This morning I got an email from a friend who has a thoracic surgeon for a brother. She was kind enough to refer him to my blog and ask him his opinion on my course of treatment (chemo first then surgery as opposed to surgery first then chemo). He concurred with my other 3 doctors that really the key at this point is to attempt to control the microscopic disease. Without having that in control there is little point in going forward with surgery. Here's what he had to say in his own words:
"Wow, this guy should write novels. I managed to get what I could from the blog, which seems to skip over some details. As I see it, he has stage 4 colon cancer, and has had chemo followed by surgery. He then has an abcess and resulting fistula, but underwent removal of 2 liver mets. It seems he is just now starting his post-op chemo, and now he has at least 3 lung mets.The issue here is cancer behaviour. His tumour has clearly demonstrated an aggressive ability to spread. What we see is the tip of the old iceberg. His hope for control and potential cure rests with control of the microscopic disease, not what is visible. I think surgery now is ill-advised. Go for the chemo. If it allows further tumour growth, then clearly surgery is and would have been futile. If no further tumours appear, then consider removal of the lung lesions, assuming that complete re-staging shows nothing else.Believe it or not, cancer is no longer considered a surgical disease. Chemo used to be adjuvant treatment after surgery. Now surgery is adjuvant treatment to chemo, since microscopic disease is the real action.Best of luck to him. He sounds like a hell of a fighter, and attitude is hugely helpful in my opinion."
It seems that slowly we're accumulating a consensus among the doctors and that fact in itself is tremendously comforting. With each piece of information the path becomes a little more clear. I still plan to pursue getting a PET scan ASAP (still no word on that today!) as I see that being a helpful diagnostic tool going forward.
Happy Tuesday all.
3 comments:
That is comforting, missing you guys here but hopefully you can get a pet scan lined up asap.
It is all about attitude isn't it... and being a little pushy!
That is very comforting - just to REALLY know you are going the correct path is a good thing.
I fully agree with the brother surgeon's comments in regards to you writing novels:o)Seems attitude is everything & you have it. We missed seeing you with the start of your chemo, but were happy to see you had a great anniversary celebration. Love you all.
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