Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Update: 7 Months Post-Radiation

I had my follow-up appointment with my oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center today and could not wait to share the results. Time will tell, but already there is a subtle indication that the tumor may be shrinking. My MRI reports says the residual tumor is stable and appears less prominent along the left cavernous sinus region.

Here's the MRI comparison (not exact - but close):

Click on the image to enlarge

Also, my pituitary is still functioning with no indication of damage. All hormone levels are within normal limits and my IGF-1 dropped from 190 to 156. I'm still experiencing random headaches and bouts of fatigue, but not to the degree that I had during or shortly after radiation. Overall I feel pretty good and am thankful for the great news. I return to Houston for another follow-up in 6 months.

**For those of you that have an active case of acromegaly please note that I am an anomaly in the world of acromegalics. I have been in remission since my first surgery in 2005 and had a very mild case of acromegaly due to the fact that my tumor is partially functioning. If I have an occasional burst of excess hormone it's not usually detected in my blood work. My growth hormone levels have remained in the normal range and I've never needed medication to control the disease. Most acromegalics tell a different story and are treated with medication and/or surgery before they proceed to radiation treatment. Not everyone's situation is the same. My current battle is primarily with tumor growth as it continues to invade my skull base.