Scan results and next steps

[sunnyside]

I had a scan last Tuesday after my second cycle of Cisplatin/Taxotere. My oncologist wanted to wait until after at least the 3rd cycle but I felt so awful on that stuff that I told him I wouldn't do more than 2 without some evidence that it was working. The scan showed that it has not been working with progression of all bony lesions and the right adrenal lesion. I went to Dana-Farber to be evaluated for eligibility for a clinical trial on Thursday and, while they will test the tissue obtained at a second biopsy in late March for the genetic mutations that they have drugs on trial for, they are much more concerned about the metastasis in my left hip. It has grown since my scan in March and there is concern about structural stability of the hip.

So I am on a treatment hiatus (thank goodness!) and will see an orthopedic oncologist at Yale on Friday so we can decide what to do about the hip. I may actually require hip replacement but Dana-Farber thinks my cancer is slow-growing enough to warrant going ahead with that surgery and that sounds like good news to me.

[jaminkw]

Oh Lisa, you are another positive role model for taking charge of your treatment. It's hard to assert yourself with these doctors in whose hands we put our disease. Sounds like a lucky outcome if you can have that surgery and stop the bugger in the hip.

Judy in Key West

[Jyoung20]

Prayers for you Lisa!!

I am glad to see that you are being very proactive in your care!!

Blessings,

Jamie

[KatieB]

Lisa, I'm hoping there will be some encouraging news on Friday. I also hope you get some relief from the hip pain soon too. Please keep us updated and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

hugs,

[recce101]

Lisa:

I saw you were online at GRACE and sent you a PM there, but I think you went offline about the time I hit Send. "Felt so awful on that stuff" is very descriptive of my one-time experience with Cisplatin. My GRACE thread starts here:

http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php ... 89#msg7889

Ned

[SandraL]

Hi Lisa. I am sorry to hear you have had a tough time of chemo with crappy results. And that your hip is giving you such trouble. You do sure sound in charge of your treatment plan though....good for you. I hope they are able to do the surgery and relieve you of your pain. Many prayers your way

Sandra

[fillise]

Lisa,

My mom has had hip mets as well. They did radiation for her and then a Quadramet treatment that seems to have made a big impact on her bone mets. I hope you can get rid of that stupid met one way or another.

Susan

[sunnyside]

Thank you all for the support. I really don't have enough pain to complain about - small doses of Ibuprofen take care of it. The problem with the hip is that it's in the pelvic part of the joint and threatening a pathologic fracture that would confine me to a wheelchair - which I'm not ready for! Radiation probably will not be an option because it wouldn't be expected to restore the structural integrity of the bone but that's what I'm going to see the orthopedic oncologist about.