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8/15 - Chemo #43

7/30 - Esophageal stent implanted.

7/28 - Upper GI test performed, blockage of esophagus led to decision to implant stent so I can eat.

7/25 - Chemo #42 (new line - #5 - Oxaliplatin + CPT-11)

7/22 - PET scan

7/07 - Chemo #41

7/06 - ER; fevers and painful abdomen, CT scan revealed nothing abnormal abdominally.

7/01 - angiogram to rule out coronary artery blockage as a source of chest pain (angina) - all clear.

6/13 - Chemo #40

6/03 - PET scan results indicated chemo is working...tumor load is decreasing...by a lot.

5/28 - CT scan - some liver metastases, one enlarged lymph node along esophagus (medistinum)

5/27 - stress test EKG revealed elevated ST segment, possible chemo-induced vasospasm and cause of transient angina (chest pain)

5/23 - Chemo #39

5/02 - Chemo #38

4/11 - Chemo #37 (Taxol i.v. + Xeloda daily)

3/21 - Chemo #36 (Taxol i.v. once very 3 weeks, Xeloda taken orally - 4 pills daily)

3/14 - Chemo #35 - new drug, Taxol. This is chemotherapy line #4 .

3/10 - PET scan results indicate new tumors in liver and continued cancer spread in lymph nodes surrounding esophagus.
2/21 - Chemo #34
2/20 - Chemo #33
2/19 - Chemo #32
2/14 - Chemo #31 + iron transfusion (I'm anemic)
2/12 - One year anniversary of diagnosis
2/03 - Blood test indicated transfusion produced intended result.
2/01 - Blood Transfusion - due to low blood counts
1/31 - Chemo #31....chemo no go, blood counts too low.
1/24 - Chemo #30 (#4 on third line).
1/23 - Chemo #29 (#3 on third line).
1/22 - Chemo #28 (#2 on third line).
1/17 - Chemo #27 (#1 on third line) - Etoposide and Gemcitabine.
1/16 - PET scan results show tumor activity has spread up esophagus and has increased in the liver.
1/15 - Neurology consult - neuropathy (numbness) in hands and feet is likely permanent.
1/14 - PET scan.
1/03 - Chemo #26 (#6)
12/27 - Chemo #25 (#5)
12/13 - Chemo #24 (#4)
12/06 - Chemo #23 (#3)
11/15 - Chemo #22 (#2)
11/07 - Chemo #21 (#1 of new "line")
11/05 - PET scan results showed progressive disease. Switch to "line two" chemo regimen (Taxotere & Epirubicin) is the plan.
10/31 - PET scan.
10/25 - CT scan results showed largest tumor shrunk from 1.5cm to 1.4cm. The disease is nearing stability, and a switch in chemo regimen appears necessary to obtain a cure.
10/23 - CT scan.
10/13 - 10/18 - Cholinergic reaction to chemo on 10/11.
10/13 - Vomiting blood from ulcerated gastric tumor.
10/11 - Chemo #20
10/4 - Chemo #19
10/2 - Fever (100.5) and chills forced trip to ER for IV antibiotics. White blood cell count determined high enough to discharge me with orders to take oral antibiotics for 10 days. Cultures back in 24 hours will reveal cause of fever spike.
9/20 - Chemo #18
9/17 - Endoscopy confirmed bleeding from ulcerated tumor.
9/13 - Chemo #17. Rough chemo session today - threw up blood, admitted to ER. Suspect bleeding from primary tumor at GE junction or Mallory-Weiss tears in the esophagus.
9/12 - CT scan results were good. the largest tumor in my liver shrunk from 1.9cm to 1.5cm.
9/11 - CT scan.
8/30 - Chemo #16.
8/23 - Chemo #15.
8/9 - Chemo #14.
8/8 - minor surgery inserted a Port-a-Cath in my chest for chemo.
8/2 - Chemo #13.
7/25 - visited Memorial Sloan-Kettering (MSK)Cancer Center. They essentially said the same thing as M.D. Anderson - surgery in Stage IV Gastric cancer has not been shown to prolong life...and they just don't do it with the intent to cure.

7/24 - M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston reviewed my file; they don't do surgery on Stage IV Gastric Cancer patients.

Our oncologist presented four options to us:
1. Continue same chemo,
2. Suspend chemo, but restart it if tumor activity restarted,
3. Change chemo now, to stay ahead of tumor resistance,
4. Surgery, regardless what the surgeon said.

7/11 - CT scan results - good news.
7/10 - CT scan #3.
6/27 - Chemo #12
6/21 - Chemo #11.
6/7 - immune-boosting shot.
6/6 - Chemo #10.
5/31 - Chemo #9. CT scan was good.
5/23 - CT scan.
5/17 - got immune-boosting shot.
5/16 - Chemo #8.
5/10 - Chemo #7.
4/26 - Got a shot to boost WBC production.
4/25 - Chemo #6.
4/19 - Chemo #5.
4/12 - Chemo canceled - blood count too low.
4/10 - CT scan.
3/29 - Chemo #4.
3/22 - Chemo #3.
3/8 - Chemo #2.
3/1 - Chemo #1.
2/27 - Completed first PET scan; visited sperm bank.
2/22 - Mayo Clinic consultation.
2/20 - Liver biopsy; cancer has spread to the liver.
2/19 - Duke and Johns Hopkins consultation.
2/14 - First meeting with oncologist.
2/12 - Gastric (stomach) cancer diagnosis was confirmed. I have a tumor at the GE (esophagus-stomach) junction. Formally its called "Undifferentiated Gastric Adenocarcinoma," tumor located at the junction of the esophagus and stomach.

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