Intent to Treat

I got those words for the first time from my Dr in Iowa City, Dr O'Dorisio.  I have been seeing Dr Odo for about 6 years now to help my Doctor here in Colorado Springs understand how to treat this rare cancer.

My main tumor markers are trending upwards at this point in a relatively dramatic fashion over the last year with my Pancreostatin increasing by a factor of four (see http://goo.gl/JT8RD).  Pancreostatin is a strong indicator of the amount and activity of tumor in my Liver and a CT scan I had last week indicates that  liver activity is exactly what I have going on.

So, what do we do now?  The first treatment I will be likely receiving is Sir-Spheres yearly next year.  This is a treatment where radioactive microspheres are inserted directly into my liver through the femoral artery.  This is done as an outpatient procedure and the main side affects are some flu like symptoms for a couple of days after the surgery.  On the plus side, I will be officially significantly radioactive for about a week!  It is recommended that I don't do any cross country travel by plane or train nor should I sleep in a bed with anyone else.  I have to stay away from children and pregnant women as well.

These microspheres will lodge themselves in blood vessels where the tumors have congregated in my liver and, for about two weeks, will burn the tumors away.  After two weeks, the tumor should be significantly reduced in my liver and, over the next few months, my liver will regenerate and we will wait for the cancer to come back.  This treatment usually be repeated about three times before it becomes ineffective but that is not to worry.

There are further treatments that are coming down the pipe.  Steve Jobs has a cancer that is very similar to mine and went to Bassel Switzerland (http://goo.gl/AwKon) to have a systemic (whole body) treatment.  This treatment is just starting to be explored in the US down in Dallas and I would anticipate that it will be available here before I need it.  If it is not, I will need to find a way to come up with the $20,000 it requires for travel and treatment in Bassel.