July scan results

We're just back from getting scan results from the cancer doc.

There's nothing urgent.

The scan shows what is probably a tumour. And it has grown since the last scan, one dimension has grown from 4cm to 4.5cm. So that's bad.

More bad: it's getting close to an important blood vessel. (Actually, I can't remember what it's close to but, if the tumour crushes that, then I could get symptoms. More on symptoms below.

The scan experts say that it really looks like a new tumour (or regrowth, I guess). The alternative is radiation necrosis. I prefer tumour but we can't tell without opening my skull.

So we continue to wait and see... with a new option, a drug.

Is this a new drug? It's never been mentioned before.

It's called Bevacizumab... (I had to check that, I'll never remember it.

Apparently it can slow down tumour growth *and* necrosis spread. So it's good no matter what. And it can be used for as long as it seems to be having any effect. Well, used with five pages of possible side-effects :-)

At present I have no symptoms (good) but steady tumour growth (bad). While I'm still feeling fine, we'll do nothing.

So the plan is:

For now, do nothing.

Get another scan in 2.5 months.

Then re-plan.

If I get symptoms: immediately re-plan. 

If I get symptoms, we're looking at: the drug (it's three weeks of intravenous injection :-(

With a scan before and after.

Repeat scan/drug/scan until..??

Hmmm, not much of a plan :-(

Symptoms:

We nailed the doc down on possible symptoms...

It could be like a stroke (good-oh, all my old friends have had them:-) 

Headaches is the #1 possibility. 

Or dizzyness. Or weakness on my left side. ie, like a stroke.

So it's all up to me: to avoid those suspicious symptoms. Easy.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

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I'm nobody's fool. Care to adopt me?

..Dying for you to Read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com