• Registered: Thu, 16 Nov 2006
  • Posts: 171

Topic: Good PET scan

I've just had a good PET scan -- no sign of cancer. 

I am amazed by this as I have been having MRI at regular intervals with my chemo treatment and it has shown no change for the past 4 months. So, I was content with the chemo working and holding the line on the cancer. (Actually estatic that the chemo seems to be working.)

My cancer history is --
diagnosed November 2005 with a liver mass of 9cm,

surgery December 2005 where they took out my right lobe of the liver, gall bladder, appendix, and a generous slab of omentum and part of my right diaphram.  Thankfully the surgeon was able to get good margins and felt like he "got it all"

Did one round of chemo in March 2006 with Xeloda pills, Oxiplatin, and Avastin.  Had some nasty side effect from the Avastin and decide to go into the "Wait and See" mode.

Had recurrence of many tumors in my liver and peritoneum (membrane lining the abdominal cavity).  Major bummer!

Considered doing radiation in the liver -- Ser Sphere but decide to go with chemo as it would address both the peritoneum and the liver.  Started on Gemcitabine and Carboplatin in late August. The side effects weren't bad at all.

Had a bad MRI report where it looks like the chemo isn't working. Had a 3 week chemo break in October -- a trip to Italy with lots of pasta and gelato!

Had another MRI in October to evaluate before changing regimes and it showed a decrease in tumors.... very strange.  So We decide to stay with Gemcitabine and Carboplatin -- 2 weeks of IV infusin on Day 1 and 8 then 1 week off on day 15.

In January and February, I experimented with chronotherapy where I would have the Gemcitabine early in the morning and Carboplatin in the late afteroon.  There are some links in the Research section on chronotherapy.  The side effects were lessened, but the MRI showed no change.

Then, the good PET scan.

By the way, I also take alot of supplements, vitamins, green tea, do Qi Gong, guided imagery CDs, meditate some, and work full time -- but not strenuously.

So,  I'm not sure what cause the good PET scan.  But I am going to back off a bit on the chemo -- going to every other week and drop the carboplatin.  I'll have another MRI in 4 or 6 weeks and see how things are.  And I wonder when the tumors stop metabolizing, and why there hasn't been any shrinking.  Still I feel cautiously optimistic as I have been feeling quite tired of feeling like a blob after each chemo session.

G

  • Geoff
  • Senior Member
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  • Registered: Sun, 19 Mar 2006
  • Posts: 66

Re: Good PET scan

That's excellent news, I'm so happy for you.  I also had the Gem-Carbo combination and it did seem to be working for me (slight shrinkage of about 10% which in fact counts as "stable") but after just 3 months they had to suspend the chemotherapy due me not tolerating it very well - what happened was that my platelets  fell to a dangerously low level and didn't recover very much after the chemo was stopped. Seems like some people tolerate chemo better than others, but obviously it's quite an effective combo.

Hoping that your next MRI is good, best of luck

Geoff

  • Registered: Sat, 09 Dec 2006
  • Posts: 514

Re: Good PET scan

I'm so glad to hear your uplifting news! May you stay healthy a long, long time! We need you and Jeff and all the other tough survivors to stick around as inspiration for the rest of us! - Joyce

  • JeffG
  • Moderator
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  • From: Kansas
  • Registered: Mon, 16 Oct 2006
  • Posts: 1,242

Re: Good PET scan

G,   Glad to hear your positive news.  I started off with gem/carb combo.  Did 9 cycles of it before stopping as at the end I was having low platelets and had to do filgrastim injection.  Over the treatment period I reached 50% shrinkage in the liver and stable to little shrinkage in my lungs.  I found the carboplatin to be a little rough as far as nueropathy in my feet.  Otherwise not bad side effects.  It did grow back obviously.  I tried conformal 3D radiation in December and got a 2.5 cm shrinkage but 6 weeks after it grew back to where I was to start with.  No side effects at all from this type radiation except a little sluggish.  Keep on riding that bronco you'll tame it sooner or later!

Best to Ya!
Jeff G.

Take it to the Limit,One More Time! (Eagles)
  • Registered: Thu, 16 Nov 2006
  • Posts: 171

Re: Good PET scan

Thanks Geoff, Joyce, and Jeff.

I appreciate your good wishes and know that I hope the best for you all in return.

G