Back from Florida and Lung update
 

Hi All, Just spent almost 4 weeks in Florida and it was great....I do love it there even in the summer and especially during Michigan winters. I have had 4 cycles of Xeloda only and my lung nodule is stable. My onc was really pleased as there was no change and he stressed that it is not bothering me, causing problems, so its like a diabetic whose disease is controlled. I was sorry that it was not smaller, but he is now starting me on Tykerb so I hope that will decrease its size. He said that my right kidney was swollen so wants to do an ultrasound to compare to ct scan. He said it was a non cancer issue and not related...maybe due to the heat in Florida, urine output, and asked if I drank a lot down there. He said nurse would call with Tykerb education and return in one month. Any thoughts? Ceesun Missed you guys!

Hi Ceesun,

Florida is a good antidote to Michigan winters. And in a few months you'll be looking at all that beautiful fall foliage that the state is famous for.

How big is your nodule?

Is taking Xeloda related to your swollen kidney? I ask this only because a friend in my local breat cancer group has had only one bone met in her sternum for seven years and she has taken only Xeloda on and off, and over the last six months or so she's been having kidney problems.

It's not clear to me whether it's related to the Xeloda, and I don't think it's clear to her either. Also, she may be diabetic.

I've known her for about two years, and she's moving to North Carolina in September, and I will miss her.

I often wonder why her onc never mentioned surgery to her. A bone met in the sternum is one of the places where surgery is used on metastases.

(Answered your PM, too.)

Joan