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Hi, I Am A 60 Year (over 5 Year Survivor)
Question: Hi, I am a 60 year (over 5 year survivor) with lung cancer, NSCLC, Stage IV (never smoker), RET mutation. I'm on targeted therapy (clinical trial) for 13 months and my lung cancer is stable and shows improvement with each scan. My cancer is only on the right side of lung, diaphragm and pleural lining. All other lab work is fine and in the proper ranges. However the known side effects from the targeted therapy: low hemoglobin (I get a blood transfusion every 2 - 3 months) and ascites (mild to moderate). Long term, are blood transfusions dangerous or advisable? Also when should I get an abdominal paracentesis? Do I wait until it is severe? Try low sodium and diuretics first? Also I have a most likely benign cyst that is growing very slowly that is close to my bowel/cecum but has not penetrated the wall of my colon. Recent colonoscopy is completely clear. Can ascites cause this cyst to grow? If the ascites is malignant, does that mean that the cyst is also possibly malignant?
Brief Answer:
This mass in abdomen is worrisome
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
The disease seems to have responded in the lungs but the abdominal mass is growing progressively. It doesn't look like a cyst or fluid collection but rather a solid mass with calcification. Now, it may be due to the spread of malignancy, or it may ve a separate entity. A guided biopsy from that should help.
As you are on a trial, I can't comment about the side effects, as I don't know which drug you are taking. In general, ret inhibitors do not cause much anemia and ascites is unlikely. We need to look at the cause of anemia, like iron deficiency, b12 or folate deficiency or any any blood loss. Then we can address that. Blood transfusions are quite safe these days.
We also need the ascitic fluid analysis and find out the cause. If it is malignant, then low salt and diuretics won't help. It is better to drain in moderate stage rather than severe stage.
Hope this helps.
Regards
This mass in abdomen is worrisome
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
The disease seems to have responded in the lungs but the abdominal mass is growing progressively. It doesn't look like a cyst or fluid collection but rather a solid mass with calcification. Now, it may be due to the spread of malignancy, or it may ve a separate entity. A guided biopsy from that should help.
As you are on a trial, I can't comment about the side effects, as I don't know which drug you are taking. In general, ret inhibitors do not cause much anemia and ascites is unlikely. We need to look at the cause of anemia, like iron deficiency, b12 or folate deficiency or any any blood loss. Then we can address that. Blood transfusions are quite safe these days.
We also need the ascitic fluid analysis and find out the cause. If it is malignant, then low salt and diuretics won't help. It is better to drain in moderate stage rather than severe stage.
Hope this helps.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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