Question about TC spreading to the lung.

[MHossa]

Now most folks who get lung cancer die nearly 100% of the time. However guys like Lance Armstrong who had advanced TC had it spread to their lung yet they still had from what I heard a 40-50% chance of survival and as we know Armstrong was cured.

What makes Lung Cancer that comes from TC more treatable?

[dadmo]

This is going to sound odd but Lance didn't have lung cancer. He had testicular cancer cell which were growing in his lungs. All cancer cells are not the same and they react differently to treatment. Tc cells are very reactive to the chemo used almost regardless of where they are growing. Lung cancer cells are very herd to kill no matter where they grow.

[Alucard]

So there is really a difference between lung cancer and TC mets on the lungs? I can't understand what is the difference because both damage the lungs. I asked my doctor about my stage and he said I was at Stage 4.. distant mets but he also said I had good chances (like 90% of something, heh). I thought there were only 3 stages but whatever. How do you know if you have mets on your brain? I don't think I got checked for that.. I got CT scan but I don't think that's for the brain too. Right?

-Al

[Scott]

Yes, there's a difference in the type of cells that are growing and in what chemotherapy they respond to.

Most staging systems for testicular cancer only go to stage III, but you will find an occasional reference to stage IV.

[Rune]

Alucard,

Lung cancer and TC in the lungs are completely different. Mets in the lungs still respond just as well to chemotherapy as mets in the abdomen do, for example.. so the outlook is good.

You might want to ask your doctors about whether you need a scan of the brain, although I think they would have mentioned it, if it was a concern. I'm guessing the CT-scan you got was of your abdomen.

[dadmo]

The brain is the last place they look and that's only if your tumor markers go wild and the normal scans don't show anything.