The Next Mountain to Climb

Jim and I had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday. She reiterated what we had seen in the scan results: the tumors in my liver and lungs are not super concerning yet. However, there are numerous new tumors in my muscles, on my scalp, and in various locations in my bones, particularly within my vertebrae. As we discussed the next steps for treatment, she proposed a combination of immunotherapy (infusions) and a daily pill that "disrupts tumor growth." In combination, these have shown promising results in approximately 30% of patients. While that may seem low to some, it is actually quite good compared to the success rates of chemotherapy treatments available for Leiomyosarcoma. I had some bloodwork done this morning, and we will see the doctor again in three weeks. At that appointment, we will receive a schedule for the immunotherapy treatments. Dr. Ganjoo is proposing a "novel therapeutic strategy." That means it's still not specifically approved for LMS...

When I was a little girl I used to tell my grandfather, Papa, about all the books I read and the fantastical places in those books. He told me, “You have wanderlust; don’t worry, you'll see the world someday.” Well Papa, I’m giving it one hell of a go!  A pic from our recent trip — standing in the smallest country in the world.  As many of you know, I had my full-body scan earlier this week, and we received the radiologist’s report today. The scans revealed growth in the existing tumors, along with the appearance of several new ones. While this isn’t entirely surprising, it’s still disheartening. I’ve noticed that some of the tumors on my scalp have grown significantly over the past few months, and I feared they might reflect what’s happening with the internal tumors as well. If you’re not familiar with it, Leiomyosarcoma is a miserable and aggressive disease. That said, I’m grateful that the tumors in my lungs, according to the pathologist’s measurements, don’t seem to have ...