Another MD Anderson Visit

I got to Houston late Sunday night for another round of tests and doctor visits this week at MD Anderson.  Yesterday was definitely the roughest test day I've had yet, but I got through it by only shedding a few tears ;).  First was the echocardiogram.  Dr. Hennessy wanted me to have yet another one (only the fourth one I've had in the past 6 weeks) because of the lung issues I've been having lately.  There is something to be said for being thorough, I suppose, but I'll just put it this way...I have a few bruises today from where she pressed so hard (she didn't get a clear enough view for the cardiologist's liking, so I had to go early this morning for an echo with contrast).  But the really fun part was yet to come.  After blood work, I had a diagnostic mammogram.  In my last one, they found a spot that looked like a skin calcification, but Dr. H wanted to make sure that's all it was.  Jeeze, Louise!!  Having a mammogram is painful enough, but this one lasted about an hour.  I'm pretty sure the mammography tech had demons in her!  OK, That 's probably a little dramatic, but this is the only test throughout three years of dealing with this that has brought me to tears.  The calcification was located more along the chest wall rather than the breast, so getting an actual scan of it was like trying to put my chest in the machine.  The first tech all but maimed me, and still couldn't get a decent view of the area, so she called in for reinforcements.  Another tech showed up who who eventually held me "in place" while the original tech lowered the vice...still no luck.  So they decide to have a little conference in front of the computer, not realizing I was still...entrapped.  Yes, I should have said something, but I didn't realize at the time their conference was going to last 10 minutes.  Finally they told me I could sit down while the called their supervisor to offer her 2 cents' worth.  By this time, as tears were streaming down my face, I told them I couldn't move.  Only then did they realize I was still maintaining the position, and released the grip.  They did apologize profusely, but that ain't gonna make it hurt any less!!  But the good news is at least I have matching bruises on my chest!! :))  Actually, the good news is that once the supervisor came in and had a look at the scans they'd already done, she determined they had a good enough view and that it was, in fact, just a benign calcification.  For that, I am thankful.

Okay, I think I'm over the dramatic stuff, so it's on to what Dr. H had to say.  First of all, I'm stable!!  He said my lungs were clear, and my abdomin showed no signs of any cancer progression.  My CA125 has gone up to 196, however.  He said at this point, he is not concerned about it, though, because I just started a new drug a month ago.  He said lots of chemos do their work by breaking down the cancer cells, therefore there would be more pieces of them in my body, and would cause CA125 readings to be higher.  I am on Aromasin, which is an armotase inhibitor.  He thinks it will work for me because my cancer is in his words, "markedly estrogen positive".  If it works like it does for breast cancer patients, it will starve the cells of estrogen and cause them to die.  Because I have only been on it for a month, it is too soon to tell if it working or not.  He wants me to be on it a full three months before a determination is made on it's efficacy.  So that means I will come back for another round of tests in August.  I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I asked him what we would do if Aromasin doesn't work.  Because my cancer is also low grade, IV chemo isn't a good option for me.  So he mentioned a few other drugs (pills) we could try that aren't listed as typical OvCa drugs, but are showing signs they might possibly work on low grade cells.  So, that was also good news...I'm not at the end of the rope on drugs to try.  

I've been waiting since the beginning of May for someone to tell me what is causing my breathing problems.  In one day, he answered a question that three other docs haven't been able to answer in six weeks.  Turns out, I have pneumotitis from Gemzar.  Makes perfect sense since Gemzar originally was used to treat lung cancer.  He said effects could be cumulative, and since I was on it for nine months, it eventually got me so down and out, it made breathing a chore.  He said if the time ever comes that I do have to go back on IV chemo, I need to avoid Gemzar.  Because my doc at home is such an idiot most of the time, he also said (in a very polite way) that he wants to take over my treatment plan.  More good news!!

So that's the story this time.  I'm relieved and hoping Aromasin does it's job.  I can't wait to see that CA125 reading in the single digits.

Gail