Doesn't anyone have an issue with a doctor giving the patient his path report (with all its "medical-ese") and making him wait for yet another month without any explanation?
-Les
1/2005 Dx PSA 26.5 Gleason 7 (4+3) @Age 61
1/2005 Start Casodex and Zoladex
PSA drops to <0.01
7/2005-8/2005 5 weeks of IMRT and then HDR brachy
1/2007 Rad Oncologist orders CT scan of pelvis
because of complaints of pain in both thighs
MRI confirms pain not caused by cancer BUT
1/2007 CT scan of pelvis picks up a nodule at bottom of left lung
5/2007 CT scan of lungs shows 1/2007 nodule has grown and
there are numerous nodules on both lungs.
6/2007 Thoracic surgeon removes wedge of left lung for biopsy
6/2007 Path report says 95% chance of metastatic PCa, but she's
never seen cells like this before.
8/2007 2nd opinion at M.D. Anderson in Houston.
They confirm: mutated PCa, very rare, but seen there 2 or
3 times. Recommendation: have CT scans every 6 weeks
and watch for change. At that point start chemo and will
survive for 22 - 24 months thereafter.
PSA still undetectable, but get Lupron shot to bring T down from 27
2/2008 Trip to Houston – PSA now 0.5 and nodules larger. Lupron shot.
6/2008 Trip to Houston - Finally got results from doc. A number of lung nodules have grown, but, more important to him, is the fact that the malignant lesion on my pelvis seems to have flared up and he wants me to start chemo. He said I could wait a few months, but I told him I want to start now. He to get me signed up for a clinical trial in nearby NY.
9/2008 Interim bone and CT scans show progress vs. scans done before beginning trial. I'm cautiously optimistic. Next scans 10/30/08.
Post Edited (Gordy) : 10/14/2008 5:42:05 PM (GMT-6)