Come April and I’m still here! That would have seemed a miracle last Fall with the escalating lab results and the tough news from the doctors. Now the latest results:
Calcitonin marks cancer activity in the thyroid specifically. Its high point for testing to date was recorded on 2-27-07; the next comparable test on 4-05-07 (results were extremely delayed) showed a decline of 9%, the first decline recorded for this test since the diagnosis.
CarcineoEmbryonic Antigen (CEA). This is a non-specific tumor marker indicating my body’s response to level of cancer cell activity. Numbers rise, more cancer cells are being created; numbers decline, fewer cancer cells are being created. Comparing the 2-27-07 test with the 4-05-07 test shows a decline of 20%, again the first decline.
These numbers together with the CT scan comparisons and most recent bloodwork results showing liver function back to normal range are very encouraging. We are guarding against complacency and holding our focus on improving or at least maintaining the present situation.
Thanks beyond measure to Michael for unswerving diligence and skill surfing and analyzing Internet information and resources and spearheading the effort necessary to get us to this point. Many of you have sent caring e-mails and loving messages of encouragement. It has been difficult to respond in a timely manner; you WILL hear from me personally as soon as I am able. With gratitude and blessings for the support, encouragement and positive energy, prayers, thoughts, and confidence from all of you.
Copyright 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Treatment Review
We met with our oncologist today to review treatment status following a month of alternative/complementary treatment at Oasis of Hope Hospital in Tijuana, Mexico which followed six weeks of chemotherapy here in Virginia.
He confirmed the radiologist’s report of no change in tumor size between the 3 January and 23 March CT scans. I saw the images myself. In a review conducted last Friday (March 30) of the 20 February CT, the radiologist now reports no change from 3 January. A stable condition has been achieved. Whether this occurred because of the initial course of chemotherapy (Jan 18 – Feb 20) or from the alternative/complementary treatment (March 1 – March 28), each conducted independently without other concurrent treatment, it is now difficult to determine.
Other factors taken into account in choosing the next treatment step:
My reports of how I feel: greater stamina, greater strength (less fatigue), improved digestion, improved pain management (no longer require narcotic pain medication), clearer thinking.
Physical examination: liver is softer when palpated and size is unchanged.
Of concern is that two measures of cancer activity related to the thyroid continue to increase. We are taking an UltraSound of my thyroid to see if it can be biopsied and identified or eliminated as the primary site. This may give us a different selection of treatment options in the future.
For the meantime, we will carry on, with our oncologist’s blessing, what we have been doing: administering vaccines made from my own blood, the at-home continuation of the alternative treatment begun in Mexico. This technique is under study by US governmental health agencies and is thoroughly familiar to our oncologist.
We are learning to live with uncertainty and ambiguity. But doesn’t that define life?
Copyright 2007
He confirmed the radiologist’s report of no change in tumor size between the 3 January and 23 March CT scans. I saw the images myself. In a review conducted last Friday (March 30) of the 20 February CT, the radiologist now reports no change from 3 January. A stable condition has been achieved. Whether this occurred because of the initial course of chemotherapy (Jan 18 – Feb 20) or from the alternative/complementary treatment (March 1 – March 28), each conducted independently without other concurrent treatment, it is now difficult to determine.
Other factors taken into account in choosing the next treatment step:
My reports of how I feel: greater stamina, greater strength (less fatigue), improved digestion, improved pain management (no longer require narcotic pain medication), clearer thinking.
Physical examination: liver is softer when palpated and size is unchanged.
Of concern is that two measures of cancer activity related to the thyroid continue to increase. We are taking an UltraSound of my thyroid to see if it can be biopsied and identified or eliminated as the primary site. This may give us a different selection of treatment options in the future.
For the meantime, we will carry on, with our oncologist’s blessing, what we have been doing: administering vaccines made from my own blood, the at-home continuation of the alternative treatment begun in Mexico. This technique is under study by US governmental health agencies and is thoroughly familiar to our oncologist.
We are learning to live with uncertainty and ambiguity. But doesn’t that define life?
Copyright 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Treatment Results
The radiologist’s report of the 23 March 2007 CT scan from Oasis of Hope Hospital has been translated from Spanish to English now. The results were compared with the CT scan taken 3 January 2007 and show no change in the liver tumor size. This is an improvement because the midpoint CT scan of 20 February 2007 showed a growth in tumor size as noted in a previous blog posting.
The most recent blood tests of 22 March 2007 also show liver enzyme levels have returned to normal range for the first time since last Fall. These levels were the very first indication that something was wrong and led to further testing revealing the existence of cancer.
We meet with the oncologist this week. He will review the results from Oasis of Hope Hospital and we will discuss with him what he recommends as a next step in treatment.
Copyright 2007
The most recent blood tests of 22 March 2007 also show liver enzyme levels have returned to normal range for the first time since last Fall. These levels were the very first indication that something was wrong and led to further testing revealing the existence of cancer.
This CT confirmed again no tumors on my pancreas.
We meet with the oncologist this week. He will review the results from Oasis of Hope Hospital and we will discuss with him what he recommends as a next step in treatment.
More later.
Copyright 2007
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