Friends,
On Monday, I went in for my PET scan. In this procedure, radioactively labeled sugars are injected and allowed to be taken up by cells in the body. Because cancer cells particularly love sugar, the radioactivity mostly ends up in the cancer cells. Scanning for radioactivity highlights the location of tumor tissue.
Earlier this morning, we met with our oncologist, and he was very happy with the results! There is some of the lung tumor left, but the rib tumor is essentially gone. He said we won’t need to do any more chemo, but we will continue with the immunotherapy. Even though we’re all done with chemo, it will actually continue to work for a few more weeks.
Since immunotherapy is so new, it’s not really known how long it we will use it. The initial studies were done for 2 years, so he’s saying we’ll potentially go for 2 years, but he also said there’s a good chance we’ll stop early, depending on how things go. I’ll get another PET scan in March to see how things are going.
So the news is good! I still have limited lung capacity, which I’m looking forward to getting over, but I’m steadily improving if slowly. My visits to physical therapy are producing improvements to my posture and strength too.
Thanks for your continued prayers!
Erik
If you want to subscribe to these posts, click on the “Subscribe” link on the lower right corner of this page. The link will also appear if you start scrolling up from somewhere in the middle of the page.
doubloondiagnostic.com 
I don’t even know you and I’m not positive how I got on your blog, but I’ve been right with you all along your cancer journey. Great update today!!!
BTW, I’m a 22 year male breast cancer survivor.
Jason
LikeLike
Dear Erik,
This is fantastic news indeed. I wish and pray new year brings lots of happiness and improvement in your health. Take care.
Asha
LikeLike
Doc, Pressing on in prayer for you Erik! Really good to both read and see the results of these medical interventions so far.
Lenny Esposito may be our guest speaker on Fri. Jan. 31st for the first EOMH in 2025. If you are up to it, check out his topics and give us a timely preference / recommendation. His website is comereason.org.
LikeLike
THIS IS GREAT NEWS!! I am so grateful that things are headed in this direction. I am praying for your lung capacity to return to full functionality and am so thrilled to read that you are done with chemo! When you shared that you were stage 4, I could not have imagined that you would rebound in this way. Praise God all day, every day. I understand that this remains a difficult journey and that the future is not promised. I am still grateful for today and where this looks like it’s heading. As always, I’m asking God for your complete healing, back to where you were before and better than before. That lofty prayer doesn’t even look all that far from fulfillment! Thank you for these updates and have a fantastic weekend!
[cid:e5a3a174-0449-44cb-9cb2-8d28ca178e5a]
Joey Versace
Scholar Community Growth Specialist
Reasons.org
(626) 335-1480 ext.147
LikeLike