Annual monitoring schedule 2015

Annual monitoring schedule

Labs – Every 6 months to include:  CBC/PLT/DIFF; Chemo Panel (HEME/ONC); CRP Cardiac High Sensitivity currently high at 5.2 norm is 0-3.0;  ALC currently at 5.9 high which is pretty good, norm is 4.5-5.6; ALK Phos is 184 high; Calcitonin is normal, Chrom A is normal

Annual - Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis CT scans were done on 10/30/13 and 2/21/14; to reduce radiation exposure will change this to 1) Galium 68 full body scan possibly at Stanford by 4/30/15, or another US clinical trial by summer 2015 or 2) a tri-phase MRI or 3) an Octreotide full body scan. We need to see the areas with known metastases like the lungs to be able to measure for tumor growth and to look for any new metastases.

Annual - Bone scan will be done annually and does involve radiation. Last one done 5/8/14 will schedule for 2015. Last one showed bone mets in left iliac crest (hip) and lumbar spine 3,4,5 and 6.

Annual - Liver CT scan was done 4/2013 and 1/2015 showing no tumor growth. In the future will request a tri-phase MRI annually to reduce radiation.

Annual – Ultrasound (US) of the thyroid will be done annually to monitor for tumor growth. Several US were done at OHSU in 2013 and 2014 showing tumor reduction. Medullary thyroid cancer was deemed unlikely due to normal calcitonin levels.

Annual - 5HIAA 24 hour urine collection was done in 2013 and again in February 2015. Norm is 6 and below my rate was 0.6 indicating a very low proliferation rate for tumors consistent with the recent liver CT scan showing no tumor growth for almost 2 years from April 2013 to January 2015.

 

 

Now that I'm doing really well I'll probably reduce the amount of writing I'm doing in the blog. I'll still post major mile stones around these biomarkers and scans. If I get into a clinical trial I'll share that as well. For now I'll go to my interview at Stanford in 2 weeks on March 13 and see if I can get accepted there to have the Galium 68 scan.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers and love. As I mentioned in my last post I am really happy! Everything that all of us are doing is certainly working!