Nine years ago, Dad went into the hospital with what we thought could be kidney stones, but he was instead diagnosed with Renal Cancer. At the time, it appeared that the cancer was completely contained in one kidney. In just a matter of days, they removed his kidney, and he was cancer free. It all happened so quickly that we never really even had a chance to worry before everything appeared to be resolved.
A few weeks ago, he was in the hospital with a bacterial infection that had him sicker than hell. While he was there the doctors took a chest x-ray and found spots on his lungs which turned out to be of great concern.
Dad has since been diagnosed with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC). What this means is that before his kidney was removed nine years ago, in dad’s words, “Some of those little critters escaped”, and the cancer has spread to his lungs. –It is kidney cancer, not lung cancer.
The doctor has told Dad that they think of this as more of a “chronic disease,” rather than a cancer. Dad will take his medication (pills) from home 1 time a day, there is no need for inpatient care or chemotherapy.
Dad has gotten back all his test results. Last week, the doctors took a brain scan and Dad wants everyone to know that contrary to popular belief, he does, in fact, have a brain! The best news of all is that the cancer has not spread beyond his lungs. He also underwent a bone scan, which came back clean, and an EKG to test his heart to make sure it will be able to handle the treatments. We've always known he has a good heart, and the doctors simply confirmed that fact. He begins treatment this week.
He has been approved to be part of a clinical study in which they are trying to learn which of two drugs is more effective to use as a first line of defense. This is a great blessing for us, as it will help with most of the expenses of his treatment, and a blessing for others because the research will help future patients to more effectively fight the same battle.***PLEASE UNDERSTAND*** – These are NOT “experimental” drugs. They are both FDA approved, and are already used every day to treat patients with mRCC. Coincidentally he will be taking Sutent which is currently the medication being as the first line of defense. We have read one success story after another where the patients' tumors have stopped growing, shrunk, and even disappeared!
Dad has gotten back all his test results. Last week, the doctors took a brain scan and Dad wants everyone to know that contrary to popular belief, he does, in fact, have a brain! The best news of all is that the cancer has not spread beyond his lungs. He also underwent a bone scan, which came back clean, and an EKG to test his heart to make sure it will be able to handle the treatments. We've always known he has a good heart, and the doctors simply confirmed that fact. He begins treatment this week.
He has been approved to be part of a clinical study in which they are trying to learn which of two drugs is more effective to use as a first line of defense. This is a great blessing for us, as it will help with most of the expenses of his treatment, and a blessing for others because the research will help future patients to more effectively fight the same battle.***PLEASE UNDERSTAND*** – These are NOT “experimental” drugs. They are both FDA approved, and are already used every day to treat patients with mRCC. Coincidentally he will be taking Sutent which is currently the medication being as the first line of defense. We have read one success story after another where the patients' tumors have stopped growing, shrunk, and even disappeared!
He’ll start by taking Sutent for four weeks, and then he'll have a two week rest period. He'll continue this cycle for as long as his body is responding positively. If or when his body begins to build up its immunity to the drug, the treatment will be followed up by a second, similar drug called Afinitor (RAD001).
The drugs do have some side effects which could make him ill, but since everyone responds differently, we don't know exactly what to expect until he gets started. Some patients experience all of the side effects, but many only have mild discomfort. They will start him with the maximum dosage, and if the side effects are too overwhelming, they will have to option reduce the dosage accordingly.
He wants everyone to know -- and don't be disappointed-- that hair loss is not a common side effect from these drugs! So sorry, we won't be able to see what he looks like without his beard.
