Background Information:

Monday, June 27^th, 2016

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Many of you have asked how this was discovered,  since I had no symptoms.

It was luck.

Forunately, I have been having quarterly PET scans as part of a study not related at all to neuroendocrine carcinoma.  If it weren’t for that, I am not sure how or when this would have been detected.

Previous PET scans showed no signs of a growth until one administered in March showed something suspicious in the uterus.  From this scan followed some of the events below:

April:

       Endometrial biopsy in doctor’s office.   Result: Inconclusive.

       Hysteroscopy – outpatient surgery.  Removed a large polyp.  Result:  neuro-endocrine cells.  This

       was such a shock that I was certain they had mixed up my labs with someone else’s. 

May:

       Complete hysterectomy – sadly, this was confirmation of neuroendocrine carcinoma.  No involvement of lymph nodes, thankfully.  Surgery was successful in removing all the cancer along with the rest of my female organs. I was thinking at least some weight loss would be a positive result from taking so many body parts away.  But no such luck.  Inflammation and water retention has taken away that opportunity.)

June:              TREATMENT BEGAN:

                        June 27 –       Day #1 CHEMOTHERAPY – (5.5 hours)

                                                      Hydration fluids, mucho anti-nausea drugs +

                                                      CISPLATIN and ETOPOSIDE  (chemo drugs )

                        June 28,29 – Days 2 &3 (2 hours)

                                                      Hydration fluids, nausea drug + ETOPOSIDE

                        June 29  –      Day #1 RADIATION 15-30 minutes

                                                     Radiation continues weekdays for 5 weeks or 25 sessions.

                                                     (except holidays)- July 4)

                                              Day #25  - last day of radiation around August 3rd.

July:                The three days of chemo listed above will be repeated at least one more time – 

                         perhaps two.

                         Next session will be:  July 18-20                                        

                       

Several weeks following the end of radiation, a new chemotherapy regimen will begin.  That will probably be 1x every three weeks. 

   ~ ~ ~ ~