Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Good News

I got a post radiation/chemotherapy MRI on Monday and today I went to the oncologist to see where we are with the remaining 20% of the tumor that was left from the surgery.

It's really good news. There is no visible tumor, and the cavity where the tumor was has significantly shrunk. This is a result of the latest combo treatment of radiation and temador which is the newest drug that can cross the brain barrier.

There is still the likelihood of microscopic traces of cancer and the statistical probability of re-occurrence is still very high with grade 4 cancer. However, the oncologist reminds me that I am not a statistic, and that the preliminary results place me in the best end of the statistical bell curve.

So, starting this week I will be going back on the chemo therapy on a month by month basis with a three month MRI schedule to watch for and signs of the cancer returning.

There are new therapies like the cyber-knife and 150 different chemo combos which will await and return of the cancer.

We feel very fortunate to know that the treatment so far has been as successful as the trials had suggested it might be.

I'll still be facing fatigue problems with the new chemo treatment which is five times more powerful than what I was on earlier. I handled the previous treatment very well, and I hope that will be the case going forward. Thank-you for all the prayers in our behalf. They really make a difference.