Her CA125 from Feb 16 was 40, down from 63 two weeks ago, and 624 at the worst on Nov 8, 2011. “Normal” on the kind of test that they use at SCCA is 0-35. (On some CA125 tests normal is 0-21. Sort of a Centigrade/Fahrenheit thing, that no one seems to be able to explain. But, all agree that lower is better.)
We’d been seeing 50% drops or better, so we were hoping for below 35, but probably next time, in 2 weeks. We think that the medications will stay the same through April 12, but there will be a PET/CT scan Mar 20 and at any time, the doctors may decide to change the program, based on the latest data. We assume that Janet will stay on the various medications for a time after getting “normal” readings of the PET/CT scan and the lab tests. The idea is to be sure to get any remaining “seed cancer cells” (our phrase).
Our current understanding is that the whole idea of cancer is that one cell mutates and usually begins uncontrolled reproduction AND stops the normal, programmed cell death (Apoptosis). In a healthy body cells are supposed to have “just the right number of kids” and then die on a certain schedule. Each part of the body has a schedule. Some are replaced and the older ones die every few weeks. But cancer cells may live many years and just lurk. Obviously we want them all gone.
So, just like you don’t stop the antibiotic the first day that you feel better, Janet will be on treatment for a while. However, when she does not need the Abraxane infusion, we believe, we hope that she can just take a bag of her oral medicines and we can fly to the boat (Turkey) for perhaps a couple of months.
We will see. There have been so many changes in plans in our lives of the last 2 years, that we have adopted a wait and see attitude.
Thanks for all of the support! We can feel all of the prayers, well wishes, positive thinking, etc. Please keep ’em coming.
Dave & Janet
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