Shrinking tumor!

Kyle and I went to the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center with my parents today. This is where my dad has oncology appointments and receives treatments. We saw Dr. Ritch, and my dad had a chemotherapy treatment.

After having four treatments out of a scheduled seven, the CT scan showed some shrinkage of the tumor mass in the body and tail of the pancreas!!! No cancer was seen on the CT scan in the abdomen or lungs. There can be cancer in these areas that doesn't show up on a CT scan. However, it is still better to not see cancer in these areas on the CT scan than to have them show up with cancer.

Also, the blood test used to monitor patients with pancreatic cancer had favorable results. My dad's level in January was about 4500; the result from Friday's test was 1162! More information about this test called the CA 19-9 Radioimmunoassay test is available on the PanCAN Website.

Dr Ritch said this is "very good news" especially considering my dad only had about half of the scheduled treatments! Unfortunately, we don't know how long the tumor will continue to respond to the treatments.

As was anticipated, chemotherapy treatments will now follow a three weeks on followed by one week off schedule. CT scans will be done after every two cycles. The treatments will still be once per week.

Chemotherapy days follow a usual pattern and take the whole morning. Blood draws are done first. Chemotherapy treatment is last. In the middle there is much waiting. Sometimes my dad has other appointments scheduled at the clinic. These occupy some of the waiting time. My dad may see Mary Jo (the psychiatric nurse practitioner), Dr. Ritch (the oncologist) or the rabbi (the rabbi). Mary Jo manages my dad's "psychedelic drugs" as he likes to call the antidepressant medication. Dr. Ritch monitors the cancer and manages the chemotherapy treatments. The rabbi provides spiritual care.

My family appreciates all of your prayers thus far. Keep up the good work! Also, I have a request: post a comment. My parents don't understand how many of you are reading this blog to keep up on his progress. Please post a comment to let them know you've been reading the blog, thinking about them, or praying. Thanks.

p.s. My dad's weight is up to 136 pounds from a low of 127. More good news. :-)