Bad news, part 2 of 2 (ct results)

Blog Entry: More details:
First I'd like to clear the air about the last 9+ weeks. I haven't been hiding anything (Kaye said to me that someone thought I wasn't telling everything). Just nothing's been happening. The recent chemo had no side effects, so there wasn't anything to report. It was a great chemo to be on if I had to be on it for years. Unfortunately it didn't shrink my liver tumors.

I might not have mentioned in previous blogs that I am receiving home hydration of 1 liter of water over a 3-4 hour period each Monday and Thursday of each week. I also have had low blood pressure [95 over 60] on average over the past many weeks.

Ok, back to the current chemo...

Chest CT Scan showed:

• Lung lesion didn't grow. That's good, but it didn't shrink either.
• Largest lesion in liver segment II now measures 53x40mm (previously 45x34mm). Enlarging lesions are also present in segments V/VIII and segment VI of the liver.

Notes:

• This is the last chemo that Juravinski has to offer me. If this doesn't work, they would have to try to find an experimental "study" that I would qualify and try some experimental drug(s). This may result in travel to other hospitals. Also, if I have evidence of head tumors again, then I am disqualified for any study.
• Sept 02 is another MRI on my head.

For the record, I haven't given up, but they say prepare for the worst and hope for the best. So, here's the worst case scenarios...

1. MRI shows more tumor growth in the head. If untreated, then they would give me 2 months. Options include Cyber Knife again, but more likely they would do full head radiation. This would severely debilitate me (fatigue etc.).
2. If no head growth, but latest chemo (which is meant for colon cancer) doesn't work, then they would give me 6 months until the liver becomes very consumed, or other areas of my body get new growth.

If the latest chemo works, then who knows how long I could live. We'll see. :-)


Drug Details:

• Latest chemo is "irinotecan" (eye-reen-oh-TEE-can). Brand name = Camptosar®. They injected 500ml over 90 minutes.
• The irinotecan injection was accompanied by a vitamin injection of "Leucovorn" 250ml over same 90 minutes. This apparently makes the chemo more affective.
• I was also injected with a dose of "atropine sulfate" [0.4mg/0.25mg dose] into my subcutaneous arm tissue to stop the cold sweats, hot flashes and stomach cramps that I started to get from the irinotecan. I had to have this injection 20 minutes into my 90 minutes of irinotecan.
• I also had to take dexamethazone and ondancetron over a 3 day period to help with nausea and other side effects. Unfortunately dexamethazone SUCKS as stated in previous blogs. I must say that irinotecan can join that category.
• I also had to have a 650mg needle "push" of chemo "fluorouracil" also known as 5FU. I then had to carry around a 3800mg take home "baby" bottle for an additional 48 hour long injection. The bottle is now disconnected.

I feel ok today (Friday). Appetite is back. Not as bad as the chemo combo that I was on before Christmas. So I won't loose tonnes of weight.

The chemo regime will happen every other week. So 1 week on, 1 week off. Also, I see the doctor each time to see how I'm handling it.

Regards,
Shane