confused family

[gesell61755]

My mother in law was diagnosed with NSC lung cancer ( stage 4) 3 months ago. She only suspected something because of a lump in her neck.....which began the whole diagnosis process. She is 82 years old and still 3 months later has absolutely no signs or symptoms of having a stage 4 cancer. A pet scan showed the cancer in her lymph nodes, back of her skull, pelvic area, left shoulder, several of her vertebrae....basically she has areas from head to toe according to the oncologist. This was 3 months ago and she decided not to take any treatment. We are very confused (but at the same time grateful) that she has no symptoms......still very very active, not even increased fatigue.....nothing. Is this "normal" ? Michele

[alohacarrie]

Sounds like her mind set is Sky High!  I have heard similar stories, though I am sure western medicine would be so baffled they would want to poke and prod to find out the why.  Don't let anyone poke or prod, she should not doubt or question feeling well and being active.  Make sure that her oxygen saturation stays above 92%, any lung mass could make this drop.  Use supplemental oxygen when necessary.  I pray that she stays pain free right up to the end!  I must say that I admire someone who has the strength of character to embrace feeling fine in spite of a dismal diagnosis.  82 and still active is impressive all by itself, don't let anyone rock her boat!  Go Grandma, enjoy ALL of life that you can for all the time you are able!

[National Jewish Health]

As you indicate, this is most unusual.  So much so that it raises doubts about the diagnosis or about the accuracy of the staging of the presumably tissue-confirmed diagnosis.  Has her oncologist ever had, or is he/she aware of any reports in the medical oncology literature of such an occurrence?  You should discuss this.   The following, while not exactly a match for your mother-in-law’s situation, is related and may be of interest to you and her oncologist.

Authors Full Name Aguirre-Ghiso, Julio A.
Institution Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health and Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics, University at Albany, State University of New York, One Discovery Drive, Rensselaer, New York 12144-3456, USA. jaguirre-***@****
Title Models, mechanisms and clinical evidence for cancer dormancy. [Review] [140 refs]
Source Nature Reviews. Cancer. 7(11):834-46, 2007 Nov.
Abstract Patients with cancer can develop recurrent metastatic disease with latency periods that range from years even to decades. This pause can be explained by cancer dormancy, a stage in cancer progression in which residual disease is present but remains asymptomatic. Cancer dormancy is poorly understood, resulting in major shortcomings in our understanding of the full complexity of the disease. Here, I review experimental and clinical evidence that supports the existence of various mechanisms of cancer dormancy including angiogenic dormancy, cellular dormancy (G0-G1 arrest) and immunosurveillance. The advances in this field provide an emerging picture of how cancer dormancy can ensue and how it could be therapeutically targeted. [References: 140]
Publication Type Journal Article. Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't. Review


Xxx And this.

Authors Mangino D. Stover DE.

Authors Full Name Mangino, Debra. Stover, Diane E.
Institution Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y., USA.
Title Sarcoidosis presenting as metastatic bony disease. A case report and review of the literature on vertebral body sarcoidosis. [Review] [11 refs]
Source Respiration. 71(3):292-4, 2004 May-Jun.
Abstract Although asymptomatic lytic bony lesions of the phalanges of the hands and feet are not uncommon in patients with sarcoidosis, involvement of the vertebral bodies is rare. Because these lesions can mimic other diseases of the bones on radionuclide scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), this case emphasizes the importance of obtaining tissue and excluding malignancy and infection before the diagnosis can be established with confidence Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel [References: 11]
Publication Type Case Reports. Journal Article. Review.

Good luck.