Much better news than I thought!!

I had my CT scans today and met with my oncologist and although I have one confirmed new subcutaneous tumor and another existing tumor that has doubled in size, my chest and abdomen remain clear and the tumor next to my spine has not changed in size. This is very encouraging news as I was worried that with new tumors that I could feel, I might also have new tumors in internal areas as well.

However, my oncologists feels that we should not wait much longer to try immunotherapy: to begin it while I am still very healthy and able to tolerate the treatment. So at the end of January I will have a PET scan to definitively assess the existing tumors and an MRI of my brain and neck to make sure that there are no lesions there. In early February, I will begin Interleukin 2 which requires hospitalization during the week long treatments.

I am much relieved! As some of you know, I was expecting much worse. It is often hard to be continually optimistic in the face of this disease. All in all, this is great news to begin the new year!!