We met with the oncologist today to review the PET scan results and blood work numbers. I will give the technical results first. My liver function is at a good level. My platelet count was up to 102. This is the highest my platelets have been since June. The main reason for this is the fact that I have not been getting my full course of chemo for 3 weeks. More on my platelets later. My tumor marker was up again and came in at 52, which was not a big surprise due the time off treatment. The PET scan verified there is increased tumor activity in my liver. Based on all this info, the doctor was not real happy with the results this course of treatment is now showing. Just for a review, I am currently taking two types of chemo meds. Xeloda is taken orally twice per day for 2 weeks and then I take 1 week off. I have been taking the Xeloda from the beginning. The major side effects I have experienced are numbness of the extremities and it contributes to my low platelet count. The other drug is Erbitux. This is an infusion that I receive weekly. The major side effects from this is my skin rash and my chronic finger infections. I have been taking Erbitux since May. There has been only two times that I have been taken off treatment for more than a week. One was towards the end of June and the other is now. Both were the result of finger infections and the surgery performed in order to fix them. The doctor decided the Erbitux is now doing more harm than good. There is nothing we can do to stop the finger problems and we cannot afford extended breaks in treatment. We are switching to a new drug, Avastin. This drug is administered via a 4 to 5 hour infusion every 3 weeks. The side effects of this drug are numerous but we won't know how they will affect me until I'm on the drug. The one thing we do know is that this drug cannot be used if you have any wound healing in progress because it cuts off blood supply to new tissue growth. It does not know the difference between tumor growth or good tissue growth. Now here comes the kicker. The key to being able to take this drug is based on a good platelet count. If my count is too low I will not be allowed to get the treatment. The doctor then told us that there was another way to increase my platelet count. The PET scan showed my spleen was enlarged. The doctor explained that my spleen had engorged itself at the same time my liver was becoming enlarged due to tumors. My spleen is hoarding platelets and it may have to be removed. This is a last resort because I would have to be off treatment for 2 months and my tumors would have a free for all in my liver. So here is how it is going to go in a nutshell. I will have surgery on my finger this coming Thursday. We will give it time to heal. The chemo treatment will resume the week of Nov 26th and the usual numbers tracking will begin again.
When Vic and I left the doctors office our heads were spinning. We both just saw that my cancer was getting worse not better. For the first time since my diagnosis we saw the oncologist struggle with a decision about how aggressive to keep my treatment. We felt he knows he is running out of options and he needs to use them wisely in order to optimize my treatment. We put our arms around each other, sighed and just kept walking. As we turned the corner for a long walk down the hallway we noticed only one person walking towards us. As if on cue, it was the hospital chaplin. He stopped and asked if everything was ok and we told him we had just received some bad news. He immediately took us to the side and we prayed together. When we were done he anointed me with healing oil. God knows when we need him the most and is always there. Sometimes we get so much on our minds that we just feel overwhelmed and we forget to ask for his help. This is what happened today and the Lord stepped in and made himself available to hear our prayers. Now how great is that? Keep praying and sending positive thoughts. Thanks for the support.
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