[chrisy]

UPDATED INFO ON REPLY #38. DEBBIE L YOU ARE RIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE POSTED A NEW THREAD!



Many many thanks for all the positive thoughts and good wishes. I read and reread all the posts and PM's and they really helped calm me down. Thank you, my friends!

I know a lot of people have been waiting to hear good news from the scan last week; and in honor of the recent Facebook IPO, I'll just say:

chrisy is in a relationship with a stupid tumor...and it's complicated!

Complication #1: The Pet/CT results were interesting, and confusing. On the CT side, the single lesion in my liver was increased in size - or maybe only slightly depending on who was measuring it. The increase in size was not enough to meet the RECIST criteria proving progression. The PET part showed greatly increased metabolic activity with SUV nearly doubling in the lesion and a couple of nodes.

The "it's complicated" part is interpreting the results. Are these changes reflecting a) progression, b) resolution of having bled into the tumor and surrounding tissue during the biopsy or c) possible necrosis and/or "flare" caused by death of the cancer?

So, the scan indicates that the new drug ISN'T working, or that it IS working. Sheesh!

Complication #2 - the ECHO, which showed my LVEF dropping a significant % although still in the normal range. However, a different tech did it and in the report conclusions it says the change is likely due to difference in technique. I think the new LVEF number is bogus and that things haven't really changed significantly.

I love to have multiple high profile clinicians and researchers exchanging emails all night and having meetings all morning about me because, after all, I AM the center of the universe (hah!).

In the end, the recommendation was to do one more cycle of treatment, redo scans in another few weeks and then hopefully the picture will be more clear. Should this not be the drug/dose for me, a couple of plan B's are under consideration.

The most important "good" news is that things aren't going wild all over the place; still the same dumb tumor only (maybe) bigger and pissed off. And my oncologist feels we will be able to find something to shrink it then zap it with RFA. All of this helped me regain hope (believe it or not) and also got me pissed off and into full #$%^ cancer mode!

So stay tuned, sorry but we need another 3-4 weeks of those good vibes!!!!!