And the answer is….
Several people over the weekend told me they would be checking my blog today to see what the oncologist said at my appointment. The appointment took less time than I anticipated, but then I had to wait a little longer to get a final answer. In between, I ended up taking Benjamin to the doctor because he had been complaining about having a sore throat. Once we got home from the pediatrician, I had to do some work on the computer and then I had to go out and run an errand. Boy, don’t you hate it when people go on and on when you want to get some particular information? I mean, I am glad I’m not the type of person to just go off on some tangent and never really get to the point of a post. When I set my mind to get information out, I just get right down to do it. I mean….
OKay, here is the scoop. At the appointment, Dr. Kauh said that the biopsy results were inconclusive (meaning that the one pathologist who reviewed the biopsy sample could not make a firm decision). Dr. Kauh sent the report back and asked that the pahtologist discuss the sample with his colleagues (sort of a pathologist pow wow) to see if they could come to a consensus about the results.
The import of this decision, however, really has implications for whether I can get into the clinical trial or not. Specifically, Dr. Kauh said that regardless of the biopsy results, I have a tumor growing in a part of my abdomen where it shouldn’t (not that there IS a place in the body where tumors should grow, it’s just where my tumor is growing is particularly challenging because of all the blood vessels). As a result, whether the pathologists say it’s cancer or not will not change the fact that I will soon begin chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Instead, if the pathologists say it IS cancer, then I am eligible to be in the clinical trial and if they do not, then I would not be eligible.
Well, I got a call this evening and, unfortunately, the pathologists were able to come to a consensus that I have adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (pancreas cancer). What that means is simply that I am still a potential candidate for the TNFerade clinical trial. Tomorrow (5/13), I have a meeting with the radiologic oncologists to discuss the use of radiation therapy in my treatment. After that meeting, I am supposed to go talk with Dr. Kauh. It is possible that I could have my chemoport “installed” as soon as this Friday. I will be planning on talking with Dr. Kauh about timelines tomorrow after my appointment with the radiologist.
There you have it. That’s the news. In essence, in addition to the radiologist, the surgeon, and the oncologist, I now have a group of pathologists who say I have pancreas cancer.
More to follow tomorrow.
As always, thank you for reading along!
Merle
Merle,
This may be a stretch, but Martina Correia (Troy Davis’ sister) is a breast cancer survivor, and is in fact still actively fighting breast cancer. She is also involved in cancer prevention education/advocacy. I believe that she has experimented with several forms of chemo and other treatments. While the type of cancer involved is different, she might have come across some information that could be useful.
Again, it’s probably a stretch, but just let me know if you want her contact info.
Just let us know if there is anything else we can do (and consider that an open-ended offer).
Hang in there, and don’t lose your sense of humor (easy for me to say!).
your friend,
Steve
I just wanted to tell you I got the link to your blog this morning and I have enjoyed reading ALL of it – I read fast. Cancer is a journey – I know from my father, who died in 1996 – but it’s not necessarily a death sentence. I have a friend who is in remission with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I think attitude has a lot to do with recovery.
Michael has been so involved with soccer we have tabled karate for the moment, but we hope to get back to it in June.
You and your family are in our prayers. Hang in there!
Dee Thompson
[Michael's Mom]
Wow, Merle,
It is good that you seem to still have your sense of humor!
Do not lose hope, my friend. My cancer was also adenocarcinoma. From what I understand and at least from my experience, it responds to chemo. Of course, I’m not a pancreatic cancer expert by any stretch! It seems like with the blood supply that it would be easily exposed to the chemo as well…
Are you still going to pursue the other expert opinions as well?
Not to make light of any of this, but simply to hopefully put a smile on your face, remember the words of the wisest arachnid out there – Charlotte when she said to Wilbur – “Chin up”.
So chin up my friend!
Rhonda
Merle:
We want you to know that you are in our thoughts & prayers.
Please let us know if we can help in any way (walk your dog, take your kids to Karate, etc.)
Robin, Michael & Jeremy Levin