Day 112 | Change in Treatment Schedule

General Update 

Can you believe it's been 112 days?! Seems crazy that 1/3 of a year has been dedicated to Cancer. I'm ready to hand the C-word its evicition notice. But, there are some steps in between now and 295ish days...the potential end of treatment. 

I'm doing pretty well on my fourth and final round of AC. Some stomach issues. Some reduced appetite. Some fatigue. More sleeping. ...but pretty well overall. Glad to be done with the "red death". On to bigger / better things ... the next rounds of chemo! ....A little depressing, but, seriously, that's what's next. 

Early Taxol

Due to the aggressive nature of Triple Negative Breast Cancer, and how well I'm tolerating treatment...My treatment is changing again. Originally, the plan was to AC x 4, ending on 3.15, then a break till May for Taxol, a third type of chemo. 

First change, already noted: After reading about some success with trials in Triple Negative, we decided to add carboplatin, a fourth type of chemo, into the mix.  More on "carbo" and TNBC if you're interested.

Now, another change: Instead of waiting till May to start Taxol, I am starting on schedule on April 5. I will take four Taxol treatments, a three week break, and then, Taxol / Carboplatin mix for eight more weeks. With a possible Carbo boost at the end. 

New Treatment Calendar

• 4.05, 12, 19, 26: Taxol only
• 5.17: PET Scan
• 5.17 - or - 5.24: Carbo / Taxol
• 5.31: Taxol
• 6.7: Taxol
• 6.14: Carbo/Taxol
• 6.21: Taxol
• 6.28: Taxol
• 7.5: Carbo/Taxol
• 7.12: Taxol
• 7.26: Carbo boost
• 8.6: Supraclavicular biopsy
• 8.9 - 9.22ish: Radiation 

PET Scans

You'll notice I added the PET scan on/around 5.17. These aren't scanning for a new puppy (though boyfriend has been campaigning for a goldendoodle at the end of this :), it's a full body cancer scan.

Positron Emission Tomography: An imaging test that checks for diseases in your body. The scan uses a special dye that has radioactive tracers. These tracers are injected into a vein in your arm. Your organs and tissues then absorb the tracer.

One of the main differences between PET scans and other imaging tests like CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is that the PET scan reveals the cellular level metabolic changes occurring in an organ or tissue. This is important and unique because disease processes often begin with functional changes at the cellular level. A PET scan can often detect these very early changes whereas a CT or MRI detect changes a little later as the disease begins to cause changes in the structure of organs or tissues.

Okay, Mumbo Jumbo....What does that mean? 

If the PET shows that my cancer is anywhere besides the badly behaved supraclavicular node, this "new" treatment plan my be thrown out the window in exchange for extended chemo treatment and/or clinical trials in addition to or in lieu of radiation.  

I've been on the lookout for clinicals in which I may participate, but seems like a big old goose egg right now...So, hopefully we won't need that step. 

So, that's it for now. 

More chemo, faster...but I'll be finished sooner too. 

For today, I am going to try to do the exercise bike, as exercise has been shown to lower recurrence. I'll also try to eat something....because I guess eating is good =) We made guac and crab legs for dinner last night, so I'm thinking eggs and guac would be a nice meal.