MIdway Report

8 January 2009, Thursday

I had an appointment on Tuesday with the oncologist to review the PET scan that I had done on Monday. The results showed consistent with the CT scan that my condition is stabilised (good news #1) and the cancer cells activity is a little bit less inflamed orange, as compared to before treatment (good news #2). Inflamed orange means that the cancer cells are active, while green means reduced activity. Also, in the liver, there used to be a horseshoe size of mass before the treatment. Now there is a small breakage in the mass. (good news #3).

With these positive results, the oncologist decided that I need not take Tarceva, as he previously recommended (which is more costly and the effectiveness is low in the clinical study). Instead, I am taking another additional oral chemo drug which is used for liver cancer and less costly. The latter drug is supposed to block the blood vessels and starve the cancer cells. Hopefully, killing them in the process. Will still conitnue the same chemo combination, which is well tolerated by me and the new drug will be the additional line of attack to the cancer cells. Side effect of the latest drug is that I will be sleepy. Hence, taking that at night and this should help me in my dreamland.

Will need to continue the chemo cycles for3 to 5 cycles, before he will decide on the next steps. We discussed about alternative treatments, such as liver transplant, photodynamic, etc, but these are all ruled out for me as the cancer cells are now too widespread. Both the oncologist and the Chinese sinseh asked me to take one step at a time and too plan too far ahead. Stay positive and maintain peace with myself.

Chinese sinseh also allows me to eat some of the forbidden food in low amount for the CNY period (there is a list of forbidden food from the Chinese sinseh, including chicken, lamb, prawn, crab and spicy food). At the very least, I get to enjoy CNY this year as my rest week will be one week before and 1st week of CNY.