Good News/ What’s Working
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Dear KY JACK, MUSIC to my ears! That is a huge ray of hope. I hope the news continues to be good. By the way I read all your posts on vitamins and such and my daughter’s fiance has Lymphoma but has been in remission for 2 years. He credits his Natural pathic doctor along with his chemo sessions. He gets HIGH doses of vitamin C intravenously. One never knows. Anything is worth a try!
Lainy–you were certainly right in every way. An update from my oncologist last week indicated that both tumor markers are continuing to fall, and the tumor may have shrunken by 15-20% in size according to MRI and CT scans. I was referred to an interventional radiology group, and they’re now considering radioembolization or chemoembolization as procedural alternatives just in case the current chemo regimen begins to falter.
The oncologist seems to be getting more confident about surgery to remove the remaining tumor completely–although he stresses that everything depends on the continuing response to the current chemotherapy regimen. If that succeeds, then the next move might be direct to surgery. If not, then most likely the next step is radioembolozation followed by possible referral to surgery.
I think, given my circumstances, I have been given the most hopeful news imaginable. Your encouragement and shared history about other patients was entirely accurate, appropriate, and very much appreciated. Thank you and Praise God!
Ooooof!! The nurse’s initial comments must have knocked the wind out of you, Jack!! I’m glad you were able to get her to rethink her statement & clarify her meaning.
My very best to you.
Julia
Thanks for the kind feedback. I saw the nurse yesterday, and summoned up the assertiveness to ask her if she meant what she said or if in fact what I thought I heard was different from what she meant to say. She clarified that she did not mean to rule out surgery. “Every patient is different.”
Thanks for being positive and supportive. There will come a time again, I hope, when I’ll be better able to be more supportive to others as are you.
Hello Jack and yes we have had quite a few CC patients on this site who have had their tumors shrink and then had surgery. If you ever have any doubts don’t forget you have the right to another opinion. Can’t understand the nurse telling you that. Please stay hopeful and thank goodness your doctor is more optimistic than his nurse. Also please keep us posted. By the way, that is great news about your counts lowering!
Jack,
There are many people on this website who have started chemo, had their tumors shrink, and have then become a resectable case. I would say your chances of this are certainly possible. It probably will not happen in the first few months, but over time if you respond to the drugs you can very possibly show some shrinkage.
Best of luck to you!
Rick
I received my first report on tumor markers after one month (two rounds) of chemotherapy (Oxaliplatin/Xeloda/Gemzar). I’m not entirely certain of a complete and accurate interpretation, butin February I had a Carcino-embryonic ag reading over 5 which dropped slightly to under 5 ng/ml in March. In February my CA 19-9 reading was above 3000, which dropped by over 2/3 to under 1300 Units/ml in March. I know both are way above well patient norms but both are in fact significantly lower than earlier.
I just wonder if this will be significant enough to start shrinking this bleeping thing to the point where the surgeon will consider excision.
What’s really confusing is that the Cancer Center professionals seem almost deliberately contradictory in their statements about treatment plans: The oncologist hints at the possibility on shrinkage to the point of being within surgical margins–while his main nurse says that once the surgeon has turned you down we keep you in chemotherapy permanently with no possibility of surgery ever. The next time I see them together perhaps I can get a better answer.
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