'Everyone was surprised, especially me'
On a warm summer day in June at a company picnic in Płock, Poland, the aromatic spices of Żurek, a sour rye soup native to the Central European nation, gently wafted over to Andrzej, an avid fan of the delicacy.
Despite the loss of appetite Andrzej faced as a result of his chemotherapy for stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), he asked his sons to bring him a portion of the dish.
“You know, that was the first time in a while that I smelled the Polish Żurek. I always liked it, especially with egg, for Easter,” said Andrzej, who at that point could barely stomach the food his wife made him.
“My wife was preparing some meals for me, but I would eat only two or three spoonfuls — just to give my body something to digest.”
But the Żurek would mark a significant turning point for Andrzej and his patient journey.
Caught in the crosshairs of cancer
Andrzej was first told he had stage 4 lung cancer in May of 2012 and given a poor prognosis. It was too late to operate, and his chances of survival were low.
But he still had hope — after all, there were new medications being developed that he could try.
At first, the chemotherapy did help. It left him feeling debilitated — unable to walk, unable to eat — but the cancer seemed to slowly be regressing. Until it wasn’t.
In April of 2013, Andrzej attended a follow-up appointment and learned that the cancer had metastasized — he now had four tumors in his lungs, ranging in size from 2.5 cm to 10 cm.
Andrzej holds up a cup of tea to demonstrate the size of one of his four tumors.
The well of hope Andrzej had earlier on in his diagnosis was running dry, and he was told by doctors that there was no appropriate therapy available for him at this point.
“There was no treatment for me anymore. None,” said Andrzej.
Finding solace in support
Andrzej’s doctor asked if he wanted to participate in a clinical trial, and he relented, despite being plagued by uncertainty.
He reflected on the experience of a friend with bone cancer who, along with two brothers with the same disease, joined a clinical trial for a then-investigational drug. Only Andrzej’s friend ultimately survived — his brothers did not.
“Then I thought… one for two? Maybe there is a chance for me, maybe I’ll succeed,” said Andrzej, who overcame his fear of the trial with the support of his doctor.
“[S]he said to me, ‘You know what, don't be afraid.’ She cheered me up. Then I stopped being afraid,” he said.
The trial started on May 15, 2013, when Andrzej was given his first infusion. Andrzej’s three sons also supported him during this time by driving him to and from his appointments at the hospital.
“I was there for three days because they didn't know how the drug would affect me,” said Andrzej. “We weren’t sure what would happen.”
Polish soup for the soul
In mid-June, Andrzej received his third dose.
Later the same month, Andrzej would end up at a company picnic with his family, despite being on sick leave. The very same picnic where a delectable bowl of Żurek would change his life for the better.
“I was wondering if I would be even able to eat it, but… I ate with such relish!” he exclaimed, adding that his sons brought him additional portions after he finished his first.
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What you need to know about lung cancer:
- Lung cancer, which starts when cells of the lung become abnormal and grow out of control, is one of the most common cancers in the world.
- There are 2 main types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
- Lung cancer has led to more deaths worldwide than breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers combined, and is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women.
- Although smoking tobacco is the leading cause of lung cancer, other risk factors include exposure to radon gas, secondhand smoke, asbestos or air pollution.
- Signs and symptoms of lung cancer include chest pain, feeling weak, hoarseness, persistent cough and shortness of breath.
- Treatment options for NSCLC and SCLC largely depend on disease stage, and may include surgery, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy and radiofrequency ablation.
His appetite wasn’t the only thing that changed.
“In those first 12 weeks, the CT scan showed that the tumors had shrunk by half. Everyone was surprised, especially me,” said Andrzej, who gradually felt his strength beginning to return.
Andrzej recalls the impact of his illness on his family, and how his wife and sons stood by him through the ups and downs.
Today, 68-year-old Andrzej deals with his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but says he is otherwise fine.
“The cancer itself shows no symptoms. The therapy isn’t burdensome, I live a normal life. We even renovated the house,” he said.
With a new lease on life, Andrzej refuses to fall back into hopelessness.
“It is a constant fight – but we can win this fight with cancer,” he said.
“We are winning it.”
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