I got the news this week regarding my 6 month post treatment status. A bad CT scan showed a new lesion in the hilar region twice the size of anything I had originally plus increase in size of the previous lung lesion. Lymph nodes were ok but the hilar mass surrounds my thoracic aorta and pulmonary arteries greater than 50%. This was confirmed by PET and then a core needle biopsy gave the final definite, this is cancer word once again. The slides looked identical to the previous cancer but there was not enough tissue to do immunochemistry. The original was squamous primarily although thought to be mixed too. They did rule out the first time it was NOT a metastasis from my previous breast cancer and they're sure of that this time because they have both sets of slides to compare. I started chemo with Carboplatin and Gemcitabine the very next day. I'll get 4 rounds in 3 week cycles. They now say it's incurable but will be treated as a chronic condition. When I really pushed to ask what kind of time someone usually lived, he reluctantly said 1-2 years. I pushed for this, he didn't push it on me. I just needed some idea of what I was up against so I could armor myself for the battles ahead. I plan to go into remission with this treatment and then deal again when it rears its ugly head, until I know I have fought all I can. They were absolutely shocked since my 2 month CT looked so good, only a small lesion remaining in the lung that was thought to be scarring from radiation and now this. This was confirmed with a second opinion at Duke before I started a vaccine trial after my initial chemo. I had originally been treated starting in Feb and ending in May using Carbo, Taxol, Avastin and Tarceva and 37 concurrent radiation treatments. The cancer was in the mediastinum also and so surgery was not an option. 2 major cancer centers agreed on this. They again have explored the option of surgery but there is just no way they can get it all so to put me through it would be riskier than helpful. I knew I wasn't recovering like I did from BC so I don't think I was as shocked as my docs, I just couldn't ever seem to get my energy back and my heart rate stayed elevated. I am dealing with this pretty well but it does change the future outlook quite a bit. All is well with my soul, but my body is not following it's lead. They have no idea what stage I am now since nothing else showed on the PET. There was a suspicious lesion in my liver but it didn't light up, possibly because it was too small. My doc feels we do not need to explore that further now since it wouldn't change the treatment he has me on. They did do a brain MRI to rule out metastasis but it was fine, thank God. Sorry to write so long but I just wanted you to know what to pray for if you will. I want to go into remission again and take the trip we have planned to AK in Feb....yes, that's right, FEB. On my "to do" list is to see the Northern Lights and there is also a World Art Ice Festival going on in Fairbanks at the same time we're there. We are staying at a wilderness resort 60 miles from Fairbanks and the nearest hospital so pray I will be well and stay that way. We leave exactly one month after my last chemo. I do get short of breath but my O2 continues to be in the 90's so I'm not on any O2. I know many of you were diagnosed with stage 4 and haved survived for some time and are still doing well and you give me much hope. I pray to be one of those but it was not encouraging to see it come back this quick and they tell me it is VERY rare, especially after having what seemed like such a good response in my July CT. Love to all and thank you for your prayers. I do read the board and pray for you all even though I don't write often. Jane (Sorry to be so long, I guess I'm so used to writing on my caringbridge I got carried away. If you want to read the beautiful update my daughter wrote for me after we got this recent news go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/janekeith
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