what's next

Today I had my oncology follow-up appointment after a CT scan yesterday. Although we got pathology back in the hospital, we didn't have any real answers about the future. It still feels a little like that, because who knows what could happen, but we are hoping and praying for the best over the next few years.

My tumor and long term prognosis is measured on four factors:
 - location
 - size
 - mitotic rate
 - rupture

Location - the stomach is where you want it. Much better than if it was in the small bowel.

Size - my final tumor measured at 21 cm, but it's unclear how much was tumor and what was blood. We won't really ever have that answer. But it was LARGE.  My CT scan from 5/7 can show you.

This is a top down view of my abdomen. Can you believe!? You can make out the liver (left), spleen (right), and kidneys (bottom). The rest is tumor.

Mitotic rate - low. It had been growing for years.

Rupture - there was bleeding during the surgery. They had to remove the blood so they could maneuver around the tumor. BUT the pathology showed good, negative margins and that the Gleevec had been working. Pathology said there was extensive treatment effect. As explained to me, that means a lot of the cells that leaked into the abdomen were dead and that is good news. There wasn't much "live" tumor leftover for the genetic exon testing to learn more about the tumor.

Taking in those factors, the statistics show that 84% are cancer free 2 years out and 71% of patients are still cancer free 5 years out.

So what's the plan? The plan is to heal a little more and then start back on Gleevec for a few years. I'll be taking a 200mg dose that the doctor feels will be effective without making me miserable. I'll still be fatigued and taking anti-nausea meds with it, but I feel good about 200. I was concerned it would be higher and my life would be harder if that were the case. I'll go for CT scans every three months for the first few years and then the time between will increase.

I'm just so glad that tumor is gone. You have no idea how miserable it was making me. Not that eating without a stomach is a picnic in the park, but it's just something I'll have to get used to.

Sending all my love to you for all the prayers, support and love you've given over the last few months.