Sorting out her shortness of breath

I got the update from Kirk about the medical visits this week, besides UCSF (see prior post). Alison met with her new medical oncologist yesterday(he directs the chemo) and he has coordinated with the pulmonary (lung) specialist to make a plan. We hear very positive reports in her confidence in this oncologist.

On Monday (3/29), Alison will have CT scans to look at lung status and especially blood vessel status in the lungs (spiral CT and CT angiogram). The idea, I believe, is to see if additional tests need to be done if there is still inflammation in the lungs, and to see if there is any clot in the blood vessels of the lung that could account for symptoms such as the shortness of breath and overall difficulties with poor endurance, fatigue and faster than normal heart rate that she has been having. I'm not clear what findings would be a "deal-breaker" before starting the Avastin, but the medical oncologists want a better handle on her lung status. Avastin is a relatively recent anti-cancer drug, and works specifically on blocking blood vessels that feed a tumor, so the issue about clots and regenerating blood vessels is pertinent. You know that her hospitalization at the end of treatment last time involved this mysterious involvement of lungs and inflammation, and nothing definitive was found at that time.

I know Alison is anxious to get going with treatment, so let's cross our fingers that the tests let her move forward with her treatment.