Scan number 11

Its been 2 years since I was diagnosed and in that time Ive had 11 CT scans - but this was the first time Ive had one that threw up more questions than answers.

Thursday afternoon is definitely the best time to attend the Cancer Clinic, by the time I arrived for my appointment at 4pm the place was almost deserted. There were perhaps only 12 other patients there waiting to see the various oncologists and only one chap other than me to see Dr P.

When we were called in Dr P had his new CNS with him, Susan, and a pharmacist who will be holding a clinic in the future purely for Sutent patients. We started off by discussing how I had been coping with the side effects of Sutent, which was pretty well, and then moved on to my CT results. This is where the confusion started - some tumours which had been reported on before wernt mentioned and some new ones had appeared. Dr P spent over an hour going over all the scans Ive had and trying to make sense of whats happening.

Basically the two tumours I have under my right arm pit have shrunk. The one I had in a lymph node next to my lung has disappeared. But I now have tumours in both my adrenal glands, not big ones, but big enough to be measured. And there is a huge new one, bigger than a golf ball, on my ride side just under my ribs - which explains all the pain Ive been getting there which I had though was muscular. This tumour is almost completely necrotic (dead) though but with a teeny line of live cells around the outside - very similar to the one I had next to my lung. According to Dr P this is very unusual (trust me) and he is going to hold a review of all my scans with the next Multidisciplinary Team Meeting. There was no mention of the tumours on my left hip or right rib.

Overall though Dr P said I still have stability and he was pleased - so was I, albeit a little confused too ! I guess Ill just have to wait for the review by the MT.

I left with my next prescription for Sutent a little deflated as I was expecting much better more definitive results - but having mulled it over during the night, as you do, Ive decided that whatever is going on Sutent is still working, Im still here, and thats the important thing.

Today Martin and I are going down to Torquay for the weekend (Torquay in January!) just for a little break. The weather forecast is terrible so we will probably spend most of the time huddled round the fire in the hotel !