Re: Amanda R :) from California - Dx 2009
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:51 am
Hello again dear Amanda,
Since you have eleven CT scan visible mets (and unfortunately given the nature of this disease possibly more microscopic ones which are not currently visible on the scans), and Cryo can only remove a couple at a time, it may be a better option to have a thoracotomy to try to remove all of them. This certainly seems to have been a successful approach with CureSearch's daughter who has now had stable disease with no new tumors and no growth and even some shrinkage of her few remaining lung mets since her last thoracotomy in 2007. Cryo is much less invasive than a thoracotomy with a faster recovery time, but it is usually best used to treat individual unresectable/dangerously located lung mets smaller than three centimeters. Dr. Littrup always made it clear to us that Cryo was an intervention and not a cure, and that Brittany's other multiple lung mets would ultimately need to be addressed with resection (thoracotomy) or a systemic treatment to shrink/destroy them. While I think that a thoracotomy may be the best treatment approach for you if you cannot afford laser resection with Dr. Rolle in Germany, which I personally think would be the best approach since he is able to remove so many microscopic mets, I think that it should be done sooner than six months and hope that you can convince your oncologists to schedule it sooner. I also would encourage you to have the other scans ( pelvic and abdominal CT's, brain MRI, bone scan) if you haven't done so recently because our experience with Brittany was that when her lung mets started increasing in size, she also heartbreakingly developed mets in other parts of her body. Vigilant scanning is so very important in managing and fighting this disease so that any new mets can be found and treated at their smallest most treatable size.
I am so glad that you have such a wonderful oncologist in Dr. Forscher and that he is so responsive to your concerns, caring, supportive, and encouraging. Please take care dear Amanda, stay positive and strong as you always have been, and keep the Board updated as you are able.
With warm hugs, deepest caring, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
Since you have eleven CT scan visible mets (and unfortunately given the nature of this disease possibly more microscopic ones which are not currently visible on the scans), and Cryo can only remove a couple at a time, it may be a better option to have a thoracotomy to try to remove all of them. This certainly seems to have been a successful approach with CureSearch's daughter who has now had stable disease with no new tumors and no growth and even some shrinkage of her few remaining lung mets since her last thoracotomy in 2007. Cryo is much less invasive than a thoracotomy with a faster recovery time, but it is usually best used to treat individual unresectable/dangerously located lung mets smaller than three centimeters. Dr. Littrup always made it clear to us that Cryo was an intervention and not a cure, and that Brittany's other multiple lung mets would ultimately need to be addressed with resection (thoracotomy) or a systemic treatment to shrink/destroy them. While I think that a thoracotomy may be the best treatment approach for you if you cannot afford laser resection with Dr. Rolle in Germany, which I personally think would be the best approach since he is able to remove so many microscopic mets, I think that it should be done sooner than six months and hope that you can convince your oncologists to schedule it sooner. I also would encourage you to have the other scans ( pelvic and abdominal CT's, brain MRI, bone scan) if you haven't done so recently because our experience with Brittany was that when her lung mets started increasing in size, she also heartbreakingly developed mets in other parts of her body. Vigilant scanning is so very important in managing and fighting this disease so that any new mets can be found and treated at their smallest most treatable size.
I am so glad that you have such a wonderful oncologist in Dr. Forscher and that he is so responsive to your concerns, caring, supportive, and encouraging. Please take care dear Amanda, stay positive and strong as you always have been, and keep the Board updated as you are able.
With warm hugs, deepest caring, healing wishes, and continued Hope,
Bonni
its just to much money for me as a mother that is now now able to work like i did it would be impossible. 