The “Now you see it, now you don’t” scan

Before I move on, I thought we’d take one last, long view of the before and after CT scans of my lungs. The scan on top was taken on September 16th of 2008 two weeks prior to starting the PF-02341066 trial. The lower scan was taken seven weeks after my lead-in dose (taken one week before starting regular doses) on November 19th.

I had been receiving scans every three months for three years at the time of the September 2008 scan.  They had gone from questionable to progressively worse. “Interval increase in size and number of multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules is consistent with progression of metastatic disease”, read a report from August of 2007.

In stark contrast, the radiology report from November 19th of 2008 read: “Marked interval improvement of bilateral pulmonary lesions, with near complete resolution.  Small remaining lesions, left lower lung septal thickening, and left pleural effusion as above.”

I should point out that radiologist’s reports are, by necessity, very conservative in their wording.  Keeping this in mind, “near complete resolution” practically gushed with enthusiasm.

The scan from September illustrates clearly how far the cancer had advanced. The remaining upper lobe of my left lung was literally clouded with malignant nodules.  My right lung also shows a diffuse haziness indicating the spread of disease.  I had once again developed a hacking cough and increasing shortness of breath, and it was no longer possible to engage in many of the activities I had previously.  I was losing ground in my battle with cancer and it seemed inevitable that I would have to concede defeat.

But that was before PF-02341066.  Now I could literally and figuratively breathe again.  I was yet at war, but at long last I had a victory.