Skin Mets
I spent 6 days in the hospital, but I am home now. I went in due to pain in the shoulder. They thought it might be an infection or a blood clot. Turned out to be neither. I have a torn rotator cuff and some "cording" as a result of radiation. Cording is when the muscles look like cords or ropes. I am being treated with pain medication and physical therapy. Things are progressing well, but slowly. I was being treated for lymphedema and that treatment has been postponed. It is thought that the treatment was helping to spread the cancer.
Monday I had a long visit at CTCA. They have been consulting with MD Anderson's Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic in Texas. It is the only clinic in the world that specializes in Inflammatory Breast Cancer. I decided against participating in a clinical trial being offered at MDA for several reasons. Among the reasons: They wouldn't really be treating me, just using me to determine the best dosage for the new drug. Another reason is because I would be restricted in receiving any other real treatment while in the clinical trial.
I had a biopsy yesterday of one of the tumors on my abdomen. I have 6 stitches. They wanted to get enough tissue from the biopsy to do a chemo sensitivity test to see just which chemos would work for me. They needed at least 2 grams (about the size of a marble) but I don't think the surgeon got enough. Clinically, they are calling it skin mets (mets is short for metastasis, or spreading). They are just looking for pathological confirmation. Here is a skin mets info page: http://knowledge.bcmets.org/index.php/Skin_Mets. I will be treated both locally (treating the tumor directly) and systemically (whole body). First will be local treatment that will include ElectronBeam radiation and hyperthermia. Here is more information on hyperthermia: http://knowledge.bcmets.org/index.php/Hyperthermia. While receiving radiation, I will also receive some chemo, either Abraxane or Xeloda. After the radiation treatment, I will begin systemic chemotherapy, probably Doxil plus Sutent. I am very comfortable with this treatment plan and with the wisdom given to my medical team.
2 Corinthians 4:17 - 18:
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Monday I had a long visit at CTCA. They have been consulting with MD Anderson's Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic in Texas. It is the only clinic in the world that specializes in Inflammatory Breast Cancer. I decided against participating in a clinical trial being offered at MDA for several reasons. Among the reasons: They wouldn't really be treating me, just using me to determine the best dosage for the new drug. Another reason is because I would be restricted in receiving any other real treatment while in the clinical trial.
I had a biopsy yesterday of one of the tumors on my abdomen. I have 6 stitches. They wanted to get enough tissue from the biopsy to do a chemo sensitivity test to see just which chemos would work for me. They needed at least 2 grams (about the size of a marble) but I don't think the surgeon got enough. Clinically, they are calling it skin mets (mets is short for metastasis, or spreading). They are just looking for pathological confirmation. Here is a skin mets info page: http://knowledge.bcmets.org/index.php/Skin_Mets. I will be treated both locally (treating the tumor directly) and systemically (whole body). First will be local treatment that will include ElectronBeam radiation and hyperthermia. Here is more information on hyperthermia: http://knowledge.bcmets.org/index.php/Hyperthermia. While receiving radiation, I will also receive some chemo, either Abraxane or Xeloda. After the radiation treatment, I will begin systemic chemotherapy, probably Doxil plus Sutent. I am very comfortable with this treatment plan and with the wisdom given to my medical team.
2 Corinthians 4:17 - 18:
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
posted by Kathy Holleger @ 12:43 PM
1 Comments:
At 6:12 PM, April 12, 2007,
Anonymous said…
Kathy,
I have been following your journey through your blog, and wishing you well each time I log on.
My brother has been treated for metastatic kidney cancer, but we lost him almost 2 weeks ago.
The reason I mention this to you, is that HE was on Sutent as well. He had just purchased a brand new bottle of it, and that is very expensive, as you probably know. It has never been opened. We have no use for it, and can't return it, as BCBS doesn't want to reimburse the $1000 out of pocket expense for it. I would love to give it to you, free, if you could use it. In fact, I think he may have two bottles of it on hand.
I hope you don't mind my asking, but I thought maybe God guided me to read your blog today and perhaps be able to share something with you.
Please don't feel bad if it is something you are uncomfortable with. I know you don't know me (a fellow TUGger) but I just hate to see that $1000 bottle of pills be thrown away. I had contemplated asking his cancer Dr if he knew of anyone, and then I read this.
If you are interested, you can contact me via TUG. User name is cindi.
I wish you the best.
Cindi
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