Help!!!! Nodules… Interferon high vs low?!?

I've never heard of an infusion center being full, unless you are specifically saying it has to be at exactly 4pm (for example) .  My thoughts are a second opinion because it sounds like your husbands Dr is taking away a choice.  There is a difference between the 2 interfurons. While one has the one month high dose, the other is 5 years long!  That is really something to consider and totally a personal choice just like doing interfuron is your own choice.

I've been having scans for 5 years now.  About 9 months ago 2 small nodules showed up. They could look back and spot where they were a speck and growing. I was told that growth within 2 mm could be the difference on how you lay on the table and the slicing of the pictures. I've had one month grow a mm and then I've also had them shrink 2mm. While they can do the VATS procedure to be sure, in my particular case it was decided to watch and wait.  For the first scan after discovery I negotiated a 2 month scan, now I'm back to 3 months. My nodules are 5mm and 7mm.  The 5 has never changed but the 7mm is the one that fluctuates.

Linda

Stage IV since 06,  At the present NED

I've never heard of an infusion center being full, unless you are specifically saying it has to be at exactly 4pm (for example) .  My thoughts are a second opinion because it sounds like your husbands Dr is taking away a choice.  There is a difference between the 2 interfurons. While one has the one month high dose, the other is 5 years long!  That is really something to consider and totally a personal choice just like doing interfuron is your own choice.

I've been having scans for 5 years now.  About 9 months ago 2 small nodules showed up. They could look back and spot where they were a speck and growing. I was told that growth within 2 mm could be the difference on how you lay on the table and the slicing of the pictures. I've had one month grow a mm and then I've also had them shrink 2mm. While they can do the VATS procedure to be sure, in my particular case it was decided to watch and wait.  For the first scan after discovery I negotiated a 2 month scan, now I'm back to 3 months. My nodules are 5mm and 7mm.  The 5 has never changed but the 7mm is the one that fluctuates.

Linda

Stage IV since 06,  At the present NED

After reading this and looking at your profile, I…um…don't like your husband's oncologist very much.  (But better than the dermatologist, I guess!)  I also suggest a second opinion.

The five-year PEG interferon didn't exist when I took interferon (the 1-year version), so I can't share any thoughts about how to choose.

In the US, Interferon as a stand-alone drug is typically used for patients who are NED but at high risk of recurrence.  I'm not totally convinced that your husband is NED; you already waited four months and the lung nodule grew.  However, in Europe Interferon is sometimes used with active disease.  There's someone on the forum who's been quite successful with it, but I can't remember her name.  So trying interferon wouldn't be completely unheard of even if he's not NED, but it would be unusual for the US.

Good luck; let us know if you get another opinion and what you decide!

KatyWI

After reading this and looking at your profile, I…um…don't like your husband's oncologist very much.  (But better than the dermatologist, I guess!)  I also suggest a second opinion.

The five-year PEG interferon didn't exist when I took interferon (the 1-year version), so I can't share any thoughts about how to choose.

In the US, Interferon as a stand-alone drug is typically used for patients who are NED but at high risk of recurrence.  I'm not totally convinced that your husband is NED; you already waited four months and the lung nodule grew.  However, in Europe Interferon is sometimes used with active disease.  There's someone on the forum who's been quite successful with it, but I can't remember her name.  So trying interferon wouldn't be completely unheard of even if he's not NED, but it would be unusual for the US.

Good luck; let us know if you get another opinion and what you decide!

KatyWI

Sorry to read that the CT scan has found a small lung nodule that has grown slightly. I feel that a PET scan should be done soon, as it can pick up things that a CT scan cannot. However, it is not good at finding small areas that might be melanoma.

A biopsy is the most accurate way of determining what could be malignant, but some oncologists are reluctant to do this for lung nodules. They may prefer to wait to see if they grow. If they do, they are likely to be suspicious.

You may have heard that interferon is a very old drug, and its use is controversial. Therefore, I wonder what are your expectations with interferon?

Some newer alternatives that could be considered are: GM-CSF (Leukine), IL-2, Yervoy, BRAF inhibitors and TIL treatment.

Hope this helps.

Frank from Australia

Sorry to read that the CT scan has found a small lung nodule that has grown slightly. I feel that a PET scan should be done soon, as it can pick up things that a CT scan cannot. However, it is not good at finding small areas that might be melanoma.

A biopsy is the most accurate way of determining what could be malignant, but some oncologists are reluctant to do this for lung nodules. They may prefer to wait to see if they grow. If they do, they are likely to be suspicious.

You may have heard that interferon is a very old drug, and its use is controversial. Therefore, I wonder what are your expectations with interferon?

Some newer alternatives that could be considered are: GM-CSF (Leukine), IL-2, Yervoy, BRAF inhibitors and TIL treatment.

Hope this helps.

Frank from Australia