I have been waiting to post a medical update until I had some answers with what is going on with me. I don't have all the answers but I feel like I have enough to be able to give everyone a heads up here. I started a new chemo regimen, Topetecan, in March 2017. The plan was for me to receive Topetecan once a week for three weeks then take one week off, do three total cycles, scan, and assess for future treatments. I was able to get week one, then week two my ANC (absolute neutrophil counts) were too low for chemo, week three I was able to receive treatment. I had my week off and headed back in April for my next round. On my first treatment my counts were too low, the next week they were even lower. So, we decided no treatment in April. In May I my ANC was barely high enough to get treatment on week one and then on week two it was too low again. It was at that point I asked to meet with my oncology nurse and develop a plan.
I should've received eight doses of Topetecan at that point and my body had only been able to handle three treatments. I felt like this wasn't a viable option anymore. I asked that we proceed with doing a PET scan and to assess our options. Yesterday I met with the oncologist to discuss the PET scan results and assess options. The scan results were not really surprising. The existing areas had progressed and there are a few new spots. The good news is that it didn't go any higher in my body, I have a real fear of it reaching my brain. There is an increase in my left subclavicular/thoracic inlet region, retroperitenoel disease has progressed, pelvic disease has progressed. Really all of that mean that the cancer is progressing, however, it has not gotten out of hand yet. I don't have specific spots that I can feel externally and the largest spot is only about an inch at this point. There will continue to be growth. There are additional chemo options but at this junction we are not pursuing them. My body is overwhelmed by all of this and is not recuperating enough to get my ANC high enough for treatment. My body needs a break from the chemo. There is not anything I can eat, drink or do to change my ANC. I cannot reduce my activity level, or increase it, to change the ANC. I have to wait.
At this point we are actively pursuing clinical trial options and we hope to have a goal of which clinical trials are viable within the next week.
Until next time...get out and live your life. I certainly will be.
I should've received eight doses of Topetecan at that point and my body had only been able to handle three treatments. I felt like this wasn't a viable option anymore. I asked that we proceed with doing a PET scan and to assess our options. Yesterday I met with the oncologist to discuss the PET scan results and assess options. The scan results were not really surprising. The existing areas had progressed and there are a few new spots. The good news is that it didn't go any higher in my body, I have a real fear of it reaching my brain. There is an increase in my left subclavicular/thoracic inlet region, retroperitenoel disease has progressed, pelvic disease has progressed. Really all of that mean that the cancer is progressing, however, it has not gotten out of hand yet. I don't have specific spots that I can feel externally and the largest spot is only about an inch at this point. There will continue to be growth. There are additional chemo options but at this junction we are not pursuing them. My body is overwhelmed by all of this and is not recuperating enough to get my ANC high enough for treatment. My body needs a break from the chemo. There is not anything I can eat, drink or do to change my ANC. I cannot reduce my activity level, or increase it, to change the ANC. I have to wait.
At this point we are actively pursuing clinical trial options and we hope to have a goal of which clinical trials are viable within the next week.
Until next time...get out and live your life. I certainly will be.
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