Many people ask me about what treatments have I had in the past as well as what am I currently doing.   It is the intent of this page to provide answers to these questions.  I will continue to post updates to this page as changes in medical condition and/or treatment occur.  Please refer to this page for all future personal medical updates.  If you have questions regarding medical treatment that I have received and would like additional information, send me a message and I would be happy to answer.  Contact Me

2018

January 11:  A follow up MRI of the liver was done.  There was a slight decrease in size of the 2.3cm lesion down to 2.1cm.  No additional treatment at this time.  Next scan will be in April 19th.

2017

October 17:  Scan day.  An MRI of the liver was completed.  Both teams of doctors from Wichita and Saint Louis have reviewed the scans.  Very positive results.  This was anticipated due to the ablation that was done.  There is a 2.3cm lesion that is not showing any signs of change from the previous scans.  The decision was made to continue monitoring this until change is identified.

September 13:  Microwave ablation was a success.  Now time to recover and move forward.

August 16:  Meetings happened today with Surgical and Oncology teams.   We had a very constructive conversation about the current status of my disease progression as well as discussing different methods to treat the cancer moving forward.  This was a little difficult in terms of weighing out the risk to reward.  Balancing current condition, hepatoxicity now and adding load to the liver with additional treatments.  I will probably write a blog page to further explain the medical side of things.  For now, we will be moving forward with Interventional Radiology and doing Microwave ablation to the progressing tumor.  This will happen on September 13th.  Following will be a series of blood tests and scans (surveillance) to monitor further progression.

August 3:  Siteman Cancer Center in Saint Louis reviewed all of the scans and gave me the BAD NEWS.  The cancer has returned and there is a new tumor that has formed in my liver.  I have been very fearful of this due to pain that has developed over the past couple months in my liver.  I was hoping it was just part of the healing process from the liver resection.  This time in a completely different segment of the liver than previous.  We will be making the journey to Saint Louis to sit down and discuss treatment options.  Currently, they are wanting to schedule another surgery.  I will also meet with Oncology to discuss chemotherapy options. I feel this is one area that needs to be well thought out and not just throw stuff at the wall and hope it sticks mentality.  We have enough information now to develop a more defined approach.  I have KRAS mutation as well as i am MSS (micro satellite stable) miss matched repair proficient (pMMR).  I have known all along that this will be a battle of search, find, and treat until such time that is no longer possible.  Due to the short period of time that it has taken for this tumor to show up, I feel there is much more cancer in the liver that has not matured enough to be picked up on the scan.  This is a limitation of modern technology that is very frustrating.  Therefore I will be researching other methods of treatment that could have a more global impact to the liver in addition to surgery.  There are many trials taking place for mCC patients with pMMR.  Immunotherapy will be an avenue I will strongly look into. I should feel happy that surgery is still an option at this point.  However, I feel like i just now recovered from the last surgery and i am not excited about going down this path again.  At least not this soon.  I am going to formulate several different plans of treatment paths and present to medical team for discussion.  There are several options available, now to figure what is best at this time.  I feel like I have a little time to research, prepare and plan.  My pain level is low and the tumor is not life threatening at this time.  Time to get busy and dance with the devil.

July 25:  Results Day, well partially anyway.  I met with my Oncologist in Wichita and discussed all the test results.  He was ok with the CT scan, not much new there to report.  PET scan still not showing metabolic activity.  MRI did show areas that elevated his concern.  He attempted to call Saint Louis to discuss as they too have a copy of all scans that were done.  No luck.  Waiting for a call back now.  

July 13:  Scan day once again.  Today we do an MRI focused on the Liver.

July 11:  Well this will be a very busy and stressful day.  It is scan day again.  I have so much anxiety leading up to scan day as well as waiting for the results.  It is such a difficult thing to put into words.  Today i will have a PET Scan and CT scan.

April 3:  PET Scan:  PET scan did show same areas of concern as indicated by CT scan.  However, GOOD NEWS, there is no Hyper Metabolic Activity.  Such a relief.   Tumor Marker Blood tests were done “Carcinoembryonic antigen” (CEA).  Although this test indicated an increase in levels (approx 100%), there is no need for alarm yet.  I never have placed much focus on CEA levels as it has not been a very accurate measurement method for my cancer.  The clinical decision was made by the team to re-evaluate with more scans in 3 months and make a decision from there.  Looks like I can go back to BREAK time for now.

March 27:  Oncology Appointment (Wichita):  CT Scan results.  Well, that certainly did not go as planned.  I thought that I could at least have 1 or 2 follow up scans (A MUCH NEEDED BREAK) before jumping back into the treatment program.  Cancer is relentless.  So here are the scan results:  Two spots on liver.  Both of which are located on the right lobe.  Possible metastasis to the lungs.  CT Scan shows an area of concern that will require additional scans.  Scheduling a PET scan for Next Week.  If the PET scan results support the CT Scan results then it will be back to Saint Louis (Siteman Cancer Center) for me.   

March 21:  CT Scans:  The beginning of a very long week.  Anxiety over possible outcome.  I hate the waiting to receive the results.  I would love to have just 1 good scan so I can experience what that feels like.    

February 28:  12th and final Treatment of Chemo (Folfox w/o Avastin):  Very happy for this day to arrive.  It could not get here quick enough.  Toxicity levels have been accumulating and becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

February 14:  11th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox w/o Avastin):  Neuropathy levels are high…my game face is on and this warrior is ready to do battle.  2 to go.

January 31:  10th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox w/o Avastin):  Lets go!  I am ready!

January 17:  9th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox w/o Avastin):  I had asked my Oncologist if the side effects from the chemo would be accumulative to the treatments I had before or if they would be like starting over due to the break I had due to surgeries.  Oncologist Answer:  Could go either way, everyone is different.  My Answer:  Accumulative.  I should have projected that, I was still having lingering side effects with Neuropathy.

January 4th:  8th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox w/o Avastin):  All went well, just as I had remembered.   I was very lucky to get my favorite nurse at the Cancer Center.  Those nurses are amazing.  

2016

December 14:  Surgical Follow Up (Siteman Cancer Center, Saint Louis, MO):  Recovery from surgery going well.  

December 13:  Interview New Oncologist (Siteman Cancer Center, Saint Louis, MO):  What a long process to get to this point.  My previous Oncologist was good from a medical point of view.  However, when you tell a patient you are going to do something then you better well do it.  She instructed me to call  her for some results we were waiting on.  I called as instructed, she would never call back and finally I was told to schedule an appointment to come in and see her to get the results.  That is 15hr drive round trip for me, her nurse said that if I want the information I had to make another appointment.  I don’t think so.  Yes, you can fire a Dr.  The cancer center was not very supportive of this.  However, after enough persistence I succeeded.  Interview went very well.  I have a new Oncologist that I am very comfortable with.     Adjuvant chemotherapy will begin in January.

December 2:  Oncology Consult (Wichita):  Review treatments to date and discuss options for moving forward.  

November 4:  Liver Resection of Partial Right Lobe (Hepatectomy) 2 tumors (1 was a surprise):  Surgery went well.  I have a wonderful Surgeon that I trust.  Very large incision, 29 Staples.   Recovery from this is substantially more difficult as compared to the Colon Resection (Colectomy).  I have a friend that is a Surgeon and he told me this was going to be a big surgery, I should have paid closer attention.  He was not kidding.  

October 26:  Surgical Consult (Liver Resection) and MRI scan:  MRI Scan results were not great.  Tumor is showing continued growth.  Growth means a larger resection.  Surgical Consult went very well.  I have a lot of faith in her skills.  I am ready to get this done!

September 22:  CT Scan and Oncology appointment (Wichita):  Cryoablation looks good.

September 16:  Cryoablation Surgery (Left Lobe):  Everything went well.  Took a little longer than expected.  Radiologist said he is relatively certain he was able to get to it all.  Location made things difficult.  He was working close to the Hepatic vein and did not want to damage it.  Now to recover and then on to the Liver Resection surgery.

August 17:  Surgical Consult & Oncology Consult (Siteman Cancer Center, Saint Louis, MO):  As always, there are always glitches/bumps in the road.  We hit a good one.  Tumors are not responding to treatment.  Therefore they are suspending the Chemotherapy and we will no need to move directly to surgical treatment.  Our previous plans of doing a Portal Vein Embolization followed by a liver resection are cancelled due to survive ability.   This would have left me with less than 20% of my liver of which proposes to much risk.  Plan C:  Cryoablation for the difficult tumor followed by Liver Resection to remove remaining tumor followed by Adjuvant Chemotherapy.  Not the best news nor the best options.  I will take what I can get.  

August 9:  7th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin): Chemo is complete.

August 3:  MRI Scan (Wichita, KS)  MRI results are not favorable.  Tumors are not responding to Chemotherapy treatments.  I will do 1 more Chemo Treatment and then go to Siteman Cancer Center for direction.  

July 26:  6th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin):

July 12:  5th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin):

June 21:  4th Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin):

June 7:  3rd Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin):

May 24:  2nd Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin):

May 10:  1st Treatment of Chemo (Folfox+Avastin):

May 6:  Colonoscopy:  Removed 1 polyp.  Pre-cancerous.

May 2:  Oncology Consult (Wichita, KS):  Review plan that has been established.  Discussed Chemotherapy and what to expect.

April 29:  Results (Siteman Cancer Center, Saint Louis, MO):We have a Plan.  Chemotherapy for 6 months, followed by 2 surgeries.  Houston, we have a plan.  Take off in T-11 days.

April 27:  Surgical Consult (Siteman Cancer Center, Saint Louis, MO):  Surgeon was great.  Provided a lot of information and took her time to make sure we were informed and comfortable.  She reviewed the scans and will formulate a plan in “Conference” with other Doctors (The group decision makes me a little more comfortable with what I am facing).  

April 26:  Oncology Consult (Siteman Cancer Center, Saint Louis, MO):  Good meeting, very informative.  Discussed Chemotherapy and challenges due to Mutations.  

April 14:  Surgery  (Port installed):  Procedure was fast and simple.  No problems.

April 12:  Biopsy Results:  STAGE IV CRC confirmed.

April 5:  Biopsy of Liver tumors:  Procedure complete.  Now wait for the results.

March 31:  PET Scan

March  22:  CT Scan:  Radiologist called my Primary Care Physician (PCP).  Notified him that there were 2 areas of the Liver that appeared cancerous.  Will need to confirm via Biopsy.

2015

July 16:  Back in Surgery:  Surgery to repair damage due to blockage.  Not fun!

June 26:  Colon Resection Surgery:   Surgery is complete.  The initial surgery was planned with the Davinci Robotic Surgery procedure.  The surgeon started the surgery with this procedure however he had to open me up due to issues.  This will extend the time of recovery. 

June 02:  CT Scan of Enlarged Aorta:  For a different medical issue unrelated to the cancer.

May 19:  Surgery consult (Wichita, KS) 2nd Opinion.  Consult went well, felt comfortable with this surgeon.  Moving forward with Colon Resection.

May 11:  CT Scan and full blood work.

April 29:  Primary Care Physician (PCP): requesting referral for 2nd Opinion

April 27:  Surgery Consult (Wichita, KS):  Met with Surgeon, was not comfortable.  Going to get another opinion.  

April 23:  Pathology confirms cancer:  Stage I cancer in the Transverse Colon.

April 21:  Colonoscapy:  Had my first colonoscapy done.  This was triggered by having blood in my stool.  Took a little longer than the Doctor expected, about 1 1/2 hours.  Dr. that performed the colonoscapy said he removed 6 Polyps in various locations of the colon and one of them had the characteristics of cancer. These locations were marked with a Tattoo for future identification.   Will need pathology to confirm.

Clinical Information (for patients and researchers)

RAS Mutations:  Positive, KRAS Mutation Confirmed: Exon 2, Codon 12, G12v

BRAF Mutations:  Negative

MicroSatellite Status:  MicroSatellite Stable

Lynch Syndrome:  Negative