So thrilled with the results, the oncologist agreed to take a selfie.
PET SCAN UPDATE FROM #danielkickscancer himself:
Hello friends! Quick update that I thought you would like to hear!
Tomorrow I am going in for my 6th chemo treatment. Two weeks ago we got the results from a PET scan that showed how my body has responded to the first two treatment cycles (2 months). Dr. Zaiden, my medical oncologist, told us the results were the best we could’ve hoped for and the cancer is 80-90% gone after only two cycles (four treatments) of chemotherapy infusions!
This was incredible news. Looking at the results from this PET scan next to the results from my first PET scan prior to treatment was amazing. Where my cancer was before was almost completely gone in the 2nd images. (I myself didn’t see anything, but I am not a doctor so i’m not an expert at reading these results lol).
Moving forward, the PET scan cannot show active cancer cells on a microscopic level, so there are most likely still active cells where they were before. I will continue on with chemotherapy for a total of 12 treatments (6 cycles). Even though my body has responded very well to chemo, we have to make sure every single active cancer cell is gone before completing treatment to ensure it does not come back.
We also met with doctors from the UF Proton Therapy Institute this past week and may be pursuing this (proton radiation rather than normal radiation) once my treatment ends at Baptist MD Anderson where I am doing my chemo. Because of the size of the mass in my chest before I started treatment, my cancer was considered “bulky,” and normally with this diagnosis Hodgkins Lymphoma patients who have bulky tumors are recommended to look into radiation/proton therapy once their chemotherapy ends. People with the bulky diagnosis are more likely to have the cancer come back, and Proton Therapy would target the spot where the bulky area was to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
Thank you everyone for your prayers. I have made it through my treatment without getting sick once, without losing my hair (although it is thinning quite a bit), and I have been feeling very well minus the 4-5 days after each chemo.
Please continue to pray for complete healing and that I continue to respond extremely well to chemo!
Daniel
The day before each chemo, blood work is taken and an oncology visit takes place. Dr. Zaiden, Daniel’s oncologist reviews the lab work, ensuring the white blood cell is high enough for chemo to take place. If not, Neulasta is given to boost the cell count, and chemo could be delayed.
Daniel’s medical oncologist Dr. Zaiden was so excited to deliver the great news from Daniel’s PETscan that he agreed to a selfie with Daniel, his fiancee Gabi, and me. LOL. The PETscan, which was done as planned after two full cycles (four treatments/two months) of chemo, showed that Daniel’s cancer was 80-90% gone. This is fantastic, and you can imagine the ugly cry I thought about doing, but instead jumped up and down saying a few WOO HOOO’s!! Daniel still has more than half way to go with the chemo infusions…with the most stubborn cancer cells remaining. And, after chemo the plan right now is 20+ rounds of proton therapy radiation. Thank you all for praying. Please pray for discernment in decision making.