My Mom Defied the Statistics! There is Hope out There!

My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in Nov. 2005. She had one tumor in her lung, and 3 had spread to her brain. She was told the lung tumor was inoperable, and was given 2-5 years to live. She immediately began whole brain radiation. Two weeks later, after seeing a neurologist, she was told if she did not have brain surgery, she had approximately one month to live. We quickly sought a second opinion at Johns Hopkins with a neurosurgeon and oncologist there. One month after diagnosis, my mom had brain surgery to remove 2 of her brain tumors. A month later, she had the gamma knife procedure to remove the third. In January 2006, she began chemotherapy, and in April, radiation to her lung. In October 2006, my mother had her right upper lobe removed (where the original tumor was), even though we were repeatedly told her tumor was probably inoperable. My mother is now in remission. Her doctors say she has defied the odds.