A Million Questions

Barb and I met with my oncologist yesterday and had a pretty good sit-down talk.

Again, we heard another doctor tell us that the spread of the cancer is not good. But we already knew that.

The concern is that the Nexavar, which I've taken for just over a year, has stopped working. It is a known characteristic of the drug, after awhile the cancer learns to overcome it. Kidney cancer is a tough one.

There are two other chemo choices to try, Sutent and Torisel. The oncologist feels that Sutent is too similar to Nexavar. So he's recommending Torisel.

But the oncologist wanted to send me to Philly again to talk to the kidney cancer specialist. The only reason he wanted me to see him was to get his opinion on what chemo drug to switch to. I asked him if the doctors could just talk to the doctors with a simple phone call and save me the trip. He agreed.

So we wait until we hear word back from the oncologist. And then I'll start on the new chemo. The plus side is that the chemo side effects could be better. And the down side is that the chemo side effects could be worse.

As far as surgery possibilities go? They won't touch me in Lancaster. The Lancaster hospital's position on cancer surgery is to not do it if the cancer is metastic, or already spread throughout the bloodstream. The theory is that you just put the patient through risk, and two-months of pain and recovery, to remove tumors that are just going to return.

My overall perspective on our local hospitals is that they're very organized, friendly and successful. But they are not keeping up with a lot of the latest techniques and medicines in an industry with rapidly advancing technologies.

A new procedure called ablation has been around for some years and is practiced in many areas now. But not our area. It's an out-patient procedure where a needle is guided into a tumor by an ultra-sound or CT scan and then burnt or frozen. It's been reported to be very successful. Cancer patients can have a tumor killed and be back at work the next day. Really!

I have three "lesions" in my liver. Two of the tumors are eligible for an ablation procedure. The other - the amazing 2.4-inch tumor - is too large for the 2-inch maximum size requirement for ablation.

So I don't know.

I do know that Lancaster hospital won't touch the idea of surgery, and doesn't offer ablation.

I do know that my family doctor will help me anyway he can, including finding the right out-of-town surgeons, if necessary.

I'll start with work on the new chemo drug, and cross my fingers that the side-effects aren't worse than the Nexavar.

A follow-up CT scan will be done in a month with more blood work. And that will give us a month to examine surgical options.

And we'll hope that the big tumor isn't growing at the same speed that took it from nothing to 2.4-inches in 2-months.

I'm still going about my everyday living. Started the weekend with a Friday afternoon his and her haircut, provided by Father and Son. Steve and Charlie gave us haircuts (well Barb was styled, I was just cut) side by side. They have a great shop, in a great location, with great personnel, it's no wonder they're a success. And it didn't hurt that Steve was showing off his new accordian. And Charlie gave me the best cut I've ever had, no fooling. And that's saying a lot considering my blonde, baby, chemo hair.