Can't Catch a Break........PET Update

I am feeling so good. Thrilled with my office visits last week. Handling the Xeloda nausea great, no hand - foot so far. At the Carolina vs Alabama game with my family enjoying life despite the circumstances.

Back up at Duke for treatments # 9 - 13. I met with the Onc's PA and she went over the blookwork. Everything looks fine, hands me two sheets instead of three so I assume they aren't doing CEA. In my room last night an email came in saying that new documents had been posted. So I checked it out. They showed that a CEA had been done and not only had it be done, it came in at a 52. It was 12.5 before my liver resection. I took my handy Ativan and went to sleep listening to the preacher from our church.

I thought they would meet me at the door of radiation and say No Treatment Today....you go straight to the doctor. But they didn't. I had it and then saw him. He was very nice and not too happy about the way I found out but you know after doing this so long..........nice way/stinky way.........the news is still the news.''

He said the rise was too large to explain with dying cells and that there is probably growth somewhere. I knew that. So I am looking at a scan at some point to find out where it is. Of course, I was feeling great so I let Ben stay home and I am up here by myself. But I have my work and that is occupying my time.

I suppose they will recommend stopping the radiation and resuming some form of chemo.

What makes me mad is that I feel great!

Catherine


UPDATE*****

First thank you all for the encouragement. It was most helpful.

This Monday the CEA came in at 40.1. Not the plummet I wanted but the right trend. Fourth week on Xeloda and no signs of hand-foot, so I am liking that. I don't seem to be getting fatigued yet either. The Zofran nails the nausea.

The PET shows a lymph node that we have been watching is bigger but not as bright. I have to confess I didn't ask about that too much, meaning being dimmer versus bigger. I knew that this alone couldn't explain such a large number.

Three new small lesions in the left lobe, actually the only lobe. So it's back to the team I go. There is no plan to stop the radiation as of yet. My options could be surgery, radiation, chemo. Hopefully a mix of at least two. I asked the doc, who is a radiation oncologist, if asking about a second liver resection was unreasonable and he said no but we would have to talk to Dr. Clary.

Tuesdays are Doc days at Duke, so I guess I will know more about the game plan then. Until then, I continue on with the radiotherapy and Xeloda, which is fine with me.

The lymph node is in the retroperitoneal area, so outside of where the HIPEC was done. I think the Radiotion Oncologist would rather deal with that with surgery because it is in the area of the bowel and the bowel doesn't like radiation. If we used radiation on that, then it would have to be the 6 week flavor instead of the 3-5 day stereotactic because of the bowel. He is worried about the toll on my family that would take after having been up here for 6 weeks for this round of radiation.

I'll let y'all know what the team has to say next week.

Thanks,

Catherine