CT scan results

[Guest Phyllis]

Hi, I am in the midst of having a personal pity party. I got my CT scan results back yesterday and after expecting a wonderful result it showed some growth instead with possible new spots. My doc wanted me to take a chemo break, but I convinced him that gemzar would not bother me that much. He would not go for the gemzar/navelbine combo as he felt that neither drug would probably work so why make it worse by adding navelbine. I have never had low blood counts. None of this d*** chemo has really done anything for me except for the PTK/Xeloda study.

He of course pulled out the fact that head and neck cancer with mets to the lungs is a different animal from lung cancer. Even though they use the same drugs to treat it. He did make the point that it was not worth the risk to have low blood counts if and when I see the radiofrequency surgeon since he would not be able to do anything if that happened.

He is not planning to stand in the way of my doing the surgery. I am just worried that with these new spots the surgeon may not do the surgery. He may feel the disease is too aggressive at this stage. My largest tumor is now 3.3 and it was 2.9. It makes me really mad that he was ready to do the surgery back in Feb. but I had that oncologist who wanted me to do carbo/taxol first. I do not know what I will do if I get turned down now.

The oncologist here did hold out the hope of a clinical trial in a couple of months, but I don't know what it is and he may have been trying to placate me. I am just angry right now. Sorry for the long post.

[Fay A.]

Please do research to see if there is a trial for head and neck cancer patients using the investigational drug ABT-751. It is a drug that is being evaluated for treatment of Taxane resistant tumors, and one of the requirements is that you be less than 24 weeks out from treatment with Taxotere of Taxol.

Wishing you good luck. Wishing it for all of us.

[Guest Phyllis]

Thank you Fay. I will ask him when I see him again. Like I said he may have been trying to make me feel better. Take care.

[Joe B]

Phyllis,

Sorry to hear that you have hit a snag... you wil be in my prayers... Joe

[Elaine]

Sorry I missed this post earlier. I hope you find the answers and treatement you deserve. I know it's hard. Keep the faith.

Elaine

[slinaresholz]

Hi Phyllis,

I'm sorry things didn't work out. Hope the surgeon can still do the surgery. Chemo is awful hard on you. If the doc told you to take a break, maybe you should and build your strength up. Hope you will be fine. Prayers and best wishes!

Sharon

[Guest Phyllis]

Thank you. Needed the morale boost. I did go ahead and continue the chemo just because the one doc down there would just send me back to do it first. I guess you have to prove that you do not respond well to chemo. Duh. They are trying to kill me in the process.

My doctors up here are being pretty supportive. The doctors there are very compassionate. It just freaks you out since they get these requests from all over the country. More than they can do. So why should they pick little ol me. They did agree that it shouldn't be so hard for people to get to see them. Maybe if it works it will help pave the way for other people with lots of tumors in both lungs.