At The Christie

This morning I saw a cancer specialist at Manchester’s Christie, a centre of excellence for cancer treatment.

The Urology consultant who had diagnosed the cancer had told me I would get an appointment as chemotherapy prior to surgery might increase the chances of surgery ridding me of the tumorous cells by about 5% provided, of course, I was fit enough to undertake it. I was not to excited by the prospect of this visit but on the other hand I wasn’t going to fail to attend as I’m just not that confident in this new world I’m inhabiting.

Actually the visit was very positive. It appears that the response to three cycles of chemotherapy differ very widely and are unpredictable. In about a third of cases the tumor responds so well that surgery can be avoided and radiation therapy used instead. /Clearly I can go for that!

Today bloods were taken & my chest was x-rayed. Next week my kidney function will be tested to make sure I can handle flushing out the residues of the therapy and then, if all goes well, I will start the first of three cycles of chemotherapy with each cycle lasting three weeks.

On the first week the treatment is given as a drip over some 16 hours so involves staying in hospital overnight. In the second week it’s given by injection & in the third week of the cycle tests are carried out to make sure I can handle another cycle. I’m told that side-effects aren’t usually too unpleasant during only three cycles but tend to develop in those who require longer term treatments.

After these three cycles my bladder’s performance and scans will be used to assess whether surgery is still required.

One in three isn’t bad odd, I reckon.