As promised, I wanted to share an update on my latest scan and blood work. Unfortunately, the cancer has returned much more quickly than expected. It’s now showing up again in my abdomen, as well as in my chest—on the pleural cavity and sternum. This was completely unexpected for both me and my oncologist, and we were all caught off guard by how fast things have progressed.
The good news is that I have a treatment path forward. I’m being considered for a drug called Elahere, which has been shown to be even more effective than chemotherapy. However, I need clearance from my eye doctor before I can begin infusions, due to it’s impact on vision. If all goes well, I’ll start treatment soon and will get infusions every three weeks locally.
I’m holding onto hope and keeping my fingers crossed for more time on this earth. Thank you all for your love and support—it truly means the world. 💜
(For those who want more details, I’ve included them below.)
Scan Findings & Disease Progression
- Abdomen: New cancer deposits observed on the outer surfaces of the intestines, consistent with peritoneal carcinomatosis.
- Ascites: Small volume of ascites present, indicating increased disease activity, but still at a low level.
Area between abdomen, spleen and intestine that tends to hold cancer and has ascites have small deposits of cancer
Nodule noted in the upper right quadrant
Lungs:
- Lymph Nodes: Slight increase in size, but not significantly enlarged.
- Fissural nodularity suggests small cancer cell deposits on the outer pleura.
- Ground glass opacities in the lower lobes, which were not present in November, may indicate a recent illness (pneumonia, COVID, or another infection). These changes are subtle and will be monitored.
Next Steps & Treatment Plan
- Elahere (folate receptor): Next treatment step; will be taken on its own (not combined with other therapies; shown to be 2-3 times more effective than chemotherapy in tumor response and remission duration.)Â
- Infusion Schedule: Administered once every three weeks but can be stretched to four weeks if needed.
Elahere Side Effects:
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Possible in fingertips and toes.
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): 10% risk; scans every two cycles will monitor lung health with CT Chest.
Pre-Treatment Requirements
- Insurance Approval
- Baseline Eye Exam: Required before starting Elahere with exams every two weeks while on the drug.
- Monitoring Criteria: Treatment may be held if visual acuity declines significantly (by more than three lines) or if confluent corneal microcysts appear.
Thank you for reading. This certainly wasn’t the news I was hoping for, however, this drug, if I am cleared and can take it without issues, may do a much better job at controlling the cancer.
With love,
Lynn
