Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Gastlycrumb tinies

So it's about what we feared - a recurrence in seven lymph nodes.
From the look of it, it's the same cancer as before, creeping back.

At this point, there are not good odds for a cure, so we are starting
to think of it as a chronic disease instead of a cureable one.
There's always a small chance of a cure - the "long tail" in the
statistics, but it's unlikely. (For those of you that like numbers,
let me know, and I'll tell you what I know, and point you to the
studies I've already read.)

I start chemo again soon, possibly this week, certainly next. I'm
having a new port put in a week from today, so I don't have to be
stuck with their little needles every week. This regimen will be
Taxol and Avastin. Taxol has all the usual caveats, hair loss,
nausea, blah de blah. Avastin is a monoclonal antibody (aren't I
fauncy) that targets the blood vessels to starve tumors. It's the hot
and fancy new treatment, and increases the response rate considerably.

As for how you all can help - I'm doing okay, other than the waking upat 3 am bidness, which is a pain. The support people are currently more in need of support than I am - send Tess your love, and give Kevin the opportunity to vent, or preferably go out and kick things and strangle small animals.

Lots of love,
grun

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