Sept 15 - Met with Dr. Jackman from Dana Farber. First of all, chest scan from last week indicated no clots in the lungs, cancer has gotten a little bigger, and there is more fluid outside the lung. Joan asked what the fluid is from, Dr. Jackman indicated it is from the cancer.
Biopsy of the adrenal did see cancer. It is "poorly differentiated carcinoma", the pathologists had a hard time figuring out the type of cancer, which means that Joe falls into the 15% category where they cannot identify the type of lung cancer (small cell vs non small cell). However with all the information and data they have (Dana Farber), it's lung cancer. They don't think it was related to the bladder cancer at all. But since the cancer has gone to another organ, the cancer is in his blood stream. It could also be elsewhere, but it just can't be seen yet. As a result, it can't be cured and they can't radiate. Radiation would be a possibility if the mass was preventing Joe from breathing, then radiation would be used to shrink the mass to help him breathe, but that is only to relieve a symptom (breathing), nothing else. Joe can breathe right now, and when it's difficult, he has oxygen.
The goal is to try and manage the cancer and make Joe feel better and live longer. Dr. Jackman feels using 2 types of chemotherapy, sequentially, will help attain that goal. The side effects are loss of hair (about 2-3 weeks after treatment begins, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, muscle aches, numbing and tingling in the hands and feet, low blood counts, infection, bleeding, anemia, etc. Rare side effects are damage to the liver, kidney, or lungs. Hearing loss is another side effect.....but Joan feels that's been happening during their whole marriage. The first round of chemo will be this Friday and it is a 4-5 hour process between blood work, meeting with the doctor and then receiving the chemo intravenously. Jeffrey will take Joe and Joan in for the treatment.
Joe will also start some steroids and he will have 2 different medications to control the nausea. Currently, Dr. Jackman feels there will be up to 6 rounds of chemo, once every three weeks. Except for the first round, Joe will have a scan the day before his treatment to assess whether the chemo is having an impact.
Joan has had Joe out and about over the past few days and he does look better. He didn't need any oxygen today when we were at the appointment. Joan was planning on taking Joe out later today for McDonald French fries and maybe a frappe.
The biggest thing right now for Joe is: 1.) get as many fluids as possible every day, 2.) get as many calories as possible and it doesn't matter where the calories come from, and 3.) try and stay healthy. Because Joe will be susceptible to infections, nobody should visit who may have any infection, cold, flu, sniffles. etc. Joe needs to stay strong!
Biopsy of the adrenal did see cancer. It is "poorly differentiated carcinoma", the pathologists had a hard time figuring out the type of cancer, which means that Joe falls into the 15% category where they cannot identify the type of lung cancer (small cell vs non small cell). However with all the information and data they have (Dana Farber), it's lung cancer. They don't think it was related to the bladder cancer at all. But since the cancer has gone to another organ, the cancer is in his blood stream. It could also be elsewhere, but it just can't be seen yet. As a result, it can't be cured and they can't radiate. Radiation would be a possibility if the mass was preventing Joe from breathing, then radiation would be used to shrink the mass to help him breathe, but that is only to relieve a symptom (breathing), nothing else. Joe can breathe right now, and when it's difficult, he has oxygen.
The goal is to try and manage the cancer and make Joe feel better and live longer. Dr. Jackman feels using 2 types of chemotherapy, sequentially, will help attain that goal. The side effects are loss of hair (about 2-3 weeks after treatment begins, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, muscle aches, numbing and tingling in the hands and feet, low blood counts, infection, bleeding, anemia, etc. Rare side effects are damage to the liver, kidney, or lungs. Hearing loss is another side effect.....but Joan feels that's been happening during their whole marriage. The first round of chemo will be this Friday and it is a 4-5 hour process between blood work, meeting with the doctor and then receiving the chemo intravenously. Jeffrey will take Joe and Joan in for the treatment.
Joe will also start some steroids and he will have 2 different medications to control the nausea. Currently, Dr. Jackman feels there will be up to 6 rounds of chemo, once every three weeks. Except for the first round, Joe will have a scan the day before his treatment to assess whether the chemo is having an impact.
Joan has had Joe out and about over the past few days and he does look better. He didn't need any oxygen today when we were at the appointment. Joan was planning on taking Joe out later today for McDonald French fries and maybe a frappe.
The biggest thing right now for Joe is: 1.) get as many fluids as possible every day, 2.) get as many calories as possible and it doesn't matter where the calories come from, and 3.) try and stay healthy. Because Joe will be susceptible to infections, nobody should visit who may have any infection, cold, flu, sniffles. etc. Joe needs to stay strong!
