[nfb-talk] More bad news: Round 2

[David Andrews]

Good luck, Joseph, we are all pulling for you!

Dave

At 04:55 AM 1/28/2011, you wrote:
>Hey everyone, Three weeks ago I felt some pain 
>in my leg, the opposite side from the tumor in 
>my back/side.  A scan showed something very 
>small, but definitely solid.  The doctor removed 
>it and did a biopsy, given my 
>history.  Preliminarily, it looked like another 
>sarcoma, so they cut some margin tissue out as 
>well.  It was so small that a week later, I’ve 
>all but recovered from the surgery. I’ve 
>waited to write to everyone until the pathology 
>report came back, and it did tonight.  It was a 
>sarcoma, and the margins are clear.  This will 
>mean another round of radiation, and I suspect 
>I’ll be told Tuesday that chemotherapy is not 
>considered optional this time around. The last 
>time around, my whole life was put on hold for 
>several months.  That was mostly because I was 
>still recovering from surgery during the 
>radiation.  I don’t know how I’ll react to 
>chemotherapy, but I’m told that generally it 
>isn’t going to be pleasant. Metastasized soft 
>tissue sarcomas have a statistically high 
>mortality rate.  One study says 73% within six 
>years.  They are considered to be stage 4, but 
>people can and do survive them.  My lungs were 
>clear in October; it’s a good sign if they 
>still are.  And though we cannot prove the 
>negative, it is possible that this new tumor 
>resulted either from metastasis of the original 
>to this and only this location, or that it is 
>what they call a second primary tumor.  Either 
>of those make the clear margins very important. 
>We’ll know more after Tuesday, 
>hopefully.  I’m praying for the best, and 
>would welcome prayers from others as well. Thanks everyone, Joseph