A week ago today I checked into Stanford University Hospital for another liver chemoembolization procedure. This time, like last time, I was sedated but still awake so that I could take breaths and hold my breath when instructed to do so. When I hold my breath they take an image so that they can see the exact location of tumors and target them directly. This procedure isn't curative but it is a good tool for slowing things down. They targeted six small tumors last Tuesday.
I've described this procedure previously but for people who have just learned of this blog, here is a link that describes it: Chemoembolization
The page says it's for "liver cancer". They should say it's for "liver tumors" because not all tumors in the liver are caused by liver cancer. Mine are caused by colon cancer.
I returned home last Wednesday and immediately went to sleep. I think I woke up around Friday or Saturday. I'm only exaggerating a little bit - just ask David. I'm still tired but each day I'm a little less so. I'm still not doing my usual activities in order to conserve my energy and I really am so thankful to David for helping pick up the slack without complaint.
My next chemotherapy is next week, on Monday. I expect scans (probably MRI and PET) to be done a couple of weeks later. And as always I'll post them here.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Radiation Complete, Upcoming Chemoembolization
Greetings all,
Last week I finished my three weeks of radiation to my pelvic bone. After 4 or 5 treatments the pain went away so that's a good sign. The doctor said that over the course of another two weeks (as the tumor cells attempt to divide and fail) the tumor will die off.
I have a chemoembolization scheduled for April 22nd, bright and early in the morning. I'll check in at 7:00 and will be his first case of the day. This time he plans to attack all of the tumors that are present so the procedure will take longer. He asked that I skip my Avastin for this round of chemotherapy in order to allow the blood vessels to return to their normal dilation. He wants them plump to make it easier to thread his catheter through them.
This procedure will be done at Stanford and I'll stay overnight in the hospital for one night. I'll go home the next day once they see that I'm in no pain, have no nausea, and can eat and drink normally.
After that I'll have another round of chemo a couple of weeks later and then scans (PET and MRI) three weeks later. At that time we will get a chance to see what effect all of this (chemo, radiation, chemoembolization) has had since the last set of scans. Also we will get another look at those suspicious lung nodules that don't light up with the PET scan. If they are larger then perhaps we can biopsy one of them. If they are stable and still don't light up then we don't worry for a while.
The latest CEA is 105.8. It was 117.0 three weeks ago, 103.9 two weeks before that, 185.7 in February, and 229.1 in January. So it has bounced around but is looking pretty good, considering.
Last week I finished my three weeks of radiation to my pelvic bone. After 4 or 5 treatments the pain went away so that's a good sign. The doctor said that over the course of another two weeks (as the tumor cells attempt to divide and fail) the tumor will die off.
I have a chemoembolization scheduled for April 22nd, bright and early in the morning. I'll check in at 7:00 and will be his first case of the day. This time he plans to attack all of the tumors that are present so the procedure will take longer. He asked that I skip my Avastin for this round of chemotherapy in order to allow the blood vessels to return to their normal dilation. He wants them plump to make it easier to thread his catheter through them.
This procedure will be done at Stanford and I'll stay overnight in the hospital for one night. I'll go home the next day once they see that I'm in no pain, have no nausea, and can eat and drink normally.
After that I'll have another round of chemo a couple of weeks later and then scans (PET and MRI) three weeks later. At that time we will get a chance to see what effect all of this (chemo, radiation, chemoembolization) has had since the last set of scans. Also we will get another look at those suspicious lung nodules that don't light up with the PET scan. If they are larger then perhaps we can biopsy one of them. If they are stable and still don't light up then we don't worry for a while.
The latest CEA is 105.8. It was 117.0 three weeks ago, 103.9 two weeks before that, 185.7 in February, and 229.1 in January. So it has bounced around but is looking pretty good, considering.
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