CT scans update

I heard from Dr. M about the CT scans of my brain and pelvis that were done on Thursday.  They were required prior to entry into the clinical trial.  Despite my fears, my brain CT was normal.  The pelvic CT showed an ovarian cyst.  I am assuming it is the same one that showed up on my PET scan and ultra sound back in Oct. of  '09.  Unfortunately the radiologist reading the scans did not have the benefit of those records because they are at Group Health and SCCA cannot access the records.   So it is unclear whether I will have to have further tests to confirm that the cyst is non cancerous (which I think would be redundant), or worst case, whether I will be excluded from the clinical trial.  I hope this can be resolved so I can start on the new therapy, as scheduled, for this Wednesday.  As a champion worrier, however, I will be  focused on the worst case scenario until it is ruled out.

I have been reading The Emperor of All Maladies, by Dr. Siddhartha Muhkerjee, and recommend it highly to one and all.  It is a very readable history of cancer and its treatment, filled with anecdotes about the famous and not so famous people who have played a part in this Grand Guignol of medicine.  Dr. Muhkerjee is empathic and tells very entertaining stories.  My only quibble is that I don't think that either he or his editor really knows what the origin and actual definition of the word decimate is.  But I am one of those picky individuals who does not think that the word impact is a verb, either.