Life – Terror. Ecstasy. Fight. Denial. Flight. Failure. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Hope. Love. Peace – Death.
Today, 25th March ’21, as part of an assessment for eligibility to enrolle onto a Geno Therapy Trial I will be undergoing a new round of scans – CT Thorax abdo pelvis with contrast and whole body bone scanning …to be precise!
Scanxiety.
For the uninitiated this procedure is a longish 4-5 hour day, largely composed of form filling and periods of waiting around for the radiated injected fluid to circulate around the body’s skeleton and for the dye to do the same for the other scan.
Arrive around 11.00am – 11.30am fill in a form
Transfer to Nuclear Medicine fill in a form
Transfer for a blood line fitting and a nuclear serum injection.
Wait 3 hours for circulation (in between transfer to CT scanning for full body bone scan). Another injection of dye. Another form.
Final (Abdo) scan (another form). Bloodline removal.
4-5 hours if all goes to schedule. Released under strict instructions, drink plenty of water, flush twice and no contact with pregnant women or children for a couple of days.
Clinical Trials are often considered the final chapter in the Cancer book? The final destination after all other treatments have been exhausted.
Why? Why wait, why not consider trials earlier?
When I reached my 5 year cancer surgery anniversary, (only last week), I start preparing myself for my next target, 10 years.
An optimistic target?
With only 2% of Advanced Metastatic Prostate Cancer patients surviving 10 years or longer, Yes!
But what the fuck, why not, aim high?
Trials are ‘suspiciously’ difficult to find and secure. Research, research, research.
I was specifically interested in Geno trials. As a father and very recent (first time) Grandad I am concerned about my own condition(s) adversely affecting my son and now grandson. The more information I have to pass on regarding my condition, DNA, the better? The hope being that they can consider their own future in an informed manner? Forewarned is forearmed?
Any Geno Trial would require my full DNA, genealogy mapping. This might reveal medical predispositions’ to a range of diseases, conditions including prostate and other cancers. Research now shows there are several genes (BRCA) with direct links to prostate and breast cancer. Forewarned is forearmed.
During my latest (last) cancer consultancy I voiced my interest in such trials. This appointment with a specialist cancer nurse and not a consultant was conducted via telephone. As you might expect a nurse was not able to provide answers to some of my more specific questions, however, she was professionally knowledgeable in the area of gene therapy trials and she demonstrated this by asking me several questions, one of which was in relation to any sibling’s and other close relatives current and previous (cancer) medical conditions.
She finished the appointment saying she would report to my consultant and get back to me with an update on my questions. She also commented ‘they are good questions’!
Chuffed!
My (only) sister was treated for early-life breast cancer (aged 35). As this is close enough for rock and roll to prostate cancer (BRCA Genes) she suggested I might be eligible for DNA, (BRCA) screening. More importantly, she suggested my son, grandson (close relatives) could be categorised as high risk and therefore should be closely monitored for prostate cancer, breast cancer. Progress.
Whilst researching cancer Geno treatments and trials I discovered a number of private companies offering Geno mapping services at a range of prices, some surprisingly less than I had imagined.
I found a reputable company (peer reviewed) based in Spain offering a Valentines day Special Offer. Two for one full screening. Bonus. Valentines day present sorted!
The results took just shy of 5 weeks. All online. A series of detailed ‘reports’ explained by an accompanying ‘manual’. Quite complicated to be honest. I am still getting my head around it all but alongside the medical reports there is also detailed ancestry analysis.
I was really shocked at both sets of results!
Overall, I am 99.9% European
I am less than ‘average’ predisposed to contracting prostate cancer.
To be continued ……
Thanks for Reading.
Peace
Dying to Live 