Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Back to Treatments
The surgeon, Dr. Flynn, called yesterday with the pathology report on the tumor which was removed last week and it showed that it was squamous cell cancer AGAIN. In meeting with the oncologist today, we learned that the cancer is spreading through the blood system and not the lymph system and can show up in any location and thus far we are fortunate that Mark's has not shown up in any vital organs.
The remedy? We are awaiting a call from Dr. Canaday who administers the radiation and Mark will start that as soon as they think the wound from the tumor removal is healed enough which should be in the next week or so. Dr. Aviles also wants to get Mark back on a chemo treatment. So, he is starting today with a chemo pill to be taken at home which has been very effective with many cancers recently and so they are often going this route rather than intravenous treatments. It usually causes less side effects and less nausea but Mark has had problems with alternatives in the past so we are hoping the side effects on him will be minimal. The pill is called "xeloda" and it retails for $1,644 for 84 but we only had to pay a small co-pay! Dr. Aviles intends to keep Mark on this chemo pill for many months if it is not causing problems. In a sense, the radiation will treat the spot exactly where he had the recent tumor removed and the chemo will be chasing the remaining cancer through his system and trying to kill it off before it casuses more tumors or damage to the vital organs.
Mark will be followed closely, about every three weeks, with blood tests and visits with Dr. Aviles in the upcoming months. I'll plan to report back by mid-January unless something unexpected occurs prior to that.
Mark is disappointed to be back on both chemo and radiation as he had hoped to escape this time with just radiation. However, Dr. Aviles has been postponing the xeloda treatments until Mark was stronger after his miserable summer of hospitalizations, pneumonia and treatments. He thinks it is time to pursue this course and with any luck, Mark will be done with radiation and have a few follow-ups with Dr. Aviles and we can consider returning to Puerto Rico at the end of January or beginning of February and bring the pills with us.
Our company holiday party at the Cape Codder was a lot of fun as usual. Of course, Mark was a little sore with all the hugging and pats on the back on his tumor but it was great to see everyone and he arrived early and left late. Kevin has been home for the past five days and we have had many family gatherings to share an early Christmas with him. He leaves tomorrow to return to the west, do some racing and celebrating Christmas with Katie and her family in Sacramento.
We are hoping you all enjoy a happy Christmas season with those you love and wish you good health, days of joy and memories to cherish in the upcoming year.
Meanwhile, the best manner of corresponding is thru me (Nancy) at sheehan@cape.com
Mark generally reaches out in contacting friends and family when he is feeling up to it but leans toward isolating when he is in treatment.
The remedy? We are awaiting a call from Dr. Canaday who administers the radiation and Mark will start that as soon as they think the wound from the tumor removal is healed enough which should be in the next week or so. Dr. Aviles also wants to get Mark back on a chemo treatment. So, he is starting today with a chemo pill to be taken at home which has been very effective with many cancers recently and so they are often going this route rather than intravenous treatments. It usually causes less side effects and less nausea but Mark has had problems with alternatives in the past so we are hoping the side effects on him will be minimal. The pill is called "xeloda" and it retails for $1,644 for 84 but we only had to pay a small co-pay! Dr. Aviles intends to keep Mark on this chemo pill for many months if it is not causing problems. In a sense, the radiation will treat the spot exactly where he had the recent tumor removed and the chemo will be chasing the remaining cancer through his system and trying to kill it off before it casuses more tumors or damage to the vital organs.
Mark will be followed closely, about every three weeks, with blood tests and visits with Dr. Aviles in the upcoming months. I'll plan to report back by mid-January unless something unexpected occurs prior to that.
Mark is disappointed to be back on both chemo and radiation as he had hoped to escape this time with just radiation. However, Dr. Aviles has been postponing the xeloda treatments until Mark was stronger after his miserable summer of hospitalizations, pneumonia and treatments. He thinks it is time to pursue this course and with any luck, Mark will be done with radiation and have a few follow-ups with Dr. Aviles and we can consider returning to Puerto Rico at the end of January or beginning of February and bring the pills with us.
Our company holiday party at the Cape Codder was a lot of fun as usual. Of course, Mark was a little sore with all the hugging and pats on the back on his tumor but it was great to see everyone and he arrived early and left late. Kevin has been home for the past five days and we have had many family gatherings to share an early Christmas with him. He leaves tomorrow to return to the west, do some racing and celebrating Christmas with Katie and her family in Sacramento.
We are hoping you all enjoy a happy Christmas season with those you love and wish you good health, days of joy and memories to cherish in the upcoming year.
Meanwhile, the best manner of corresponding is thru me (Nancy) at sheehan@cape.com
Mark generally reaches out in contacting friends and family when he is feeling up to it but leans toward isolating when he is in treatment.
# posted by The Sheehan Family @ 1:57 PM 
