There is Nothing Permanent Except Change.

This past week I received the results of my April 5th CT Scan.  The lesion they follow for the purposes of the clinical trial is still showing no progression which is good news but the scan also shows evidence of ascites build up.  It is not so much but 5 days later I can definitely feel it and it is uncomfortable.  Also my CA 125 has been on the rise for the last few months.  It is now 219 as of April 19th from a record low of 13 on August 15, 2015.  The upswing in values has rapidly increased since February.  In other words it is now rising quickly.  All this evidence is pointing to the fact that treatment from this clinical trial is not as effective as it has been in the past.  I can't complain though.  I have had a good long run.  One year actually.  That is the longest any treatment has kept the beast down.

The good folks at Princess Margaret are lining up the next line of defence.  We have applied to AstraZeneca to their Managed Access Program for Olaparib which is something called a PARP inhibitor.  PARP inhibitors can destroy cancer cells that have abnormal BRCA genes, but do not destroy normal cells.  I have the BRCA2 mutation.

Olaparib has not been approved by Health Canada but it has been in the U.S. by the FDA.  This access is provided internationally for those countries where it is not yet approved.  Once approved it will be available via prescription, however, I understand that it is very expensive and many drug plans may not pay for it.

This approval for Managed Access may take a month or so and then I will be part of a new study. In the meantime I am continuing on the trial because of the good results of the scan although the ascites is building up.  This is something we can deal with although I never feel it is frequent enough.  Most hospitals will not perform a paracentesis unless there is a considerable amount of fluid to drain.

Once it is deemed that disease progression is occurring then I will switch over to Olaparib treatment which consists of taking about 16 capsules a day and monthly clinic visits.  Much better than going to Toronto for weekly chemo treatment........

A couple of weeks ago my daughter and I went to Toronto for a few days to be tourists.  We had a good time and had some good quality time together.

Aquarium

 St. Lawrence Market

Aquarium

Royal Ontario Museum