Update of Today's Update

Hi all, 

Okay. I'm going to come right out and say it and stop all the tension. 

Not as good news as we would have hoped so you have me and my incessant ramblings for a bit longer I'm afraid as my treatment is set to continue. 

Although the tumour has gone down lots and is basically approx 1cm x 2cm x 2cm from it's original size of a tennis ball, it still has some activity. The pet suv reading which is how much glucose it sucks up, has gone from 26 to 6 which is a considerable decline but is unfortunately not good enough. 

The fact that the tumour is still there leads to two thought processes- either this last bit is immune to the chemo and has it's own little waste and toxin sorting valve in it's cells which they can sometimes grow, that spits out all the chemo before it can attack. It wouldn't matter the combination of drugs as this mechanism in the cell rejects any foreign entity. The alternative is that it may just need that big blast to kick it up the backside. Similar to when dieting- its that last 1/2 pound that you can't shake after losing 5!

Which one it is we don't know and perhaps won't know until we start whichever treatment we start. So that's where my choices come in, each with their own benefits and pitfalls. 

To spare you all the long discussion, to the advice of prof and support of Amy, simon and the macmillian advisor Russ my decision seems to be a no brainer. Rather than opt for the blasting of chemo which may not even work if this last bit is immune to any chemicals and means I will have to feel as crappy as I did (and lose all my hair again), I am opting for radiotherapy. This is going to mean that I will be attending charring cross hospital each day for a month for my treatment when it begins. Although this does come with an increased risk in breast cancer in later life (1 in 5 rather than 1 in 8) and potential heart problems, it also comes with an 80% success rate which is good enough for me. The radiation will be localised to the small tumour and will be given in short and low doses so to reduce any of the long or short term side effects of which are much less aggressive than if I had high dose chemo and a stem cell transplant. Saying that, those might be on the cards after radiation if I am one of the unlucky 20%. 

So now I wait. I am being referred to a radiotherapy specialist at charring cross and treatment will start over the next month or so. 

Sorry I couldn't bring you better news and alas our stonker of a holiday is put on hold maybe until the autumn/ spring but that just means it will be all the sweeter when it comes!

Lots of love and kisses
Em
Xxx

Sent from my iPhone