1st Chemo

Ed was given the option of being a candidate for a Clinical Trial (a type of research study) at UMC in Tucson or taking the already approved chemo (Dacarbazine) for metastatic melanoma which has only had an 11% response rate. After reading all the information and discussing it with Ed's oncologist, we chose to do this. This clinical trial consists of an A group and a B group. Group A uses Abraxane and Group B uses Dacarbazine. Group A drug is being researched in hopes it will produce even better results and eventually be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for metastatic melanoma. It is presently approved in the US for the treatment of women with metastatic breast cancer. However, for this study it will be given at a different dose and treatment schedule. One of the reasons we chose the clinical trial is that someday others will be able to benefit from the results of the trial no matter what it does for Ed.

On January 6, 2011, we drove to Tucson as Ed had to have blood work done, a bone scan, a CAT scan, and a PET scan. Over the next several days, we got word that no other tumors were seen. That was great news for us!

On January 12, we again traveled to Tucson for the first chemo treatment. He was assigned to Group A and it only took 30 minutes to administer. Blood samples were taken before and after the chemo as well as another 24 hours after (we opted to spend the night rather than make the drive back and forth). We were told this drug probably won't cause the nausea and vomiting other chemo drugs do, but they did give us a Rx "just in case." It wasn't needed! It, however, is likely to make his hair fall out.

So the regimen for Ed's treatment is: chemo given once a week for 3 weeks. Then he gets a week off with an office visit on the first day of that off week. Then, after that week, the cycle starts over again.

Many have prayed with us and for us as we go through this. We appreciate all of you. Our support system is STRONG as is our faith in God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Ed's next treatment is Thursday, the 20th. We'll be posting each week after his Thursday treatments, so most likely the posts will be out on Fridays.