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B-1 83

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  1. Teacher Wife had a dozen or more mets to her bones when diagnosed back in August of '09. She had a good response to chemo (8 rounds of carboplatin/taxotere), full brain radiation for a skull met and possible leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, and is now on Tarceva. Not only is she stable, she is still teaching 5th grade. As somebody else said, 8-9 months may be an average, but averages, being averages, can be skewed.
  2. B-1 83

    Tarceva rash

    Teacher Wife started on Tarceva in May of '10, and has had only "minor" side effects. Her only rash problem has been on her nose and cheeks, but an antibiotic ointment has nailed it. It was worse the first 2 months, and now appears only on occasion. As for the other effects ...... Immodium is her friend, and there is no real rhyme or reason as to when "that" will pop up.
  3. with stage IV adenocarcinoma and mets to the skull, ribs, sternum, femur, spine, hips, and humerous. 8 rounds (yes, e-i-g-h-t) of carboplatin/taxotere and 14 doses of full brain radiation (for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis) later, she's still alive. Tarceva was started in May, and it's kicking cancer's butt, even if she is not EGFR positive. SHE STARTS ANOTHER YEAR OF TEACHING 5TH GRADE SCIENCE NEXT MONDAY. Thanks to God, Dr. Fosella, and M.D. Anderson she's still slugging it out.
  4. Out last trip to M.D. Anderson was not so great. The Carboplatin/Taxotere cocktail has run its course and the bone tumors have started to grow and spread. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis is still indicated on the MRI, but is not really symtomatic. Teacher Wife is now on Tarceva even though she is EGFR negative. Perhaps whe will be one of the 20% that still show a response. ALK tests are coming. Her energy level and appetite are not good. Still...... she teaches.
  5. She just finished round 8 (yes, e-i-g-h-t) of carboplatin and taxotere after full brain radiation to nail a skull met and possible Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis. We go to M.D. Anderson in Houston again in 3 weeks for restaging and bone scan/MRI/CT/x-rays etc ..... The primary tumor has shrunk from 6.5 cm to 5 cm since last October - not great, but some progress. Dozen or so bone lesions are simply steady with 1 new one in the femur. Still, she teaches 5th graders through it all (after a week off to recover from the chemo). This is a great site. Keep it up.
  6. Thaks for the works of encouragement. I have finally read some success stories! My wife is doing round 6 of chemo today. Radiation was not really considered as an option due to the extensive bone lesions. Her primary tumor is very close to the aorta, so they are being extra careful. We head to M.D. Anderson in 3-4 weeks to do scans for progress.
  7. Hip pain was her first symptom. She is 49, and a non-smoker, so this was a shock to say the least. It had spread to her bones (head, spine, shoulder, ribs, sternum, hips, and femur), but no organs. She is about to undergo her 6th round of chemo (carboplatin and toxotere). So far, after 4 rounds the primary in her lung has shrunk, most of the lymph nodes have shrunk (except for 1 that has grown slightly), and the bone tumors are simply holding their own with a "flare response". It is difficult to find literature on the life expectancy of someone with such extensive spreading at the outset. She has handled treatment very well (except for the first nightmarish one) and is actually still teaching after sitting out a week for treatment. Anybody have experience with a case like this?
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