2nd line Cycle 8, CT

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My dad took the initiative to ask for a copy of the CT scan's (with contrast) report when he turned up for Cyce 8 treatment (probably because the surgeons asked for it). To my surprise, the first paragraph indicated some sort of mass on the pancreas i.e. "large homogenous non-enchancing hypodense retroperitoneal mass at the region of pancreatic uncinate process"). So I asked and the doctor said that it was cancerous. Is it new because PET/CT scan didn't pick it up. Not necessarily, according to the doctor. It seems that it may be inactive and so couldn't be detected by PET/CT scan.

This confused me. PET scan may not detect it because of lack of response (hence "inactivity") to the liquid injected into the bloodstream but surely the CT scan part (hence "PET/CT scan") would had detected it? @@

I chatted with my dad about this. I said that this didn't change the treatment and palliative plans because all along doctors had assumed pancreatic cancer. In addition, it was clear that the current chemo regiment helped him significantly: no more back pain, no stomach bloatedness and no constant belching. Tumour marker had dropped too. He agreed, especially he back pain part, and that he was glad he was on this chemo regimen.

Unfortunately, the next cycle was postponed by a week as the originally scheduled week is full (probably due to New Year). Meanwhile, about 10 days before the new date, dad began to experience more symptoms:
  • Numbness in his legs. I suggested choosing the gentlest massage mode of the foot massager. It worked
  • Knee pain. Upping his glucosamine from 750mg to 1500mg made it go away
  • Swelling in his legs. Subsided a little after taking dexamethasone
  • Pain in legs. Coincidentally subsided after taking dexamethasone for the swelling. I also suggested going back to the foot massager's gentlest mode
I was glad that my suggestion helped. Usually these additional symptoms go away during the first few days of the chemo cycle.

However, he had cough and phelgm for more than a week but it got better after he consulted a doctor and, later, took medicine from a pharmacist.

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