Oncology Appointment and Update

Today was my oncology appointment where I received results from the biopsy blood test I had 1 month ago.  The CA-125 monthly ovarian cancer marker was the same as it has been since December at 29.  However it was the genotype/dna test that I was hoping was normal and it was.  Basically instead of taking a needle biopsy of the few masses in my body, we did this blood test.  It looks at my DNA.  If there were active cancer cells it would have been positive.  So what it boils down to is the masses that were seen on last months PET Scan are either not cancerous (which is or isn't likely) or they are just dormant.

Cancer cells typically replicate every 50 days.  It's been nearly that since I last had chemo, which means if they were active, they would have replicated by now.

Can I say I'm in remission?  Most likely yes, but we will keep a very close watch on my monthly tests.  If the CA-125 goes up 30%, we will do another PET scan or the genotype test.  Lets hope it stays at 29, or better yet goes down.  I don't like it that high.  I feel much more comfortable when it is in the teens, but it hasn't been there for a year, so I should just be grateful that it isn't up in the 60's as it was several months ago.

Dr. J describes things like this...If you are in a war and the enemy is being protected, you won't waste your ammo on them while under protection.  It's the same as the cancer cells.  Throwing chemo at cells that aren't replicating or in dormancy does nothing to the cancer cells, but only kills the good cells.  Which is why we are still on chemo holiday unless the enemy fires up and we have to stop the fire (or disease in this case.)

My friend Janelle came with me today.  It is never a good idea to go to an oncology appointment by yourself, even if it is good news.  It was nice to have her by my side, especially when it came time to explain it to my mom over the phone.

We celebrated this good news by having lunch at Grassroots, one of my favorites and by having a sugar day in the middle of the week at TCBY Yogurt.

And so I will continue to live my life, hopefully without the fear that cancer will rear it's ugly head again...bring on the packing, a new home, back to work full time, more hiking and LOVE!