Well, it’s bad news
Dr. Turek from Angell called.
The chest x-rays showed “lesions on the lungs consistent with metastatic cancer.” There is no immediate indication where the primary cancer is.
It could be thyroid related from the lump in his throat but that’s most likely a fat lump. In that case, thyroid cancers move very slowly and aren’t very treatable. It could be some cancer in the tonsils as that’s apparently relatively common. Treatment options in that case are not generally very effective It could be from the hemangiopericytoma on his foot, but that has a low incidence of metastasis. There’s an remote chance the lung nodules could be fungal infection of some kind, but that’s unheard of around here: it’s a tropical condition.
But in every permutation of what the primary cancer is could be and where it is, the chance of developing an effective therapy is remote. (Where “effective” to me means “cure” not “prolong”.) There’s a new treatment regimen of administering low doses of chemotherapy every day rather than the high doses every couple of weeks, but there is no data on the effectiveness of this.
He’s feeling well and is very chipper (considering he’s 13). His appetite is good and there’s no malaise. So I need to think on this. She said we could do more procedures later “but earlier is always better”. So considering the chances of effective treatment are small, and that he’s feeling well now, finding the primary cancer is (mostly) an academic exercise.
If forgot to ask about the hemangiopericytoma and whether that should be debulked. I’ll have to call back tomorrow.
I can pick him up after 1:30. I’m off to JP.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Oh Todd, I’m so sorry to hear that. I know it doesn’t need to be said, but enjoy the time you have left together and keep your spirits up. I’ll be praying for a doggie miracle for Billy.