Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog

This past New York Times-Sunday Review had an article, written by Paul Kalanithi, a 36-year- young , non-smoking neurosurgeon diagnosed with lung cancer.  It's entitled, "How Long Have I Got Left?"  Although Dr. Kalanithi doesn't specifically say what type of lung cancer he has, he is being treated with an oral medication that has allowed him to return to work.  It's a poignant and well written article and I relate to so much of what he writes about.   Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/25/opinion/sunday/how-long-have-i-got-left.html?exprod=myyahoo&_r=0 Thanks to Andrea and Annie for calling my attention to this article.

          I suspect this blog entry is for a narrow group of readers...probably my fellow non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Ninjas, cancer genetic counselor friends, friends and family that are medical doctors, and cancer nerds.        Today, a dear friend and fellow genetic counselor sent me a link to a newsletter-type article from Mayo Clinic Laboratories.  This newsletter, called "Communique", has an article about testing for biomakers (DNA mutations and immuno-histo chemistry) in some types of lung cancers and the new medications being used to treat them.  It's a little technical, but I'm posting the link because over the past year, or so, through this blog, I've been contacted by other Cancer Ninjas that have a lung tumor mutation, [EGFR, ALK or ROS1], who are on a targeted oral chemotherapy. (Some even have the same ROS1 mutation I have and are taking Xalkori.)      I believe this artic...

       It's been a little over a year since I was diagnosed with stage IV adenocarcinoma of the lung, a diagnosis I will now deal with for the rest of my life.  In the past 13 months, I have been an enormous benefactor of new research gains in treating my cancer.  Although lung cancer is not rare, there is much to learn and research in all areas of cancer will benefit folks like me.  Last year, I was not well enough to ride, so my husband, Wynn, and our children, Nathan and Nina, rode for me.  I am stronger now and will ride this year because I want to help cancer research to continue.        Last year my family and friends were over-the-top in their generosity and it's difficult for me to ask you to donate again.  I am only able to so this because the treatment I'm on, the one that has kept my cancer from getting worse while allowing me a relatively good quality of life, is only available b...

     Today, in an effort to get 2014 off to a great start, Wynn, Nathan, Nina and I were joined by our niece, Becca, and Wynn's cousin, Neill, and his wife, Margaret, for a wonderful afternoon of cross-country skiing.  The snow fell lightly the whole time we were out and the snow conditions and temperature were perfect.  I hope it's a sign for the year to come!                         Margaret, Becca, Nina, Wynn, Neill, me, and Nathan.      There is nothing better than nordic skiing with folks you love on a beautiful winter day.  It's a great workout, and the biggest bonus of all - I don't feel sick when I'm out on the trails.  My fingers are crossed for a great skiing season... tons of snow and temperatures in the high 20's.  

     It was December 14, 2012 that I took my first step on this unexpected cancer journey.  Sheesh...what a year it's been.  As I look back over the past 12 months, I'm surprised how I feel about them.  It's not all doom and gloom.      Although the peaks and valleys of this year's highs and lows have been extreme, the net amplitude has been much like other years.  No doubt this has been a very challenging year for my family and me, but in looking back, I don't think it's been more difficult than other difficult years I've weathered before.  The years that Wynn's grandmother, my father, and Wynn's mother died were very traumatic times for us.  The grief of those losses lasted for many months and rather than just disappearing, that grief seemed to only be able to slowly fade away as time passed.             When I first learned of the advanced stage of my cancer, I grieved....

...and I am so glad to be here to celebrate! I hope you can join me...do a dance, raise a glass, smoke a joint.  Whatever you would do to celebrate, please do one for me!

     Thanksgiving is a time for most of us, including me, to reflect on our lives and take note of the things that we are so appreciative of...supportive family, wonderful friends, great work colleagues.  This year is no different for me, except I've made note of a new category of items to acknowledge and give thanks for.       I am a true benefactor of medical research, clinical trials, and previous lung cancer patients who bravely participated in research protocols to find new treatments for those coming after them.  When one agrees to be part of a Phase I clinical trial, you become one of a small group to receive a new treatment so researchers can determine proper dosing, coupled  with documentation of all side effects.  In my language, this means they don't know how much to give you, how often, nor what bad things may happen.  Some Phase I trials are terminated prematurely because early on the side effects are recogniz...