PET and MRI Results November 2013

Well, the new news isn't so good.

I'll start with the CEA. Previously, the highest my CEA has ever been was 21.7. On Monday October 28th my CEA was 67.9. So we knew something was going on. I didn't want to put it out there until I had my scans done, which are now complete. The scans were a PET scan and an MRI. The PET scan looks all over for suspicious tumor activity. The MRI provides a more detailed look at the liver since that's where we've been seeing all of the activity lately.

Originally the PET scan said that there were three or two or three spots in the liver. Once the MRI was done they were able to see that there are four spots in the liver and one spot outside of the liver in muscle near the left kidney.

That last one means that a liver transplant is clearly off the table, if it ever was on the table at all.

My last chemotherapy infusion was September 30th. These 5 spots did not all grow within the last three weeks so it's clear that they started to pop up even while on chemotherapy, meaning they have developed a resistance to the drugs I was taking.

Dr. Dormady has decided that I should go on a tour of Stanford and UCSF (and maybe even MD Anderson in Texas and Sloan-Kettering in New York) to see if there are any clinical trials that I might take part in, or to get treatment ideas. My appointment with the oncologist at Stanford is November 25. I don't know when I'll see the doctor at UCSF. These two teams may rub elbows with the people in New York or Texas and may know of trials that are going on there. We have been advised that in order to find out, we may have to fly there and meet with the teams in person.

Here are the reports if you would like to read the medical jargon:

MRI Page 1

MRI Page 2

PET Page 1

PET Page 2

PET Page 3

PET Page 4

You may wonder how I'm doing. Well, I'm doing as well as I always do. I feel fine. I have no pain, my energy is high, my cheeks are rosy. I don't want to go on chemo again but maybe I can squeeze some more time out of life by doing so. I will see the doctors and do what they recommend, as always. So far they have managed to keep me kicking. So, while I'm disappointed, I'm not sad; I'm determined.

 I will keep going and enjoy David and the dogs. :-)