Question about remission, etc

Peneloppe
Peneloppe Member Posts: 28
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

hi, new to the board.  My husband has nasopharyngeal cancer with lymph nodes metastasis and Epstein Barr Virus markers.

 

He received 35 rt and 5 cisplatin, the 6th had to be cancelled due to febrile neutropenia.  He finished his treatment in late october and was told that he was in remission for the next 2 years.

 

Since he did numerous blood tests and endiscopic tests.  Up to this week everything appeared to be fine.  Two weeks ago he did a control ct scan with contrast and we went for the consultation on monday.  The report stated.....cancer decreased by 50%.......we were under the assumption that the cancer was gone.  He needs firther test mri to the base of skull and pet scan and another consult.

 

stupid question......would that mean that the treatment was a failure...how do they determine remission

 

 

Comments

  • Frances_S
    Frances_S Member Posts: 54
    #2
    Hi Penelope,

    Hi Penelope,

    I wish I had an answer for you. I would write down all of your questions and go back to the doctor and ask exactly what he/she means. I too don’t know why they would have used the word remission without further testing.

     

    Also, I know they usually wait 12 weeks to do the pet scan because inflammation from the radiation will light up. 

    Please keep us posted.

    My prayers are with you both.

    Frances

  • bebo12249
    bebo12249 Member Posts: 181 Member
    #3
    See the below link. As

    See the below link. As Frances noted, you need to have a conversation with his doctor. You’ll are not on the same page but i don’t have the answer. Best. Bill. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/remission-what-does-it-mean

  • Peneloppe
    Peneloppe Member Posts: 28
    #4
    Frances_S said:

    Hi Penelope,

    Hi Penelope,

    I wish I had an answer for you. I would write down all of your questions and go back to the doctor and ask exactly what he/she means. I too don’t know why they would have used the word remission without further testing.

     

    Also, I know they usually wait 12 weeks to do the pet scan because inflammation from the radiation will light up. 

    Please keep us posted.

    My prayers are with you both.

    Frances

    Thank you Frances, the Pet

    Thank you Frances, the Pet and Mri will be done at 12 weeks

  • Peneloppe
    Peneloppe Member Posts: 28
    #5
    bebo12249 said:

    See the below link. As

    See the below link. As Frances noted, you need to have a conversation with his doctor. You’ll are not on the same page but i don’t have the answer. Best. Bill. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/remission-what-does-it-mean

    Thank you for the link

    Thank you for the link

  • corleone
    corleone Member Posts: 312 Member
    edited January 2018 #6

    Remission (or partial remission) means Partial Response. You can check Wikipedia (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) for details (in addition to the link provided by bebo12249). It means at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum. That’s different than complete remission, which is the complete response as per above mentioned criteria.

     

    So the 50% decrease (if compared with baseline) fits the partial response.

  • Peneloppe
    Peneloppe Member Posts: 28
    #7
    corleone said:

    Remission (or partial remission) means Partial Response. You can check Wikipedia (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) for details (in addition to the link provided by bebo12249). It means at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum. That’s different than complete remission, which is the complete response as per above mentioned criteria.

     

    So the 50% decrease (if compared with baseline) fits the partial response.

    Thanks,  I guess now it will

    Thanks,  I guess now it will be let s wait and see what happens next.

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