Monday, September 28, 2009

Winning the Trifecta

The biopsy results are back and they are not good. Yet they are still incomplete. Adenocarcinoma is diagnosed, moderately differentiated. They did not have enough material to identify the 'phenotype' and it is not definite that the lung is the primary site of the tumor.

I mentioned to my primary physician during the phone call that I wanted a full body scan or a PET scan to see where the cancer was in my body, and her immediate reaction was that the treatment was going to be targeting all fast growing cells in my body, so I didn't really have to identify the primary or other metastasizing sites. It's too hard to argue with my voice a mere whisper, so I will wait for when I meet the oncologists I have been scheduled with on Thursday afternoon.

Until then, I leave you with this thought. I had a chest x ray in 2005 and it showed no abnormalities. 4 years. If any of you have been considering a chest exam, I think it might not be a bad idea. This sort of cancer can remain undetected for quite a while.

3 comments:

Jolene said...

What have they told you about treatment, moe?

moe99 said...

No surgery because of where the tumors are positioned in my lung. So I get chemo and radiation therapy. Hell of a way to lose weight. And I was always secretly vain about my hair. Time to buy a few soft hats.

The Subtle Rudder said...

Oh, man...damn.

I would want to know where it started, too.

Having been through this with a few too many friends, I think you should rock at least one glamorous headscarf and also lay in a supply of TV-DVDs for those low-energy radiation/chemo days. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a great model to use for vanquishing invaders, and it lasts for seven whole seasons...more slayage for your buck. Think of the cancer cells as demons and vampires and go all girlpower on them.