy combined with radiation at the same time). The radiation uses high-energy beams to target the cancer cells in my lung, and the chemoradiation adds cancer-fighting drugs given during the same time period. My doctor said the choice between these approaches will depend on my overall health and the specific details of my cancer. I'd love to hear from others who have been through similar treatment decisions and experiences. • If you had radiation therapy or chemoradiation for lung cancer, what was your day-to-day experience like during treatment? • What helped you prepare for treatment or manage the process?

What are common Tagrisso side effects and how do you manage them?

I have non-small cell lung cancer and I'm currently taking Tagrisso (osimertinib). This targeted therapy blocks specific proteins that help cancer cells grow and spread. I'm dealing with some side effects like dry skin, nail changes, diarrhea, and fatigue, which I understand are pretty common with this medication. I'd love to connect with others who have been on a similar treatment path and hear about your experiences. • What side effects did you experience with Tagrisso, and what helped you manage them day to day? • What do you wish you had known when you first started this treatment?

How to maintain hope and health during 9th year with stage 4 lung cancer?

Hi Warriors, Went for PET scan orelimary report. Shows no activity. I I will be soon starting my 9 Th year stage 4 NSCLC with brain Mets. which is stable with 2 rounds of cyber knife. still eating a mediterrenean diet with vitamin C and D supplements. continuing my geriatrics practice and wound care practice. due to snow gym has taken a back seat

What to expect starting monthly immunotherapy after chemo and radiation?

Hi I'm Linda I have stage 3B non-small cell lung cancer. I've done six rounds of chemotherapy and 30 rounds of radiation now I'm starting once a month for a year immunotherapy any advice? I hope I'm doing this right I'm trying to get into the group.

How do you stay positive during cancer scans and appointments?

Hi All, after few days of tiredness due to gloomy weather. startd treadmill again. my moms evening confusion keeps me defocused. now back on track, cooked some indian food her. grandkids came and spent some time. hopefully with weather improving energy levels will improve. concentrate on good times and keep busy. otherwise anxiety levels will increase. next 30 days is full of appointmets. pet scan mri of brain If I get it out of the way, looking forward to start of my 10 th year of this stage 4 journey love you all best Ramesh

How do you keep fighting stage 4 lung cancer when treatment gets tough?

This is a message for all who are currently battling this scourge of a disease! Even in your darkest moments of despair, keep fighting! I know first hand in my battle with the constant pain, nausea and fatigue. I did a course of radiation and then started chemotherapy, once that was done I started my current treatment of infusions of Keytruda every three weeks. This has been no picnic. I was unable to eat hardly anything at all. Eveything tasted horrible and I was getting dehydrated because I didn't even want water. Before I could even get my treatments they had to give me fluids first. I lost about 50 lbs. And i wasn't a large man to begin with, so i definatley looked like your typical cancer patient you would see portrayed on television, minus the hair loss.My blood pressure was low from the dehydration, which caused me to pass out a couple of times and I fell. When it was hot outside in the summer I was freezing. When others were wearing shorts, I was in a sweatshirt and jeans, air conditioning was torture. There was also this constant feeling in my legs that made me have the urge to move them. I ended up in the hospital twice due to a bowel obstruction due to pain meds. And pneumonia from aspirating vomit. Hang on, there is hope now! Treatments are so much better than they were in my parents generation! October 31st 2024 I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, a pancoast tumor on the upper lobe of my left lung that was pressing on the bundle of nerves that run through your shoulder and causing excruciating pain and making my left eye droop. It had spread to my left adrenal gland. I have been out of work and on disability since then, but on December 22nd 2025 I had my latest PET scan performed and it showed no cancer in my lung, adrenal gland or elsewhere in my body! I meet with my oncologist this Monday to go over the results and find out the next steps. I still have numbness that runs down my arm and into my hand. I have been told that it may or not be permanent. So, you see there is a reason we have to keep fighting. I hope this may help someone who is about ready to give up.

How can positive thinking and exercise help during cancer treatment?

hi every one warming ip in east coast . went for a dlow refreshing 7000 step walk filling with positive thoughts my med school days on India courting my athlete wife, good times with 2 6 month old grand kids. listening to some abba songs. 3 miles went fast. Iwas able to see 20 patients. slowly winding down and thanking God! stay positive. your brain is like your Pet puppy . you can tame it to your liking . no negative thoughts when you are alone… keep up the fight there is ton of research going on. NSCLC will become in a few years a chronic disease like Diabetes. love you all Ramesh

How do you find strength to keep helping others while fighting cancer?

covid years particularly very difficult to schedule scans can have follow up appointments before the vaccines came along I decided to wear full PPE and do home visits on homebound elderly patients with Covid I also did WhatsApp consultations for patience in India from my state I lost many relatives and my wife’s sister who was a journalist. Luckily my wife’s dementia had an advanced and she did not know her sister passed away. I spoke to her even when she was in ICU in India and she waved me goodbye before she expired. I lost approximately 250 of my geriatric patients whom I have cared for for more than 10 to 20 years. This gave me more resolved to fight as I used to call homebound patients by rotation every day to make sure they were doing well or just give them a emotional support. In 2022 I had three brain metastasis treated with CyberKnife radiation In 2024 had three other side sides in the brain CyberKnife radiation. I had no evidence of any other disease apart from the brain metastasis. So I have stayed on gilotrif ATKI inhibitor immunotherapy one pill day period this is my eight year and five months on first line therapy. I still try and exercise 3 to 4 times a week and I work 16 hours a day and when not working I’m running errands to grocery stores collecting medications for my mother and hunting for whole grain food. I allotted want one hour a week to play the victim card and feel sorry for myself and I spend this time looking at old photographs of my family and my dear wife who was a physician and spent most of her time in a homeless shelters preparing food or filling older patients to chemotherapy and doctors appointments in addition to working in my practice about 10 hours a week. She guides me every day to look beyond myself to be a beacon of hope for so many others who may feel helpless. Unique disease which hates you in the prime of your life because 50s are the time when your immune system is not as strong as it used to be and the regular environmental toxins with your body was able to take care of is now overpowering your immune system to fight it only medications cannot do it your willpower your positive state of mind and pushing yourself even when every muscle in your body aches is the key luckily I have a purpose which is to take care of my mother until she passes away as she has all the mental faculties find was a source of inspiration navigating the last days of my wife illness. all of us has seen ourselves the resolve to live, willingness to fight, give a lending hand to someone in despair. I wish you all the strength and the faith to fight this horrible disease. With love Ramesh

How do online cancer forums help you find strength and hope?

Very grateful to Dr. Ramesh posting. Forums such as this site helps with providing extra needed support in navigating through our cancer journey. It gives me inspiration and courage to keep understanding and finding options and treatment for this disease. Thank you for posting about personal experiences. I find having faith and believing in God helps through the darkest times. Stay strong. Best wishes.

9-year stage 4 lung cancer survivor seeking to help others?

Hi winners, I am a physician and a patient diagnosed with stage four non-small cell lung cancer with PDL one positive and EGF for positive with no specific mutations I went through five courses of chemotherapy which consisted of carboplatin,premextred and pembroluzimab… followed by afatinib I had brain metastasis on and off has had three CyberKnife treatments to minor increase in nodules with no evidence of new disease. initial diagnosis was made with a malignant plural effusion with a drainage of 4 L of fluid I lost two days of work and now I work 14 hours a week my specialty is geriatrics and Wound Care. In addition to being a patient I was a caregiver for my wife for 10 years after the diagnosis who died of frontal temporal dementia she was also a physician Now I am a caregiver for me 101 year-old mother at home with the help of some dedicated caregivers some of them were colleagues at my work. I’m still on first line therapy. I used to be an active blogger in inspire.com with a lung cancer Association but lost touch three years ago. My group no longer exist as most of the people have passed on Not many studies are around for nine years survivors with stage four disease and first line therapy. The road has not been smooth at times rocky with periods of elation, despair mixed with anger,acceptance, and unshakable faith andpositivity. Hopefully I can help some and learn from some period Bless you all Ramesh