Update on December NIH Visit and Conference Call

Melissa and my parents had the conference call with the doctors up at the NIH and after meeting and discussing Missy's case the doctors decided that Missy does NOT need surgery right now!  This is such a blessing.  These surgeries are extremely difficult on Missy and come with a ton of terrifying possible complications, so avoiding surgery is the greatest news we could have possibly gotten today.

The doctors made their decision based on the fact that although the growth of the tumor over the last eight weeks is alarming, the tumor is not extremely large.  Combine that with the fact that she is having no side effects from the tumor, and it makes them think surgery is not what she needs at this time.  There is the IV treatment, Avastin, that prevented any new growth of this tumor the entire time she was on it, so they believe that is the the best treatment is to go with for now.

So they want her back on her IV meds as soon as possible.  She has an appointment with her local doctor to hopefully set up an infusion before the end of the week.  She will do that treatment right away, then another in two weeks.  Two weeks after that she will go back to the NIH for another scan.  Hopefully it will show no new growth.  The option for surgery is still on the table at a later point, she is very strong and the tumor is operable, they just do not think the benefits out weight the risks as of today.  We are hoping this medicine continues to work and she does not need surgery any time soon!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.  We are so very thankful for you all.

Merry Christmas!

December NIH Visit

Missy had her 8 week scan up at the NIH on Thursday, and the results were not what we expected.  Her MRI came back showing aggressive new growth of her tumor. So aggressive that the doctors think the best action to take is most likely going to be to go in and remove the new growth.  Her doctor will be meeting with the board to discuss options on Tuesday, but when they spoke with him on Friday it seemed most likely they they would opt for surgery.  Of course this news has been very difficult for Missy and everyone in the family, but we feel very blessed that they are options of ways to fight this cancer.  We have aggressive treatments to fight aggressive growth, and that is a good thing.

We have two treatments that the doctors and Melissa feel will give her the best chance to fight.  Four months ago the doctors took Missy off an IV infusion treatment, Avastin, that was meant to cut off the blood supply to the tumor. The six months she was on that medication there was no growth. She was also on a chemotherapy pill, Temodar, which they left her on during her break from Avastin. Without the Avastin the tumor has grown out of control. 

Fighting cancer is very hard. And the most effect way to fight it is to remove as much as possible. And that's what we are fairly sure they want to do. The most effective treatment. Because she is very strong, she is fighting very hard, and they want to give her the very best chance to beat this. And that means taking out what they can, then putting her back on the medication that we now know works to stop growth of whatever is left. So we think that is the plan.  Tuesday we will know for sure, but we are expecting surgery in early January. 

Missy and the rest of our family are very happy to have two ways to fight this cancer.  We know another surgery will be very difficult for Missy, but she wants to do what is most aggressive to kill this cancer.  She is very brave, very strong, and she wants to do whatever it takes.   We are leaving that decision up to her doctors.

I will update again next week after we hear from the doctors about surgery details, if they do decide surgery is the best option.  Thank you for all of your prayers and support during this difficult time.  They mean so much to Missy and our entire family.