Good news! It looks like the debrafenib is working for now! My oncologist didn’t go into too much detail about exactly how much things shrunk, but we did get to see both the “before” PET scan and the “after” PET scan and the difference was visible. At least one (maybe more) has completely disappeared, and the mets in my liver and kidney have all shrunk as well. So definitely good news!
My local doc is going to talk to Dr. New York to decide whether or not they want to add in a Mek inhibitor (which can give a little boost to the debrafenib and can make it work for a bit longer, plus it decreases the chance of some side effects, though it increases some others). I’m really hoping they decide to go for it because I want to give my body every chance it can get to get rid of this stupid cancer for as long as possible.
I’m just so excited that we’ve taken this first step, which was seeing that my mets really and truly are responding to this drug. It will stop working at some point, but how long until that happens is so variable. I just have to hope and pray that I can be an outlier and that my tumors will respond for a while! That’s another reason why I want to add Mek in as well. The problem with cancer is that it is always changing and adapting to get bigger and badder. It will eventually adapt to be immune to the pathway that debrafenib targets, but when you add that Mek inhibitor, that is another mutation that the cancer will need to have to get around the drugs. The more stuff we can throw at this stupid cancer, the better shot I have of more time!
So we will keep on keeping on! It was a lovely change to get some good news, and it was very, very welcome. Thank you so very, very much for all the good thoughts, prayers and juju!
***
Cute Emmie story of the day: Emmie was giving Peter a HUGE squeezy hug (squeezing her arms around his neck). She was clinging to his body with her whole body and I swear she was even hugging with her legs. She probably held on for a good minute or more, squeezing SO hard, and when she was done she said, “I don’t have any more hugs left in my whole body!”
Brandi said:
Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay, yay!!!!!! I am soooo happy to hear this wonderful news!
Bill Casey said:
What amazing news!!!! WOW!!! I am so happy!!!!
Diane Judem said:
This is fabulous news Shannon- Bob and I are both thrilled to hear! Keeping fingers and toes crossed never-the-less, because obviously, that helped! xo
Annette Martinez said:
Yea!!!!! LIFTING!!! WITH LOVE AND LIGHT!!
Pat Feehan said:
I am hugging you all with my whole body, even my legs!
Diane & Todd said:
Us too, Us too!!! Where is the line forming to do this as we want in!!! 🙂
Diane & Todd said:
I completely chime in and also say this is soooooo F’ing FABULOUS!!!!!!!
Do these drug(s) (combos?) have a potential also of any type of prevention of future mets at all, due to you taking them??!! In my uneducated mind regarding tx with them, I will sure hope that they do!!!
From my own chronic conditions that I have to manage, and from a person who before disliked needing to take any meds (still do but that’s neither here nor there), I say to us both: LONGER and BETTER LIVING through chemicals (meds I mean) hehe!! And, OF COURSE most of all, also through the love, support, and value of loved ones who care, along with the treasured love from one’s animals.
Rock on Sista!!!
Love much and BIG HUGS to your Mom n Dad I sure miss them a LOT too!!! D & T 🙂
p.s. Continuing wishes for commitment and stamina to eat the healthy food (and, as I’ve experienced also, the desire to eat at all) to fuel this positive process that’s taking place in your life!!! xoxoxo
Diane & Todd said:
AND the positive process going on in your body for sure. May it continue for a long, long, and did I mention LONG time!!!! xoxoxo