My new plan

daisy366
daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
Hi ladies.

Well I gave alternative treatment a great shot and was very compliant with that for nearly 2 months. But...

Today I got results of blood work and scan and learned that cancer is progressing in lymph system from clavicle down. My CA125 jumped another 70 points (about 50% in 5 wks) so all the dieting did not stop Chester from marching on!!

The plan: start Abraxene chemo as soon as possible. They are working on getting insurance coverage.

I learned a couple new things. That UPSC cells have a protective "armor" that makes it particularly treatment resistant. And I am "Sparc (sp?) positive" which is a good thing since I have a better chance of treatment working than if Sparc neg.

So that's the latest. I'm officially off the diet that didn't kill Chester. I think we all can just give this fight the best we can give it and then God calls the rest of the shots. I really need to turn this over to God.

May we all receive whatever we need to carry on and do what we need to do. Hugs to all,

Mary Ann
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Comments

  • ConnieSW
    ConnieSW Member Posts: 1,688 Member
    #2
    Plan
    Mary Ann, I am at a loss for words. I have so been hoping your news would be better. Cry tonight then start fighting again tomorrow. You are a wonderful person and your posts have helped me so much. I don't know what I would have done without you and the others on this site.
  • Ro10
    Ro10 Member Posts: 1,561 Member
    #3
    Mary Ann wish you had gotten better news
    You have worked so hard to keep Chester at bay. I am sorry all you work did not help. The abraxene is new to me. Is it IV? How often will you get it?

    The info on sparc positive or negative is also new to me. I'll have to look that up. Did that information come from your tissue assay?

    As always you remain in my prayers. Continue the fight. You have been giving it your best. Hope you enjoy some of the food you have been missing.p In peace and caring.
  • txtrisha55
    txtrisha55 Member Posts: 693 Member
    #4
    Sorry to hear your news.
    Fight with what you can to get healthy and control Chester again from marching forward any further. I looked up SPARC and found this. SPARC (Secreted Protein And Rich in Cysteine). Increased SPARC expression in tumors resulted in improved response to albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel, nab-pac) due to SPARC-albumin binding. Whatever that all means but I take it to be that the tumor cells will respond to chemo that has albumin binding. At least during your diet you body got healthier to fight the good fight. Will keep you in my prayers. trish
  • jazzy1
    jazzy1 Member Posts: 1,379
    #5
    Ro10 said:

    Mary Ann wish you had gotten better news
    You have worked so hard to keep Chester at bay. I am sorry all you work did not help. The abraxene is new to me. Is it IV? How often will you get it?

    The info on sparc positive or negative is also new to me. I'll have to look that up. Did that information come from your tissue assay?

    As always you remain in my prayers. Continue the fight. You have been giving it your best. Hope you enjoy some of the food you have been missing.p In peace and caring.

    Mary Ann
    Aww..I as well was praying for some good news! Darn that Chester, guess now one must get out the heavy artillery and fight like a warrior.

    We're all here for you and I'll keep thinking positives. Prayer does seem to help, if nothing else, calm us to realize we truly don't have the control, only our higher power. Pray to keep strong and endure the journey.

    Tonite sounds like steak and lobster with a nice Margarita...think?

    Hugs,
    Jan
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
    #6
    txtrisha55 said:

    Sorry to hear your news.
    Fight with what you can to get healthy and control Chester again from marching forward any further. I looked up SPARC and found this. SPARC (Secreted Protein And Rich in Cysteine). Increased SPARC expression in tumors resulted in improved response to albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel, nab-pac) due to SPARC-albumin binding. Whatever that all means but I take it to be that the tumor cells will respond to chemo that has albumin binding. At least during your diet you body got healthier to fight the good fight. Will keep you in my prayers. trish

    Yes, Trish
    The Abraxene is a form of taxol that acts on proteinbound particles. My assay recommended this chemo. If I was SPARC negative, I doubt that Abraxene would have been recommended.

    This will be infused every 3 weeks and then after 3 rounds I will get a PET scan. The insurance has to be approved - there is some question whether medicare will cover. Hopefully my supplement will. That darn insurance thing.

    Thanks everyone for support and encouragement. I will be sporting my shiny head again soon. I will enjoy not having to pick chin hairs for awhile - yeah. LOL.
  • norma2
    norma2 Member Posts: 479
    #7
    You are fighting the good fight.
    I admire your spirit and courage, Mary Ann. Praying for you. Hugs, Norma
  • CindyGSD
    CindyGSD Member Posts: 190
    #8
    daisy366 said:

    Yes, Trish
    The Abraxene is a form of taxol that acts on proteinbound particles. My assay recommended this chemo. If I was SPARC negative, I doubt that Abraxene would have been recommended.

    This will be infused every 3 weeks and then after 3 rounds I will get a PET scan. The insurance has to be approved - there is some question whether medicare will cover. Hopefully my supplement will. That darn insurance thing.

    Thanks everyone for support and encouragement. I will be sporting my shiny head again soon. I will enjoy not having to pick chin hairs for awhile - yeah. LOL.

    Sigh....
    I'm so sorry the news wasn't good, but I know you will win this next battle and be blessed again with NED.....

    Keeping you in my thoughts
    Cindy
  • debrajo
    debrajo Member Posts: 1,095 Member
    #9
    daisy366 said:

    Yes, Trish
    The Abraxene is a form of taxol that acts on proteinbound particles. My assay recommended this chemo. If I was SPARC negative, I doubt that Abraxene would have been recommended.

    This will be infused every 3 weeks and then after 3 rounds I will get a PET scan. The insurance has to be approved - there is some question whether medicare will cover. Hopefully my supplement will. That darn insurance thing.

    Thanks everyone for support and encouragement. I will be sporting my shiny head again soon. I will enjoy not having to pick chin hairs for awhile - yeah. LOL.

    Excuse my language ladies,
    Excuse my language ladies, but this whole cancer thing sucks! I am sorry Mary Ann, it just blows my mind to think what we all go through to get this far and then get shot down! Please keep fighting the fight...we need you to show us the way to go. I know I could not lead any one, I'm such a sissy! Please know this is just a set back...life is full of them! Best, debrajo
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #10
    norma2 said:

    You are fighting the good fight.
    I admire your spirit and courage, Mary Ann. Praying for you. Hugs, Norma

    Chester
    He's one stubborn guy, isn't he? I'm so sorry all the hard work you've been doing didn't at least slow him down. The SPARC information is encouraging, but the Medicare thing is frightening to me (who just went on Medicare in June). I, too, have a "supplement", but I sure worry about what all that means in reality.

    I hope everything falls into place for you and the Abraxane is effective.

    Suzanne
  • sunflash
    sunflash Member Posts: 197 Member
    #11
    Double Whammy said:

    Chester
    He's one stubborn guy, isn't he? I'm so sorry all the hard work you've been doing didn't at least slow him down. The SPARC information is encouraging, but the Medicare thing is frightening to me (who just went on Medicare in June). I, too, have a "supplement", but I sure worry about what all that means in reality.

    I hope everything falls into place for you and the Abraxane is effective.

    Suzanne

    Dear Mary Ann.........I know
    Dear Mary Ann.........I know life isn't fair, but this just isn't fair, darn it! Hate this disease with a passion!
    Sending prayers your insurance will approve your new chemo and it's just the thing to send Chester running for the hills!
    Sending hugs, prayers, and more hugs........
  • Cindy Bear
    Cindy Bear Member Posts: 569
    #12
    Mary Ann
    Not the news you or any of us wanted to hear. But you have a plan in place. Plans are good. Hoping and praying that the Abraxane kicks Chester's butt
    Big hugs,
    Cindy
  • SuziDezi
    SuziDezi Member Posts: 25
    #13
    sunflash said:

    Dear Mary Ann.........I know
    Dear Mary Ann.........I know life isn't fair, but this just isn't fair, darn it! Hate this disease with a passion!
    Sending prayers your insurance will approve your new chemo and it's just the thing to send Chester running for the hills!
    Sending hugs, prayers, and more hugs........

    Hugs to a brave and generous lady
    Although I seldom write, I have been watching and hoping that this was not the news. I know that you will be using all your many resources and we all will send happy thoughts your way - hopefully all of that will help the new chemo slow Chester down. Big hugs.
  • laura25
    laura25 Member Posts: 181 Member
    #14
    Mary Ann
    I feel the same as Connie, I'm at a loss for words. I really really hate cancer. You are such an inspiration to me, you helped me when I was at my darkest moment. Gave me the courage to pull myself up and face the day with a new determination.
    Sounds like your plan is in place, so you know what you need to do. Right now its a beautiful day here in NY.. I hope you have some sunshine where you are and enjoying the gift of today. Hugs to you!
  • soromer
    soromer Member Posts: 130
    #15
    Time to regroup then
    Dear Mary Ann,

    I'm sorry that you got discouraging news. I hope that you have the time to wail and mourn your optimism about the treatments that didn't work. They don't always, and it's so disappointing when they don't. Many, many hugs!

    But now you have another option to pursue, which is good. I'm glad that you have enough information about your particular tumor cells to feel like this next treatment possibility has a strong likelihood of working for you.

    I hope that you don't run into problems with getting insurance coverage from Medicare and your supplemental. If you do, however, please don't take no for an answer. There are other ways to get funding if necessary.

    Peace and blessings, and my very best wishes for better news in a few more weeks.
    Kate
  • Shell bug
    Shell bug Member Posts: 76
    #16
    I am sorry that all of the
    I am sorry that all of the alternative treatments you have been trying didn't work as well as hoped.

    I, too, am glad there is a plan in place to fight Chester again. I can't believe an insurance company could even deny a chemo treatment. I'm sure you will figure out a way to get what you need.

    In the meantime, I will be praying for you. You have always answered my posts and have been so encouraging to me. Thank you so much. I hope we all can support you during this time as you have always supported us.

    Thinking and praying for you daily,
    Rachelle
  • LizGrrr
    LizGrrr Member Posts: 127 Member
    #17
    Cancer stinks
    Im so sorry to hear this news. Hopefully just another bump in the road. Wear some miniskirts to celebrate not having to shave!

    Hugs,
    Liz in Dallas
  • lovemycat
    lovemycat Member Posts: 43
    #18
    New Plan
    Hi Mary Ann,
    So sorry to hear about Chester. Glad you have a new plan.
    Praying that it will be successful You are such a strong
    sweet lady.
    Prayers and Hugs,
    Helen
  • ConnieSW
    ConnieSW Member Posts: 1,688 Member
    #19
    Insurance
    Have they come through for you, Mary Ann? I have been thinking about you a lot. Keep the faith.

    Connie
  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #20
    Dang it!
    Mary Ann:

    I have been away from the boards for a bit and just saw that Chester is bugging you. I hope all goes well with getting your insurance and the Abraxene will send Chester back.

    Thinking of you.

    Kathy
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
    #21
    Kaleena said:

    Dang it!
    Mary Ann:

    I have been away from the boards for a bit and just saw that Chester is bugging you. I hope all goes well with getting your insurance and the Abraxene will send Chester back.

    Thinking of you.

    Kathy

    insurance
    Abraxene is "off label" for uterine cancer. We will appeal but nurse said it may take months. In meantime I will start Doxil which should be effective also.

    Why does cancer treatment have to be more difficult with these issues? Seems cruel to me.
    I'm sure this has logic for others but not for me right now.

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